I live in Ankh-Morpork, aka Durham, 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. Main repertoire ITM and Northumbrian, but not learning much these days: If I try out the half-row notes on the box, I'll be having a go at Gilbert and Sullivan tunes, not trying to knock out reels in D or G minor. I grace sessions at The Hurled Elephant, The Headless Fluter and The Mended Drum, and occasionally other such places in my locality.
(I have always liked Sir Arthur Sullivan's music in the Gilbert and Sullivan light operas, and felt there was a touch of the feeling of ITM about some of it. Sullivan - half-Irish and maybe more - was inspired to write what became known as his "Irish Symphony" on a trip to Northern Ireland at 21 in the early 1860s; but this piece, a pleasant Classical one modelled on Schubert and Mendelssohn, owes nothing to ITM that I can detect. He also wrote music for an opera called "The Emerald Isle", which I have so far not heard.)
Discovering this website I was amazed to see so many references to East Durham - till I realised it's a mecca for ITM enthusiasts in the USA. Here, East Durham is the area of County Durham between the A1 Motorway and the North Sea, a fairly obscure corner of England to people who don't happen to live there. This is because there is no reason to go there. But should the hornet of unreason drive, the visitor might discover, unencumbered by the appurtenances of civilisation, a frigid and unprepossessing coast; or alternatively, the pub where PM Tony Blair treated a certain George W. Bush to lunch. Has East Durham, NY, been similarly graced?
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: 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
- 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 Strathspey. 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 could 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 e2 (3efg | 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.
One under construction:
X: 1
T:
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 ||
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!
Tunes in nicholas's tunebook: 6
| Idbury Hill | polka | March 17th 2009 |
| Katie's Quickstep | polka | February 15th 2009 |
| Nar Dagsmilda Kjem | waltz | February 13th 2009 |
| Lads And Lasses | three-two | January 16th 2009 |
| Drover Lads | jig | January 11th 2009 |
| Arc Light | Lau | March 30th 2009 |
| Time Out Of Mind | Chris Ormston | November 24th 2008 |
| What We Do | Kathryn Tickell And Peter Tickell | November 12th 2008 |
| Cuilidh | Julie Fowlis | March 22nd 2008 |
| Renegade | Sharon Shannon, Mike McGoldrick, Dezi Donnelly, Jim Murray | September 27th 2007 |
| Accidental art and sessions | December 24th 2008 |
| Programme about The Chieftains tonight on (UK) BBC 2, 7-8 p.m. | October 20th 2008 |
| The Guardian & Observer guides to piano and keyboard | October 11th 2008 |
| Anyone know the name or origin of this waltz? | July 21st 2008 |
| Let's help the Hogwartians! | April 26th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Is trad music becoming too academic | November 20th 2009 |
| Discussions | Re: Is trad music becoming too academic | November 20th 2009 |
| Discussions | Re: Favorite Ancient Tune | November 20th 2009 |
| Discussions | Re: Fiddles - at last I understand the attraction | November 20th 2009 |
| Discussions | Re: Great innovators | November 18th 2009 |
| Name | Type | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Downton Bridge | jig | Gmajor |
| The Fisherman's Island | reel | Dmajor |
| Nyth Y Gog | hornpipe | Eminor |
| Paddy O'Rafferty | jig | Dmajor |
| Tom Billy's | jig | Adorian |
| The Wind That Shakes The Barley | reel | Dmajor |