What's the deal with this guy? Beautiful little numbers he comes up with but he's too modest for a little helpful poetic license?
Anybody putting together a PF tunebook, also?
I read about a Cape Breton fiddler who was writing so many tunes he had to give them names according to a code - 11JN97 or the like. Kinda weird...
According to the Kane Sisters, he wants them all to be called "Paddy Fahy's" so people will know that he wrote them.
About a half dozen of them are in a book of tunes that Josephine Keegan published a year or two ago, in which she's given them names. (I think all the names she uses contain the name Fahy. I don't know if this has his approval, though.)
I heard an anecdote that, when asked the correct way to spell his name - with or without an 'e' before the 'y' - Paddy F. replied, "I don't mind - you can spell it however you want."
If he can't decide what to call himself, we can hardly expect him to come up with names for a hundred odd tunes. I think he composes his tunes primarily for himself, and doesn't feel the need to have a way of presenting them to the outside world. However, I have heard that he very much enjoys hearing other people's interpretations of them.
Well, whatever you call them, they're lovely
I think an audio-style tune library would be nicer than a tunebook; his tunes are stylistically unique enough that I don't think just committing them to abc would work very well.
I got more hits on a search for Paddy Fahy than Fahey tunes. Not that it means anything when he doesn't care how it's spelled.
It appears as if there are at least 15 tunes (?all reels) with number 15 the one in G that Martin H plays on Lonesome Touch CD; and it resembles the Reavy tune "never was piping so gay". Not sure if the numbers are only for the reels and the jigs etc are separate.
About 4 years ago I did dig through my abc's on the computer and put together a tune collection of the Paddy Fahy tunes. I lent it to someone and it subsequently got on-lent and disappeared. Never got the time or inclination to go through that job again.
I think the numbering system is absolutely adequate - who needs names - after all I am just member number 674
Fahy's Morning Brush
Fahy's Bottle of Brandy
Fahys Rolling...
Fahy's Concerto
Fahy's Reciept for the Whiskey
Fafhs Draft
Fahy's Dream
Fahy's Gan Ainm
Fahys Other Tune
There's also an anecdote in the liner notes to the Siobhan Peoples/Murty Ryan CD "Time On Our Hands". I don't recall the exact numbers, but they describe a phone conversation with Fahy along the lines:
"We've recorded this tune of yours. What shall we call it?"
"You can call it Number 10."
Pause.
"Or, Number 9 if you prefer."
Hate to contradict you but.............
Courtesy of Fiddlers Companion:
"GALWAY REEL, THE [2]. AKA and see "Fahy's" [3], "McGlinchy's," "Redican's." The tune is actually not a composition of Paddy Fahy (to whom it was credited by Liz Carroll on her album "Kiss Me Kate") but was composed by Long Island, N.Y., fiddler Larry Redican (1908-1975, born in Dublin)."
Ahhh... excellent. Those brilliant musicians are leaving trails of confusion in their liner notes it seems. Kevin Burke, Mary Bergin, Liz Carroll, etc. etc.
I don't think numbers would be an answer - think of poor O'Dowd who's Number 9 is the only tune of his left in circulation. What about Nos 1 to 8 and how do we know there weren't more than nine?
Nope, Emily, not sarcasm, not at all. Couldn't get through on your link, sorry. But I like Mahler's works too. By his time, it seemed to be that composers never managed to complete a tenth symphony, so he was really nervous as he worked on his. "Death comes with the Ninth." Maybe Mahler should have called his symphony after a brand of whiskey, like O'Dowd.
Someone once told me that "O'Dowd's #9" came as a result of a queue in a butcher shop, when someone by the name of O'Dowd had the number nine paper stub, or something. Anyone know the story?
Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
What's the deal with this guy? Beautiful little numbers he comes up with but he's too modest for a little helpful poetic license?
Anybody putting together a PF tunebook, also?
I read about a Cape Breton fiddler who was writing so many tunes he had to give them names according to a code - 11JN97 or the like. Kinda weird...
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
According to the Kane Sisters, he wants them all to be called "Paddy Fahy's" so people will know that he wrote them.
About a half dozen of them are in a book of tunes that Josephine Keegan published a year or two ago, in which she's given them names. (I think all the names she uses contain the name Fahy. I don't know if this has his approval, though.)
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by GaryAMartin
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
I heard an anecdote that, when asked the correct way to spell his name - with or without an 'e' before the 'y' - Paddy F. replied, "I don't mind - you can spell it however you want."
If he can't decide what to call himself, we can hardly expect him to come up with names for a hundred odd tunes. I think he composes his tunes primarily for himself, and doesn't feel the need to have a way of presenting them to the outside world. However, I have heard that he very much enjoys hearing other people's interpretations of them.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Well, whatever you call them, they're lovely
I think an audio-style tune library would be nicer than a tunebook; his tunes are stylistically unique enough that I don't think just committing them to abc would work very well.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by tualha04
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
I got more hits on a search for Paddy Fahy than Fahey tunes. Not that it means anything when he doesn't care how it's spelled.
It appears as if there are at least 15 tunes (?all reels) with number 15 the one in G that Martin H plays on Lonesome Touch CD; and it resembles the Reavy tune "never was piping so gay". Not sure if the numbers are only for the reels and the jigs etc are separate.
About 4 years ago I did dig through my abc's on the computer and put together a tune collection of the Paddy Fahy tunes. I lent it to someone and it subsequently got on-lent and disappeared. Never got the time or inclination to go through that job again.
I think the numbering system is absolutely adequate - who needs names - after all I am just member number 674
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Donough
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
OK I'll Bite:
Fahy's Morning Brush
Fahy's Bottle of Brandy
Fahys Rolling...
Fahy's Concerto
Fahy's Reciept for the Whiskey
Fafhs Draft
Fahy's Dream
Fahy's Gan Ainm
Fahys Other Tune
Sorry I lost count without the numbers
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Owell Mabee
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
There's also an anecdote in the liner notes to the Siobhan Peoples/Murty Ryan CD "Time On Our Hands". I don't recall the exact numbers, but they describe a phone conversation with Fahy along the lines:
"We've recorded this tune of yours. What shall we call it?"
"You can call it Number 10."
Pause.
"Or, Number 9 if you prefer."
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by GaryAMartin
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Mmmm, remember what the Prisoner (No. 6) said? "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
How does the "Prisoner No.6" go, and what key is it in?
BTW Kevin, here you are just 'Number 8450' and freedom is a myth.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Donough
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
So which ones have names? The 'Galway Reel' is one I think.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Hate to contradict you but.............
Courtesy of Fiddlers Companion:
"GALWAY REEL, THE [2]. AKA and see "Fahy's" [3], "McGlinchy's," "Redican's." The tune is actually not a composition of Paddy Fahy (to whom it was credited by Liz Carroll on her album "Kiss Me Kate") but was composed by Long Island, N.Y., fiddler Larry Redican (1908-1975, born in Dublin)."
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Donough
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Ahhh... excellent. Those brilliant musicians are leaving trails of confusion in their liner notes it seems. Kevin Burke, Mary Bergin, Liz Carroll, etc. etc.
When are they going to get it right?
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Its probably because they care about the correct names about as much as PaddyF does
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Donough
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
I don't think numbers would be an answer - think of poor O'Dowd who's Number 9 is the only tune of his left in circulation. What about Nos 1 to 8 and how do we know there weren't more than nine?
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Bannerman
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
O'Dowd might have had the same kind of superstition as Mahler, and wrote number 9 first, to get it out of the way.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Maybe 9 is his favourite number, in which case he could call them all No. 9:
Number 9a
Number 9b
Number 9c
Number 9d
Number 9e
etc
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Bystander, is that sarcasm? I can't tell... b/c Mahler's 9th is one of my favorites, & it was most definitely his LAST.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Mahler)
Oops, sorry to chime in after so long on a completely unrelated topic! Hmmm wrt to Fahy, he makes me glad my flute is fully-keyed.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by emily_bmore
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Erm, tack on that last parenthesis in the search bar, sorry.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by emily_bmore
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
With regards to “Dowd’s No.9” – see comments:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/761
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Kenny
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Nope, Emily, not sarcasm, not at all. Couldn't get through on your link, sorry. But I like Mahler's works too. By his time, it seemed to be that composers never managed to complete a tenth symphony, so he was really nervous as he worked on his. "Death comes with the Ninth." Maybe Mahler should have called his symphony after a brand of whiskey, like O'Dowd.
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Bystander, add the final parenthesis in the search bar, for some reason it didn't highlight as part of the link... see what I mean?
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by emily_bmore
Re: Contest: Name Paddy Fahy's Tunes
Someone once told me that "O'Dowd's #9" came as a result of a queue in a butcher shop, when someone by the name of O'Dowd had the number nine paper stub, or something. Anyone know the story?
S
# Posted on February 22nd 2006 by snorre