This week's winner is Swinging on a Gate, which is a reel. This tune has had a run as an Other Tune, along with Cregg's Pipes. Here's the link! Here's a link to seven settings of this tune on thesession.org Here's a youtube video mandolin lesson for this tune: Here are some more videos:
This is a favorite I play most days. Bertram introduced me to it.
Thanks for the mention, Dusty (that's how tradition is supposed to work), and sweetly and neatly played!
I'm going to take this tune to band practice today! I have a book of tunes that I love, called New England Fiddler's Repertoire, and I see that I've learned it in past from that book, but I'm revisiting it! While I know it's a reel, I love also playing reels more as hornpipes, and this one sounds cool that way, too! Maybe not traditional, but fun!
Nice work Dusty and Bertram. Here's mine on my Sobell octave mandolin, Forster cittern and Wheatstone concertina.
Dusty and David - lovely versions the pair of ye! Really enjoyed the concertina on your version David - I've been listening a lot to concertina player Caitlín Nic Gabhann recently, great player her.
I sometimes play this followed by Junior Crehan's "The Otter's Holt." It occurred to me last night that it might also go well with Seán Ryan's "The Glen Of Aherlow." So here's a set of the three tunes, played on my Breedlove Cascade with overdubbed flute and button accordion: Bob Michel Near Philly
I love that song. My friend and I play that as the "second" piece on our medley with Kitchen Girl being the first piece.
Couldn't chose whether to do this on mandolin or tenor banjo - so I did both! Titled the mandolin version as Swinging on A Gate, and the banjo version as Swinging on The Gate, since I've seen the tune go by both titles.
That's a lovely and unusual set Bob. I play all three of them, too, but in three different sets (I know the first one as Lafferty's Reel, which is a legal alias, according to thesession.org). Jill, that's an interesting comparison, because in spite of similar playing technique the one tune comes out with totally different characters (I'll call one of them The Honkey Tonkey Monkey ).
I think our definitions of "honky tonk" music may differ somewhat...
I've enjoyed everyone's versions but Jill's mandolin and banjo versions are really top notch. Really interesting to compare them side by side. I'm going through a banjo phase at the moment so I'm more drawn to the banjo version and I generally prefer playing the banjo for reels at session speed (and any tune in session, but that's a volume thing). I find the attack of the banjo punches out the rhythm of a reel at speed in a way I find harder on the mandolin-in my hands anyway.
Cheers James! I find I really prefer the banjo for reels as well. I also enjoy playing triplets/trebles on the banjo a wee bit more than on the mandolin - probably because I started on it so they feel more natural.
Dang, Jill, it's so great to hear your playing again. Really fine!
Very enjoyable versions all!
Cheers Don! I feel like I'm making up for lost ground having barely played since 2011 - now I can barely put the mandolin or banjo down! I'll think to meself "One last tune before bedtime...." and two hours later I'm still playing!
Some mighty fine mando and banjo pickin' this week along with some mighty fine squeeze boxin' and whistlin'. Here's mine on mando, guitar and fiddle: Your browser does not support the audio element. and Jill, keep em coming.
I couldn't get wooden fingers file to play - don't know if it's to do with my laptop or not. Just says "loading" continually - anyone else experiencing the same thing?
I can't play wooden files either. Bertram is too shy, this is one of his best performances.
Oh, but I can hear woodenfinger's version now. Very harmonious, cozy and comforting (i.e. I don't figure myself swinging on the gate, it's rather that I am sitting by the fireside, a tweed blanket across my knees, while the gate is creakingly swinging on its own in the snowstorm outside).
Woodenfingers' soundfile plays fine here on both of our PCs, and it also plays fine on my tablet as well as on phone. Sounds sweet, by the way! Yes a comforting version. Bertram yours is good too!
I’m happy to be able to listen the Woodenfinger Trio. Like it. I like the other versions too. Everybody plays his own style. Have to practice some more time.
Thanks for the comments Bertram, JL277Z, and Frithjof. I'll stop embedding audio files. They mess things up. I have a heck of the time trying to edit threads when I have embedded one and have trouble trying to listen to some of them too. They seem to hang my computer up at times, probably due to my lousy internet connection. I threw the audio file into a movie but had no time to make a real movie. One day I'll work out videoing myself playing. I don't have good spot for doing that just now.
Wow Bob, you are getting one sweet sound out of that mandolin!!!
Thanks for the complement Jill. Hopefully one day I'll get that evil fiddle to play the notes properly...
"evil fiddle" - the fiddle is a strict mistress, small and slender but unforgiving and merciless. Don't expect to be loved, only to be tortured.
Bertram, yes my fiddle is a very strict mistress. She lures me back with her siren song of wonderful lilting, haunting tones but then whines and scratches like a wet cat at midnight. You never know what you are going to get at any moment in time. She's a manic depressive schizophrenic, especially with the record button depressed...
The first time this tune really "got to me" was in a recording by Seamus Quinn (fiddle, box) and Gary Hastings (flute) on their album "Slán le Loch Éirne", where they play it as the second tune in a set with "The Humours Of Ballyconnell". A flute-playing friend once described it to me as a "nice, easy tune". Hmmm... maybe on flute. It took me a little while to get it under my fingers on mandolin. (And - having invested that time - I've tried to capitalise on that effort to trot it out any time I'm in a session...) Here goes with my take on the tune. For the benefit of those who use dots/tab to help learn a tune, here is a very basic, bare-bones introduction. I'm sure you'll find ways to personalise the tune. (Mind you, I've always played this one pretty much as tabbed out here, without very much in the way of ornamentation...)
I like the tune, Aidan…and very cleanly played, as usual.
Thans, John. I *do* set a lot of store by cleanliness in my playing. After all, it's next to godliness! ;-)
It's blowing and snowing outside so I had time to record some old favorites.
Nice solo mando playing dustyamps…which part of the world are you located in (re the snow)?
Very nice playing of a great tune, @dustyamps. I've said this before, but I do love your videos for the well-chosen collection of old photos.
Good to hear you again, David.
Great playing David and welcome back. Good to hear you and good to hear that you are safe and warm inside.
