I called it The O'Carolan Project. After more than 40 years of being in love with the music of this grand Irish composer I had signed a letter of agreement with a publishing company (this in 2009) to author a book on O'Carolan for mandolin as arrangements with chords. I quickly found the web site operator in me never found the inspiration to complete a print project.
Over the years I've used this material to teach classes. People keep asking me to share these arrangements, and now, after them sitting for years on my personal computer I have. Use at your discretion, but do read my notes at the bottom of this page. These aren't arrangements for everyone, and purists won't like the occasional passing tone. There are many, many more of these but at least this is a start!
These are pieces I've played for years and thus reflect my personal style of playing. Some of them are highly arranged to include chord tones which you may find difficult. These are not meant to be representative of anything other than the way I play the pieces. They may suit your tastes, or they may not. My transcriptions have not been vetted by a professional music editor! O'Carolan's tunes that appear in today's books were edited and changed by the original authors long, long ago. The only thing we know for sure is that the music that survived is like no other. I may get around to completing the other odd 30-40 tunes I play but have no time frame for that.
Use as you see fit!
Indispensable for studying O'Carolan: Carolan The Life Times and Music of an Irish Harper, by Donal O'Sullivan.
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