O'Carolan Tunes

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  1. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    For the Christmas period, Carolan always seems the right mood, especially the slow airs. Just about the slowest tune he has written is "Blind Mary", and I have just spent an hour or so winding down after our family Boxing Day dinner recording an interesting trio arrangement of this tune which I have found at www.tiompanalley.com.

    I have played the melody on a 1915 Luigi Embergher bowlback mandolin. The two accompanying voices are much busier than the sedate lead melody, trading places from countermelody to harmony and back. I have double-tracked the second voice on waldzither and tenor guitar and the third voice on mandolin (Mid-Mo, this time, but fairly low in the mix) and tenor guitar. Pictures of Carolan, alternating with landscapes from County Kerry (mainly the Dingle Peninsula) -- not taken by me, but seemed appropriate scenery.



    Martin
  2. Grommet
    Grommet
    Very nice Martin! This thread is always a must visit at Christmas time.

    Scott
  3. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    This is "The Clergy's Lamentation", one of the lesser-known Carolan tunes. It's number 207 in the Sullivan collection.

    This three-part harmony arrangement is by David Jones (www.tiompanalley.com). I have played it on my "Baroq-ulele" 4-string bowlback soprano ukulele, retuned to mandolin tuning (GDAE), with the low harmony part and rhythm on tenor guitar.

    Link to PDF sheet music

    The photos are mainly of Glendalough in County Wicklow, one of the historical centres of Irish Christianity.

    Apologies for the wind noises on the recording -- it's been a windy winter's day here today.



    Martin
  4. cwboal
    cwboal
    Funny, I just discovered this O'Carolan Tunes thread. A couple weeks ago I posted Lord Inchiquin under the Christmas Tunes thread because it always sounded right for the holidays, as most O'Carolan tunes do. I've reposted here to contribute to this thread.
  5. cwboal
    cwboal
    Martin, that was lovely. I haven't heard that tune before and must try to learn it.
  6. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Bridget Cruise, the 3rd setting by Turlough O'Carolan. I play this mostly as solo guitar but the mandolin and concertina flush it out a bit.

  7. sgarrity
    sgarrity
    That's pretty!
  8. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Beautiful! You've got such a knack for arranging--and for arranging O'Carolan tunes in particular.
  9. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    I don't think we have had this tune yet -- this is "Carolan's Welcome", recorded on my brand new (to me) Mid-Missouri M-111 octave mandolin. Indeed, it's an all Mid-Missouri recording: I've added some minimal rhythm also on the Mid-Mo OM, and doubled the melody the second time around on my Mid-Mo M-0W mandolin.

    For some reason, Youtube after the upload claimed that this is a copyrighted composition -- I can only imagine that some overenthusiastic music publishers have added an arrangement of the tune to the Youtube copyright database. I've disputed the claim in any case through the Youtube dispute mechanism.



    Martin
  10. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    I just posted an O'Carolan tune in the SAW group but Eddie pointed me to this thread of his tunes (O'Carolan's, not Eddie's) so here is my version of the Concerto, played on octave with guitar backing. Video clips taken on the River Echaig near home last Sunday.

  11. peddyrmac
    peddyrmac
    Computer not letting me see the button to upload attachments tonight. Does it only work in Explorer or something?

    Here's a link to my tenor banjo version of the Princess Royal http://soundcloud.com/peddyrmac/princess-royalI will try to upload this properly tomorrow.
  12. Francis J
    Francis J
    Nice playing peddyrmac. One of my favourite O'Carolan tunes.
  13. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Peddyr, I like your style on that banjo. It really works with that tune. I think I remember someone saying if you click on the spot where the button was, the upload will still work even though it's not labeled.
  14. peddyrmac
    peddyrmac
    thanks guys!

    Where did the button used to be?
  15. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    That, I don't know. I just remeber a similar conversation in Week 203 The Irish Rover.
  16. Bernd Bannach
    Bernd Bannach
    I could not find Capitain O' Kane, here is my take on it. Played on a Weber Octar.
    I first heard it played on a Flute by a Band which name I have forgotten over the years.
    Bernd

  17. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Pmac. a lovely bit of playing, with the double stops/harmonies adding a lot to the tune.
    Bernd, you have a great tone there and a new tune to me. Well played, sir!
  18. Hendrik Luurtsema
    Hendrik Luurtsema
    I played "Eleanor Plunkett", a very nice O'Carolan tune we sometimes play at a Folk-jamsession in Losdorp (Netherlands)

  19. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    That was beautiful luurtie. I always say 'If you've got sustain use it'.
    Gary
  20. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Here's another version of Blind Mary.

  21. Hendrik Luurtsema
    Hendrik Luurtsema
    With this music we lose all our stress David. Is it a concertina I hear? I love it!
  22. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Luurtie, that is a great sound you are getting there. Lovely playing of a fine melody and the trills are well executed.
    David, a fine arrangement and well balanced. Must have a look at O'Carolan again.
  23. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Your first version of Blind Mary inspired me to learn it on the spot. If possible, this one's even more beautiful.
  24. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Someone suggested that I record more O'Carolan tunes. So here's my version of George Brabazon, listed as an air in the O'Carolan book, I'm playing it more sprightly and perhaps more like a reel.

  25. James Rankine
    James Rankine
    Wonderful playing David and a really professional sound as usual.
    I've just signed up with the cafe but I've been stalking you all for a while.
    I'm almost embarrassed to post after that, bringing the sound quality down. But I'll blame this mandolin from the former German Democratic Republic, circa 1960, which is nicer to look at than to play to be honest.
    The old favourite Si Bheag Si Mhor
  26. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Nicely done James and welcome to the group. This O'Carolan thread is a bit of a misnomer in that there are several O'Carolan tunes that have their own discussions, several of them are Songs of the Week. Here are a few I found:

    Sheebeg Sheemore:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...cussionid=1545

    Lord Inichiquin:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...cussionid=1159

    Planxty Irwin:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...cussionid=1411

    Hewlett:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...cussionid=1915

    O'Carolan's Lament:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...cussionid=2213

    Carolan's Concerto:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...227&do=discuss

    One Seventy Nine (179):
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...024&do=discuss
  27. James Rankine
    James Rankine
    Thanks David. That'll keep me busy.
  28. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Here is my mournful version of Planxty Drew learned from a local fiddler.

  29. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    Very cool indeed, David!
  30. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Here is another recording of Fanny Power (or Planxty Fanny Power, as it is sometimes listed). This three-part harmony arrangement is by David James (Link to PDF), and I have recorded it on:

    1921 Gibson Ajr
    Washburn M-3SW F-style
    Mid-Missouri M-111 octave mandolin
    Ozark tenor guitar

    I have the Ajr take the melody first time around and then swap voices a couple of times on the repeat of the tune.

    Pictures to go with the music are of the Wicklow Mountains.



    Martin
  31. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    I usually play this on the guitar in Em but I found this version in Gm that works well on the mandolin.

  32. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Captain O'Kane (or however you spell it) seems to come into fashion, and it is one lovely tune, so I had to do my own rendition. I can't compete against Bernd's Weber nor against David's moving multitrack & vid tech (I like the neon zombie filter from 1:44) and thus make do with what I have and what works in sessions.

  33. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Well played Bertram. I got my spelling of "Captain O'Kain" from the theoretical "The Complete Works of O'Carolan"

    http://www.oldmusicproject.com/occ/tunes.html

    Although there are other tunes attributed to O'Carolan that are not in this collection, Abigail Judge for example.
  34. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Thanks David. Now that link is interesting, as it seems to spell "Captain O'Kane" (#133)
  35. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Let me clarify that I got my spelling from the book "The Complete Works of O'Carolan" by Ossian Publications and not from the above referenced link. I honestly thought they were the same.
  36. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    It would be totally un-Irish to try and find a "correct" spelling anyway
    On thesession.org, the name is spelt "The Wounded Hussar" by the way...
  37. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    As you can see I'm still on my O'Carolan kick. This should probably be called "O'Neill's Farewell To Music". The tune I'm playing here is listed in O'Neil's as "O'Carolan's Farewell To Music" which is where I first learned the tune. In "The Complete Works of O'Carolan" a similar tune is called "Carolan's Dream" and a completely different tune is called "O'Carolan's Farewell To Music". I play the O'Neill's tune and call it by that name. You can call it whatever you like.

  38. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    O'Carolan's Dream is indeed what this is found under frequently on YouTube, mostly played on harp (figure that), but this mandolin rendition is very sweet and can singlehandedly compete.
    The name business around O'Carolan sometimes makes me doubt if O'Carolan really ever existed or if his name is just a legend from the mists of time, invented for the sole purpose of attributing slow and beautiful tunes to - kind of a tune fairy; and who really composed those tunes? It probably was Shakespeare, a famous police captain in Chicago.
  39. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    David/Bertram,

    Lovely recording of one of my favourite Carolan tunes there. I first heard this under the "Carolan's Farewell To Music" title on a Dave Swarbrick/Simon Nicol live recording as a fiddle/guitar duet. I recorded it a few years ago on my Embergher bowlback:



    As you can see when looking at the Youtube comments, I had a rather aggressive commenter who was very upset that I didn't call the tune by the "correct" name and eventually added the "Carolan's Dream" alternative title just to shut him up.

    Martin
  40. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    I think that YT-comment was quite moderate compared to some I had. Wonder what that "professional information" is supposed to be, though. Carolan's tunes might be numbered, critics are not, that's for sure. Best to stay cool about it.
  41. woodenfingers
    woodenfingers
    Great recordings guys. You are all a bad influence. I have been working on O'Carolan tunes as opposed to doing the Song-A-Week...
  42. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Nope not done yet. This is "Squire Wood's Lamentation on the Refusal of His Halfpence", a long and unusual title for an O'Carolan tune, but a lovely one none the less. I play it AAB AAB for some strange reason.

  43. woodenfingers
    woodenfingers
    David - another nice one very well done.
  44. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    That's a good one David - the title is almost Scottishly verbose, and phrases of the melody are trying to resemble one other Irish melody, if I only could remember which
  45. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Beautiful! One day I want to be able to play like that.
  46. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    David, You have to slow down. There's only so much room on my to learn list.
    Seriously. Another beautiful tune played beautifully.
    Have you ever thought about an e-Book with tabs and chords?
    Gary
  47. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    I do write everything down in standard notation with chords, I could never figure out tab, it's way too complicated for me. I should try and figure out how to do an e-book. Any suggestions?
  48. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Whatever your local format, there are online converters to pack it into EPUB format. This format, OTOH, can be converted into whatever a given e-book reader supports with CALIBRE (e.g. into AZW for Kindle).
  49. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Hey David, I'll second that idea. You've got a huge audience of interested readers on the Cafe, and with your recorded examples, that book would be a treasure. Here are two sites I thought had some useful advice on making ebooks.

    http://www.blogtyrant.com/make-ebook/
    https://www.google.com/search?site=&...hp.KD58Fo-eebY
  50. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Thanks to all for the tips on e-books. Sir Arthur Shaen by Turlough O'Carolan. It took me awhile to warm up to this tune but now it's one of my favorites. It has some interesting timing issues for me and it's a bear for me to play. Most of the measures have a quarter note rest on the 4th beat of the measure which gives it it's own unique character. That coupled with some odd placed half notes offered me plenty of challenges. You have to listen to this one more than once to really get it but if you do you'll find a gem.

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