nicholas
I live in Durham City in North-East England. I play whistle and a two-and-a-half-row DG Saltarelle melodeon. No Celtic background that I'm aware of; got into going to folk clubs and sessions around 1972, when I was twenty.
Have mainly played Irish and Northumbrian. I take an interest in tunes from the English tradition that approximate to these in catchiness and 'feel', and old tunebooks and new compositions are rapidly increasing the number of these tunes in circulation. I'm very fond of Scottish music also but find it the hardest to do! I suspect you have to start lessons at 3.
I have submitted so far the following personal compositions to the Tunes database, and include the odd - mainly unsubmitted - personal composition in abc notation below them.
Air in 4/4: Finchale
G Major, submitted on December 29th 2006
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6564
Jig/Slide?: The Blackcock
G Major, submitted on November 22nd 2006
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6403
Slip Jig: The Long Rocks
G Major, submitted on November 8th 2006
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6340
Hornpipe: The Browney Banks
D Major, submitted on November 2nd 2006
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6311
Reel: Bollihope Burn
D Major, submitted on November 14th 2006
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6369
Waltz: Planxty Nick Taverner
G Major, submitted on March 16 2007
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6952
Jig: Dan's Castle
D Major, submitted on April 9th 2007
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7055
Hornpipe: The Crossgate Hornpipe
D Major, submitted on July 1st 2007
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7430
Hornpipe: The Bishopley Hornpipe
G Major, submitted on February 7th 2008
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8234
Three-Two: Kenneth's Bridge
D Major, submitted on July 12th 2008
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8706
Three-Two: Bridge End
D Major, submitted on August 17th 2008
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8821
Polka: Katie's Quickstep
D Major, submitted on February 15th 2009
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/9364
Air in 3/4: Whitfield Brow
D Major, submitted on May 13th 2010
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/10474
If interested, check in Comments beneath the tunes for any notes trying to rectify submission mistakes!
The following are personal compositions in abc notation:
(The first of these is in the Tunes database also)
THE SHINCLIFFE REEL
X:1
T:The Shincliffe Reel
L:1/8
R:4/4 (Reel)
K:D
de||:fedB AFAB|defg a2 fa|g2 eg f2 df|edcB A2 FA|BAGA BcdB|cBAB cdec|dcde fefg|addc d2 de:||
||:fgab agfe|dAFA d2ef|gaba gfed|cBcd e2 de|fgag fedB|AFAd f2 ef|gaba gfed|1 cABc d2 de:||2 cABc d4 ||
Shincliffe is a pretty village a mile or two upriver from Durham City (UK). It is Durham's equivalent to Godstow near Oxford, or Grantchester near Cambridge.
(This tune is in the database, entered by ceolachan as a hornpipe - but the above ABCs are the original tune, which I prefer!)
DURHAM MARKET
This tune is set out below in three keys:
X: 1
T: Durham Market
L: 1/8
R: 2/4
K: D Major
||:FA BA|D>E FF|E F/E/ DE|FD DE|FA BA|D>E FF|EF GA|
|BA A2:||
||Bd AF|Bd d2|F A/F/ E D/E/|FE F/G/ A|Bd AF|Bd d>A|B/A/G/F/ E/F/G/A/|Bc BA|Bd AF|Bd d2|F A/F/ E D/E/|FE F/G/ A|Bd AF|Bd d>A|B/A/G/F/ E/F/G/A/|Bc d2||
X: 1
T: Durham Market
L: 1/8
R: 2/4
K: G Major
||:Bd ed|G>A BB|A B/A/ GA|BG GA|Bd ed|G>A BB|AB cd|ed d2:||
||eg dB|eg g2|B d/B/ A G/A/|BA B/c/ d|eg dB|eg g>d|e/d/c/B/ A/B/c/d/|ef ed|eg dB|eg g2|B d/B/ A G/A/|BA B/c/ d|eg dB|eg g>d|e/d/c/B/ A/B/c/d/|ef g2||
X: 1
T: Durham Market
L: 1/8
R: 2/4
K: A Major
||:ce fe|A>B cc|B c/B/ AB|cA AB|ce fe|A>B cc|Bc de|fe e2:||
||fa ec|fa a2|c e/c/ B A/B/|cB c/d/ e|fa ec|fa a>e|f/e/d/c/ B/c/d/e/|fg fe|fa ec|fa a2|c e/c/ B A/B/|cB c/d/ e|fa eB|fa a>e|f/e/d/c/ B/c/d/e/|fg a2||
This tune could work in any of the three mainstream keys used above; personally, I think A brings it out best. I can see it working well played quite fast as a Kerry-style polka, but it might also work as a 2/4 in the somewhat more measured NE England tradition. It is all in one major octave, so could go on primitive bagpipes having this range!
Durham Market is both a place (a Victorian covered market) and a weekly event (stalls in the Market Place on Saturdays). It is perhaps best enjoyed when there's a visitation of food stalls from foreign parts, selling exotic if sometimes pricey takeaways. But annoyance at this gives way to pity as one contemplates huddled Mediterraneans behind the counters freezing and turning blue with the cold and damp, true martyrs to the European project.
THE TOWER OF THE WINDS
X: 1
T: The Tower Of The Winds
L: 1/8
R: 4/4 (Reel)
K: D
||:FABA GAdA|FABA GEGA|FABA GAde|1 dBAF GEGA:||2 dBAF GE (3efg||
||fd (3efg fdBA|GBdf ec (efg|fd (3gfe fdAF| GAdF GEEg|fd (efg fdBA|GBdf ec(3efg|fdec dBAF|GAdF GEE2||
It might work as a Schottische. My grasp of the dotting of this form is shaky, but it might go as follows:
||:F>A B>A G>A d>A|F>A B>A G<E G>A|F>A B>A G>A d>e|1 d>B A>F G<E G>A||2 d>B A>F G<E e>g||
||f>d (3efg f>d B>A|G>B d>f e>c (3efg|f>d (3gfe f>d A>F|G>A d>F G<E E>g|f>d (3efg f>d B>A | G>B d>f e>c (3efg|f>d e>c d>B A>F|G>A d>F G<E E2 ||
I wrote this while living in Athens in 1979: the Tower Of The Winds is a modestly-sized building which has survived from the ancient world, situated in the Plaka - the old quarter of narrow streets, restaurants and night-spots at the foot of the Acropolis. The TOTW originally carried sundials and contained a 24-hour water-clock for the populace to consult; eight winds are sculpted as personages on the eight sides, each on the side facing the direction it could be expected to come from.
DURHAM CASTLE
X: 1
T: Durham Castle
L: 1/8
R: 3/4
K: G
||:g/f/e/d/ B/A/G/A BG|g/f/e/d/ eb a2|g/f/e/d/ B/A/G/A/ B/d/c/e|1 d/B/A/G/ A/B/c/d/ ed:||2 d/B/A/G/ A/B/c/d/ e d/B/||
||:dg g/f/g/a/ gd|ea a/g/a/b/ a4 |g g/b/ a b/a/ g/f/e/d/|e/d/c/B/ A/B/c/d/ e d/B/:||
||:dG e/d/c/B/ dG|A g e/d/c/B/ cA|B d/g/ b/a/g/f/ g/G/B/d/|e/d/c/B/ A/B/c/d/ e d/B/:||
||:G B/c/ d/e/d/B d/e/d/B/|A c/d/ e/f/e/c e/f/e/c/|B d/e/ f/g/f/d f/g/a/f/|g G/B/ d/e/d/B/ cA:||
||Ee e d/c/ dG|E A/B/ c/d/B/c/ A G/F/|Ee e d/c/ d G/F/| E/F/G/B/ A G/F/ G G/F/|Ee e d/c/ dG| E A/B/ c/d/B/c/ A B/c/|dG e d/c/ d/B/A/G/| E/F/G/B/ A G/F/ G4||
This one's subject to revision. It's rhythm is the same as the Northumbrian tune Lads Of Alnwick, normally notated in 3/4, which I have followed.
Durham Castle, along with the Cathedral, dominates the city. The Bishops who once lived there dominated for real, ruling the Mediaeval County; the students who live there now just dominate a couple of pubs. Sic transit gloria mundi, eh?!
COLDMARTIN
X:1
T:Coldmartin
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
K:D Major
||:dBF d2 B| F3 F2 F| BFF AFF| BFF A3 | dBF d2 B| F3 FGA| G2 B BGB|1 B2 A A3 :||2 B2 A A2 c|
||d3 fdd| gdd fdd| d2 f fdf| ecA A2 c| d3 fdd | gdd f2d| e2 B BdB| A3 A2 c| d3 fdd| gdd fdd| d2 f fdf | e2 d efg| aAA gAA| fAA e2c| dcB AFA| B2 A A3||
||:AcA cAc|G2 c A2 c| d2 A AFA| BAF A3| AcA cAc| G2 c A2 c| d2 f g2 f | f2 e e3 :||
|| fAd f2A | g2 A f 2 A | d2 f fdf | ecA A2 e | fAd f2 A | g2 A f2 A | B2 e e2 d| cAA A2 e| fAd f2 A| g2 A f2A| dcd fdf |gdg b3 | afd bgd | a2 f fga | gfe dcB | A3 A3 ||
This is a jig I worked out on the DG melodeon back in 1981 - the notes seemed to line up with various row-crossing sequences I was trying out at that time. On the occasions I've actually tried to play it, I've taken it at a slowish lollop, for a jig anyway.
Coldmartin is a hill outside Wooler in north Northumberland; one of my sisters lived on top of it at the time. It was certainly cold: it was opposite The Cheviot, and full in the teeth of all the wind and precipitation that mountain can generate.
THE SWINHOPE HORNPIPE
X:1
T: The Swinhope Hornpipe
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Hornpipe
K:D Major
||: a>b a>f e>a f>e | d>B A>F B2 (3ABc | d>B A>F A>B d>e | f>d a>f e4 | a>b a>f e>a f>e | d>B A>F B2 (3ABc | d>B A>F E>A F>E |1 F2 D2 D4 :||2 F2 D2 D2 F>A |
||: B>G D>G B>d c>B | A>F D>E F3 A | B>G D>G B>d c>B | A>F d>F E2 (3FGA | B>G D>G B>d c>B | A>F D>E F2 (3ABc | d>B A>F E>A F>E |1 F2 D2 D2 (3FGA :|| 2 F2 D2 D4 |
Swinhope is a side-valley of Weardale, in the North Pennines in the west of County Durham (UK). It is the one most like a mountain valley, in that it has high steep slopes towards its head and hosts a ski-run. The tune has a long up-and-down range of notes as a result of my attempts to describe this in some initial noodlings!
JOHN AND REBECCA
X: 1
T: John And Rebecca
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: English Polka
K: G Major
|: D2 G2 | F2 G2 | AB cd | e4 | AG AB | cd ef | g2 b2 | a2 ga | b2 g2 | d2 B2 | cA BG | E4 | A3 B | AG E2 | G2 E2 | D4 :|
|: E2 G2 | B2 EG | FE FG | F2 E2 | c2 AF | DF Ac | e2 d^c | d2 d=c | Bd gb | af df | ge ce | dB G2 | c2 de | dB GA | B2 A2 |1 G3 F:|2 G4 |
In honour of the wedding of two people I know.
(This could be tweaked up into a rant or English-type reel.)
FOREST-IN-TEESDALE
X: 1
T: Forest-in-Teesdale
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: Slip Jig
K: G Major
|:G2D G2A BAG | A2G ABd B2d | e2g edB d2e | g2B BAG E3 | G2D G2A BAG | A2G ABd B2d | e2g ede g2B | A2B AGE G3 :|
|:g2b agf g2e | d2g edB d2g | e2a a2b a2g | e2a a2b age | g2b agf g2e | d2g edB d3 | e2g ede g2B |1 A2B AGE G2d :|2 A2B AGE G3 |
There are bound to be Irish tunes similar to this one but I am not aware of actually replicating one here. I worked it out during a break in Upper Teesdale in the English North Pennines. Forest-in-Teesdale is the name of the parish that covers the upper valley. In fact it resembles a bit of Iceland if anything, and is largely bare of trees: "forest" in old terminology seems to have meant uncultivated ground in general.
FIVE BELLIES GARDNER
X: 1
T: Five Bellies Gardner
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Reel
K: D Major
||: d || cAAc BGGB | cAAc B3 d | cAAc BGGB | Acaf e3 d | cAAc BGGB | cAAc B3 d | cAAc BGGB | Acaf efga ||
|| fd ad fd ad | ad gd fdef | gB (3BBB GB (3BBB | Acaf efg_g | ad gd fd ad | ad gd fd ef |1 gB (3BBB GB (3BBB | Acaf e3 :||2 gB (3BBB GBdB | Acec d3 ||
Named after Jimmy 'Five Bellies' Gardner, Tyneside folk hero and bete noire known as the buddy of troubled footballer Paul Gascoigne. Not acquainted with him personally, I just thought the name itself deserved a tune of a suitably rumbustious nature!
This is a tune in the Highland or Border Bagpipes nine-note scale and will probably turn out to be very like others in this obsessively-explored range of notes. But a phrase occurred to me and when I followed it up, this was the type of tune that I got...possibly it owes a bit of inspiration to the pipe tune Little Wat Ye Wha's Coming.
I can't see me actually managing to play this one myself!
WHITFIELD BROW
X: 1
T: Whitfield Brow
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow air in 3/4
K: D Major
||: d3 f a2 | B2 d2 f2 | A3 B d2 | F2 E2 D2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 F2 | G3 A B2 | E6 | d3 f a2 | B2 d2 f2 | A3 B d2 | F2 G2 A2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 C2 | D6 |1 D6 :||2 F2 G2 A2 ||
|| B d3 c2 | A4 D2 | G c3 A2 | F2 G2 A2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 F2 | E6 | E4 A2 | B d3 c2 | A4 D2 | G c3 A2 | F2 G2 A2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 C2 | D6 | F2 G2 A2 | B d3 c2 | A4 D2 | G c3 A2 | F2 G2 A2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 F2 | E6 | E2 F2 A2 | B d3 c2 | A3 c e2 | f d3 A2 | F2 G2 A2 | B D3 B2 | A D3 C2 | D6 | D4 z2 ||
A slow, rhythmical 3/4 air, tempo roughly as Rothbury Hills, Wild Rose Of The Mountain, Gentle Maiden, e.g.
Whitfield Brow is, as its name suggests, the brow of a hillside overlooking a favoured picnic place in Weardale, County Durham (Northern England). It overlooks abandoned quarry workings and houses once lived in (I believe) by those who worked a copper-mine up a side-valley. The monumental spoil heaps etc. of these bygone industries create a pensive atmosphere.
SLITWOOD
X: 1
T: -
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
R: 3/2
K: A Major
||: c4 B2 c2 e2 c2 | A3 c B2 A2 F4 | E3 F E2 F2 A2 c2 | B2 A2 c2 A2 B4 | c4 B2 c2 e2 c2 | A3 c B2 A2 F4 | E3 F E2 C2 E2 F2 | A2 c2 B3 A A4 :||
||: F2 A2 A2 F2 E2 C2 | F2 A2 A2 d2 c4 | F2 A2 A2 F2 E2 A2 | B2 A2 c2 A2 B4 |
c4 B2 c2 e2 c2 | A3 c B2 A2 F4 | E3 F E2 C2 E2 F2 | A2 c2 B3 A A4 :||
Named after, yes, a wood up the valley of the Middlehope Burn in Weardale (County Durham, England), notable for its waterfalls, interesting flora and buildings etc. surviving from the days of the lead mining industry.
Tunes in nicholas's tunebook: 6