[ HOME ]
| The Swedish Dance | Snow Waltz | Prince Charlie's Quickstep | Kemp's Jig | Carolans Draught | Dotty's Jig | Whitehaven Volunteers | The Arran Boat | Road to Boston | Kate Kelly's | Christmas Eve | |
Traditional Irish reel
Click here to play or download midi file
This three-part Irish reel, played by Galway-style fiddler Tommy Coen, was broadcast on RTE radio on Christmas Eve 1955. It has been known by that name since that time, but has also been called Tommy Coen's and The Christmas.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Collected Australian tune
Click here to play or download midi file
This Australian waltz has an 'A' part remarkably similar to Bill Cooper's Waltz, collected by Rob Willis from Bill Cooper of Forbes. The 'B' part has a lovely melodic line. The 11th of November marks the 126th anniversary of Kate Kelly's brother Ned's demise.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
A Tune from America
Click here to play or download midi file
Also known as On the Road to Boston, this tune was popular with the Colonial troops during the American War of Independence, and is widely used as a dance tune in Australia. Back in the late 70s, Steve Cook introduced to Brisbane tune players the 'alternative' version, Road to Istanbul, in G minor. The tune is the same, but with B flats, E flats and F sharps!
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
A Traditional Scottish Tune
Click here to play or download midi file
This old traditional tune, named for the Scottish Isle of Arran, is also known as the Arran Boat Song, Highland Boat Song and Queen Mary's Escape from Loch Leven Castle. Under the title of Highland Boat Song, one Robert Allan (1774-1841) wrote words for the tune, about Mary Queen of Scots' escape from the castle in May 1568.
[top]
An English tune
Click here to play or download midi file
This lively martial tune is from the north-west of England.
A version can be found in 'A Northern Lass - Traditional
Dance Music of North-West England' by Jamie Knowles.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
Click here to play or download midi file
Dotty's Jig was field-recorded by June Nichols in 1994 during a session with Stanthorpe button accordion player Sharon Doro, and is regularly played by The Champion Moreton Bay Band. I have recently discovered that this tune was collected about twenty-five years ago from Charlie Batchelor of Bingara, NSW by Chris Sullivan and Mark Rummery, and was recorded as Harry Reeves' Jig, by Jane Brownlee and David De Santi, on Australian Traditional Dance Tunes Vol. 2 - A Swag of Treasures.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Click here to play or download midi file
This is one of Irish harper O'Carolan's better-known compositions. Born in 1670, he lost his sight due to smallpox at the age of eighteen, and sponsored by Mrs. MacDermott Roe, studied the harp, before venturing around the country by horse, with an attendant. A fondness for whiskey might have been the inspiration for this tune!
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
An English tune
Click here to play or download midi file
William Kemp (or Kempe), colleague of Shakespeare, was a well-known dancer and comic actor of the late 16th/early 17th centuries. His famous solo Morris jig, danced in nine days from London to Norwich, was rewarded by the Mayor of Norwich with a life pension, and is regularly re-enacted today.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
An 18th century Scottish tune
Click here to play or download midi file
This Scottish tune dates from the time of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 which ended with the defeat of the Highland Army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart by the Royal Troops of George II at the battle of Culloden on 16th April 1746 . It appears that the famous 18th century fiddler Niel Gow had this tune in his repertoire as it is included in a comprehensive recording of tunes composed or played by him (A Tribute to Niel Gow by Ron Gonnella). Niel Gow played for Prince Charlie at a social gathering at Dunkeld House, Perthshire, and, impressed by the Jacobite cause, joined the Prince's forces. He left the army at Stirling, but continued his support for the Jacobites. The source of this tune was Duchess Anne's Music Book, but her identity is unknown at this stage. I have adapted some of the music to improve playability.
The 260th anniversary of the battle of Culloden was commemorated at the Cairn, Culloden Battlefield, on Saturday 15th April 2006.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
A collected tune of European origin
Click here to play or download midi file
This lovely traditional waltz (Schneewaltzer) is popular in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. Sharon Doro of Stanthorpe collected it from Heinz Krahling and recorded it on her 1992 album Portrait. An internet search reveals many recordings of this waltz as well as a hand-written manuscript.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Click here to play or download midi file
Despite the confusing title, this is an English 6/8 tune collected in the early 20th century by Cecil Sharp from Mr. Swallow of Little Guiting, and was used for the dance 'Three in Advance'. It has been transcribed from the 1981 LP 'Gamesters Pickpockets and Harlots' by the Old Swan Band.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Click here to play or download midi file
The Boar's Head Carol was first published in 1521 by Wynken de Worde in Christmasse Carolles. Its origins are presumed to date back to the fifteenth century. For over five hundred years it has been continually sung on Christmas Day for the bringing of the boar's head to table at Queen's College, Oxford, in England.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Click here to play or download midi file
Enrico (other titles Jacob, Waterloo Fair or Henryco) is a tune of unknown origin. It became popular with English fiddlers after its publication in the Thomas Hardy collection. Play this one at a nice steady English reel pace.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
an Irish Slip Jig
Click here to play or download midi file
This five-part Irish slip jig (An Mionnán ar an Sliabh in Irish) has been played at many a session and has been recorded by countless musicians over the years. A version can be found in O'Neill's 1001 Gems, but the one here was transcribed about 25 years ago from Brisbane session players
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
Swedish tune
Click here to play or download midi file
Here is another interesting Scandinavian tune (aren't they all!) suggested by Dale Riddle and transcribed from Jigsaw's Cutting Up the Floor. The minor keys give it a mysterious feel. Watch out for the accidentals!
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[top]
a collected Australian Tune
Click here to play or download midi file
This pretty mazurka was collected from the late Jacko Kevans many years ago by Sharon Doro of Stanthorpe. Neither Jacko nor Sharon could put a name to it. As far as we are aware, this tune is not widely known amongst Brisbane Aussie tune players, and we would like to hear from anyone further afield who knows about this mazurka.
Happy Playing, Julie McGonigal
[ top ]