A lot of tunes in common between them, but I would guess that the Tunebook tunes on the first couple of pages are more common for beginner/intermediate sessions in my area, than the list on irishtune.info.
I'm not saying that's a good thing, just reporting the facts.
just because they are well known, they aren't always played at sessions. In my opinion, probably the best know tune is The Boys of Bluehill. At my session that one isn't played too often.
The fact is that there is no such thing . Every session is different, So many sessions, so many tunes. For eg, the session Ive been playing in recently has been a real challange, luckily the main man is a gentleman and throws me a line, with key changes, of which there are plenty!
Of course they know all the standards, mostly, but they dont generally play them. Perhaps to be sociable to a newcomer they will blast through a set or two of standard reels, such as the silver spear, but what interests them now is a different matter to what they have been playing over these last 40yrs!
The thing with the standards is thet everyone knows them.
Though saying that I have met young folk who like to play fast modern reels and dont actually know the basics, which is allright of course but methinks they are missing something!,
I also think, though couldnt say for sure, that those young people I am talking about came to trad from a jazz or classical background, only learning the tunes that are 'difficult' enough to meet their 'standards'
All these 'simple little tunes' we love so well, are not to be scorned! If you are searching technical challenges then come on, trad is not really the place for that., Im not saying they arent there, I certainly still find them, but that its the power of the melody that is primary, the emotional content, The spirit. These tunes are magic. Thats it really. Its magic, not science or technique.
Its the interperatation, the variation, the 'ornaments' that make even, say boys of blue hill, A tune worthy of a master of this traditional art. He[she] may not play it often any more........... but when they do!
This is an art/craft. The technique is there for one reason alone, to make beautifull/powerfull/ hypnotic/transforming music. To contact the heart and soul, the spirit.
All that technical virtuosity, that challange, the flash bits, is the stuff of man. 'The music 'is the stuff of gods.
A classic source of "must know" ITM tunes is the famous Dow's Top 60. Know these, and you are off to a very good start.
REELS
The Banshee [James McMahon]
The Bird In The Bush
The Bucks Of Oranmore
The Concertina Reel
The Congress
Cooley’s (Luttrell’s Pass)
The Cup Of Tea
Drowsy Maggie
Farewell To Ireland
Father Kelly’s (Rossmore Jetty)
The Foxhunter’s
The Gravel Walks
The High Reel
The Humours Of Tulla
The Maid Behind The Bar
The Man Of The House
The Merry Blacksmith
Miss McLeod’s
The Mountain Road [Michael Gorman]
The Pigeon On The Gate
Rolling In The Ryegrass (The Shannon Breeze)
Saint Anne’s
The Sally Gardens
The Silver Spear
The Star Of Munster
The Wise Maid (All Around The World)
JIGS
Banish Misfortune
The Blackthorn Stick
The Blarney Pilgrim
The Cliffs Of Moher
The Connaughtman’s Rambles
Donnybrook Fair (The Joy Of My Life)
The Irish Washerwoman
The Kesh
Lannigan’s Ball
The Lark In The Morning
The Lilting Banshee
Morrison’s
My Darling Asleep
Out On The Ocean
The Pipe On The Hob
The Rakes Of Kildare
Tripping Up The Stairs
HORNPIPES & SET DANCES
The Boys Of Bluehill
Harvest Home
King Of The Fairies
Off To California
The Rights Of Man
SLIP JIGS
The Choice Wife (An Phis Fhliuch)
Drops Of Brandy
The Foxhunter's
The Kid On The Mountain
HOP JIGS
The Butterfly
The Rocky Road To Dublin
SLIDES
Merrily Kissed The Quaker’s Wife
The Road To Lisdoonvarna
16 POLKAS
Denis Murphy’s
Egan’s
John Ryan’s (The Keadue)
The Rakes Of Mallow
are we talking about best known tunes among musicians or just in general? my money would be on Christmas Eve and the Bucks among musicians, the safe two when under pressure!
best known tunes
best known tunes
hey guys,
which are, in your experience, the most played tunes?..that you will surely listen when you attend a session?
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by death
Re: best known tunes
A good start:
http://www.irishtune.info/top-tunes/
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by mcdevincabe
Re: best known tunes
Another thing to do is look at the tunes that have been added to the most tune books on this site. Go here, and then click on the Tunebook tab
http://www.thesession.org/members/index/search?name=
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by Reverend
Re: best known tunes
http://www.thesession.org/members/
Click the "Tunebook" tab.
A lot of tunes in common between them, but I would guess that the Tunebook tunes on the first couple of pages are more common for beginner/intermediate sessions in my area, than the list on irishtune.info.
I'm not saying that's a good thing, just reporting the facts.
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by mickray
Re: best known tunes
Great minds... ;>}
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by mickray
Re: best known tunes
just because they are well known, they aren't always played at sessions. In my opinion, probably the best know tune is The Boys of Bluehill. At my session that one isn't played too often.
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by rob_handel
Re: best known tunes
The fact is that there is no such thing . Every session is different, So many sessions, so many tunes. For eg, the session Ive been playing in recently has been a real challange, luckily the main man is a gentleman and throws me a line, with key changes, of which there are plenty!
Of course they know all the standards, mostly, but they dont generally play them. Perhaps to be sociable to a newcomer they will blast through a set or two of standard reels, such as the silver spear, but what interests them now is a different matter to what they have been playing over these last 40yrs!
The thing with the standards is thet everyone knows them.
Though saying that I have met young folk who like to play fast modern reels and dont actually know the basics, which is allright of course but methinks they are missing something!,
I also think, though couldnt say for sure, that those young people I am talking about came to trad from a jazz or classical background, only learning the tunes that are 'difficult' enough to meet their 'standards'
All these 'simple little tunes' we love so well, are not to be scorned! If you are searching technical challenges then come on, trad is not really the place for that., Im not saying they arent there, I certainly still find them, but that its the power of the melody that is primary, the emotional content, The spirit. These tunes are magic. Thats it really. Its magic, not science or technique.
Its the interperatation, the variation, the 'ornaments' that make even, say boys of blue hill, A tune worthy of a master of this traditional art. He[she] may not play it often any more........... but when they do!
This is an art/craft. The technique is there for one reason alone, to make beautifull/powerfull/ hypnotic/transforming music. To contact the heart and soul, the spirit.
All that technical virtuosity, that challange, the flash bits, is the stuff of man. 'The music 'is the stuff of gods.
# Posted on January 3rd 2008 by jig
Re: best known tunes
A classic source of "must know" ITM tunes is the famous Dow's Top 60. Know these, and you are off to a very good start.
REELS
The Banshee [James McMahon]
The Bird In The Bush
The Bucks Of Oranmore
The Concertina Reel
The Congress
Cooley’s (Luttrell’s Pass)
The Cup Of Tea
Drowsy Maggie
Farewell To Ireland
Father Kelly’s (Rossmore Jetty)
The Foxhunter’s
The Gravel Walks
The High Reel
The Humours Of Tulla
The Maid Behind The Bar
The Man Of The House
The Merry Blacksmith
Miss McLeod’s
The Mountain Road [Michael Gorman]
The Pigeon On The Gate
Rolling In The Ryegrass (The Shannon Breeze)
Saint Anne’s
The Sally Gardens
The Silver Spear
The Star Of Munster
The Wise Maid (All Around The World)
JIGS
Banish Misfortune
The Blackthorn Stick
The Blarney Pilgrim
The Cliffs Of Moher
The Connaughtman’s Rambles
Donnybrook Fair (The Joy Of My Life)
The Irish Washerwoman
The Kesh
Lannigan’s Ball
The Lark In The Morning
The Lilting Banshee
Morrison’s
My Darling Asleep
Out On The Ocean
The Pipe On The Hob
The Rakes Of Kildare
Tripping Up The Stairs
HORNPIPES & SET DANCES
The Boys Of Bluehill
Harvest Home
King Of The Fairies
Off To California
The Rights Of Man
SLIP JIGS
The Choice Wife (An Phis Fhliuch)
Drops Of Brandy
The Foxhunter's
The Kid On The Mountain
HOP JIGS
The Butterfly
The Rocky Road To Dublin
SLIDES
Merrily Kissed The Quaker’s Wife
The Road To Lisdoonvarna
16 POLKAS
Denis Murphy’s
Egan’s
John Ryan’s (The Keadue)
The Rakes Of Mallow
# Posted on November 30th 2006 by Dow
# Posted on January 3rd 2008 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: best known tunes
are we talking about best known tunes among musicians or just in general? my money would be on Christmas Eve and the Bucks among musicians, the safe two when under pressure!
# Posted on January 3rd 2008 by violynne