Periodically, there'll be a question about which dozen or two-dozen tunes one should learn to fit in to most sessions around the world. This is useful, but I'm wondering what tunes one should learn to fit into a session in Clare, specifically. What's being played most in Clare these days (and not traditional Clare tunes that really aren't played much anymore)?
The best way may be collecting and listening to the recordings by authentic Clare musicians. You may find some particular tunes played by different musicians.
These may not be so common but at least very local tunes which I actually heard and played in Clare last year.
Pat O'Connor joined a session in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago, and we played the set of rees: The Humours of Castlefin/ The Glens of Aherlow/ The Killarney Boys of Pleasure. Mary MacNamara recorded this set, and it seems classic.
For authentic Clare tunes maybe it's worthwhile to take a look at Pat O' Connor's recordings (and listen to them, of course!). I put them in the recordings-section. Sorry, I don't know how to add a link here, but the titles are "The Green Mountain" and '"The Humours of Derrybeha". To be honest, I don't know whether the tunes Pat plays all originate from Clare but I suppose he plays them at sessions in East-Clare all the time.
Hi! Here's a jig set that I learned in Clare. I was told that the first one was from a Clare musician, who was however left unnamed (or maybe I forgot).
The Mist-Covered Mountain / Tom Billy's (aka The Flowers of Spring) / The Lilting Banshee
I think the musicians playing in Clare are generally more old-fashioned than those in other counties and thus tend to play old-fashioned tunes. Am I right?
Other then that theres no real way your going to be able to do it.
Its a bit of a broad question , and certain places play certain tunes etc...like any session.
stefanpaz,
why not bring a dictaphone and ASK if you can put it ON the table?
if you explain why, you might get very interesting stuff played there ...
mm
If you look on the music page of my website you'll fand a zip file you can download with quite a few tunes played regularly in East Clare in ABC format. http://claremusic.tripod.com
There are a few tunes in dots on that page also.
You won't go far wrong with the Kilfenora reels set which virtually any musician in Clare I've ever met would know. Also the Christy Barry jigs (Christy comes from Inagh, a small Clare village) would be well known.
OK, this year at Ennis, the following tunes cropped up quite a lot:
Maguire's Reel
The Mossy Banks
Liz Carroll's
The Fox On The Town
Boys Of Ballysodare
Allice's Reel
Crooked Road To Dublin
The Cordal Jig
The Lisheen Jig
By the way, I've just started reviewing the tapes I made in Ennis mostly, but also some in Sligo and Dublin. I switched it on everytime I didn't know the tune. I'll be asking for help finding out what they are when I start to put some in abcs. As for common tunes in Clare, I heard to many to mention -- they play them all I suppose.
To know the scenes there, Hugh & Colm Healy's recent debut album "Macalla na Oige" might help. They're from Corofin and play nice old-fashioned tunes in Clare styles. And Siobhan Peoples and Murty Ryan's "Time on Our Hands"? There're some tunes from Donegal and other counties on the recordings, so young Clare musicians maybe don't stick to the tunes of Clare origin very much.
Ennis is more susceptible to other influeces than any other part of the county, I think. Siobhan Peoples is obviously quite influential in the scenes there and sometimes plays not only Donegal tunes but classic Cape Breton tunes. And some others play Mike McGoldrick tunes?
From my observation, many of the musicians playing in Clare have their origins in different counties or even different countries. In sessions in a small village Ennistymon, you'll see players from London, the Netherlands, and Canada. But, anyway, they respect the musical tradition of the county, and there isn't much confusion.
I bought Frank Cuty's tune books from Custy's Music store, and John at Custy's told me that once I had them under my belt that I could play in any Clare session.
I should clarify that I have the usual suitcase full of Clare CDs to draw from, but I realize that musicians will throw in rare/interesting/flashy tunes to wow the audience and that these tunes probably aren't the workhorses of the weekly sessions (which is what I'm after).
Every clare musician knows The Wandering Minstrel or the Tulla Reel. Humours of Tullycrine is one which crops up a lot in east clare sessions and Willie Coleman's Jig followed by the Humours of Drinagh Double Jig.
Common Clare Tunes
Common Clare Tunes
Periodically, there'll be a question about which dozen or two-dozen tunes one should learn to fit in to most sessions around the world. This is useful, but I'm wondering what tunes one should learn to fit into a session in Clare, specifically. What's being played most in Clare these days (and not traditional Clare tunes that really aren't played much anymore)?
Thanks for your help...
Schy
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Schy
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Over to you, Jack Gilder..........................
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Common Clare Tunes
The best way may be collecting and listening to the recordings by authentic Clare musicians. You may find some particular tunes played by different musicians.
These may not be so common but at least very local tunes which I actually heard and played in Clare last year.
Gan Ainm (seriously nameless): http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/1498
The Maid in the Meadow: http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/942
The Humours of Tullycrine: http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/980
Pat O'Connor joined a session in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago, and we played the set of rees: The Humours of Castlefin/ The Glens of Aherlow/ The Killarney Boys of Pleasure. Mary MacNamara recorded this set, and it seems classic.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by slainte
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Oops, not not that set of reels above, but Rolling in the Barrel/ The Tap Room/ The Earl's Chair.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by slainte
Re: Common Clare Tunes
For authentic Clare tunes maybe it's worthwhile to take a look at Pat O' Connor's recordings (and listen to them, of course!). I put them in the recordings-section. Sorry, I don't know how to add a link here, but the titles are "The Green Mountain" and '"The Humours of Derrybeha". To be honest, I don't know whether the tunes Pat plays all originate from Clare but I suppose he plays them at sessions in East-Clare all the time.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by fiddlinsue
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Hi! Here's a jig set that I learned in Clare. I was told that the first one was from a Clare musician, who was however left unnamed (or maybe I forgot).
The Mist-Covered Mountain / Tom Billy's (aka The Flowers of Spring) / The Lilting Banshee
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by sixholes
Re: Common Clare Tunes
I think the musicians playing in Clare are generally more old-fashioned than those in other counties and thus tend to play old-fashioned tunes. Am I right?
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by slainte
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Sixholes, those tunes are popular anywhere in the world.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by slainte
Re: Common Clare Tunes
bring a dictaphone and hide it under the table,
Other then that theres no real way your going to be able to do it.
Its a bit of a broad question , and certain places play certain tunes etc...like any session.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Common Clare Tunes
stefanpaz,
why not bring a dictaphone and ASK if you can put it ON the table?
if you explain why, you might get very interesting stuff played there ...
mm
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by MM
Re: Common Clare Tunes
If you look on the music page of my website you'll fand a zip file you can download with quite a few tunes played regularly in East Clare in ABC format.
http://claremusic.tripod.com
There are a few tunes in dots on that page also.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Bernie
Re: Common Clare Tunes
You won't go far wrong with the Kilfenora reels set which virtually any musician in Clare I've ever met would know. Also the Christy Barry jigs (Christy comes from Inagh, a small Clare village) would be well known.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Common Clare Tunes
OK, this year at Ennis, the following tunes cropped up quite a lot:
Maguire's Reel
The Mossy Banks
Liz Carroll's
The Fox On The Town
Boys Of Ballysodare
Allice's Reel
Crooked Road To Dublin
The Cordal Jig
The Lisheen Jig
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Ottery
Re: Common Clare Tunes
2 out of 3 sessions I was at in Ennis recently I heard "Trip to Herve's" at some point.
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Common Clare Tunes
By the way, I've just started reviewing the tapes I made in Ennis mostly, but also some in Sligo and Dublin. I switched it on everytime I didn't know the tune. I'll be asking for help finding out what they are when I start to put some in abcs. As for common tunes in Clare, I heard to many to mention -- they play them all I suppose.
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Common Clare Tunes
I don't think you could go wrong with all of the tunes on the Paddy Canny PJ Hayes Peadar O'Loughlin CD "An Historic Recording..."
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Eldarion
Re: Common Clare Tunes
To know the scenes there, Hugh & Colm Healy's recent debut album "Macalla na Oige" might help. They're from Corofin and play nice old-fashioned tunes in Clare styles. And Siobhan Peoples and Murty Ryan's "Time on Our Hands"? There're some tunes from Donegal and other counties on the recordings, so young Clare musicians maybe don't stick to the tunes of Clare origin very much.
Ennis is more susceptible to other influeces than any other part of the county, I think. Siobhan Peoples is obviously quite influential in the scenes there and sometimes plays not only Donegal tunes but classic Cape Breton tunes. And some others play Mike McGoldrick tunes?
From my observation, many of the musicians playing in Clare have their origins in different counties or even different countries. In sessions in a small village Ennistymon, you'll see players from London, the Netherlands, and Canada. But, anyway, they respect the musical tradition of the county, and there isn't much confusion.
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by slainte
Re: Common Clare Tunes
I bought Frank Cuty's tune books from Custy's Music store, and John at Custy's told me that once I had them under my belt that I could play in any Clare session.
Cheers
Ptollemy
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Ptollemy
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Great replies!
I should clarify that I have the usual suitcase full of Clare CDs to draw from, but I realize that musicians will throw in rare/interesting/flashy tunes to wow the audience and that these tunes probably aren't the workhorses of the weekly sessions (which is what I'm after).
Thanks again...
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Schy
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Ptollemy,
I've been trolling around the internet (including Custy's website) trying to find a "Frank Cuty" tunebook. Is the name correct?
Thanks...
Schy
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Schy
Re: Common Clare Tunes
It's Frank CUSTY, not Cuty. He taught all the Clare greats, and his kids are all musical geniuses.
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by gladys
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Yea, I really should have put that together.
Feeling a little slow today... somedays I should be let out of the house without supervision...
Schy
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Schy
Re: Common Clare Tunes
Every clare musician knows The Wandering Minstrel or the Tulla Reel. Humours of Tullycrine is one which crops up a lot in east clare sessions and Willie Coleman's Jig followed by the Humours of Drinagh Double Jig.
# Posted on June 11th 2011 by Markmoloney