european folk/early music repertoire - perennial favorites

[billkilpatrick]

favorite tunes change from time to time but as of right now, if - in an
informal setting: with friends, jamming with other musicians, etc. - you
were asked to play a few ditties from the early music repertoire or some long-in-the-tooth, european folk songs, which would they be?

...i'm trying to establish a core group of songs which stand a good chance of being familiar to all.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Bill, here's a few I use in that context:
Korobeiniki, Kalinka, Never On A Sunday, just about any O' Carolan tune, Quickstep to the Battle of Prague, Parson's Farewell, Childgrove, Greensleeves, Finiculi Funicula, Santa Lucia. I realize that most of these are "newer" than your intention but I'll just throw them out there. I'm looking forward to seeing/hearing your repertoire - then they'll be my repertoire...

[Mandocarver]

The Ash Grove

[Mandocarver]

Scarborough Fair

[Eddie Sheehy]

Just saw 'Robin Hood' with Russell Crowe. There is a dance scene in it but the music isn't exactly 12th Century. A slow Irish Air - Mna na h-Eireann (Women of Ireland) written by the late Sean o Riada, is sped up to resemble a Madrigal - seems to work...

[Mandocarver]

Sorry my suggestions are coming one at a time but here's another idea on the European folk theme: Randers Hopsa. Great version by Dick Gaughan - here's a link to the notation & a midi file on his site, which has lots of other good stuff too : http://www.dickgaughan.co.uk/songs/staves/stave-randers.html
Another might be Josefin's Waltz - good version by Dervish & many others on You Tube.
Happy hunting,
Dean