The High Level

hornpipe

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on August 29th 2003 by dafydd.

This tune has been added to 71 tunebooks.

Also known as High Level, The High Level Bridge.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 20th Feakle Festival: Reeling Through The Years by Various Artists
• 50 Fiddle Solos by Aly Bain
• Across The Fence by The Bass Family
• Celtic Fiddle by Sean Maguire
• Champion Of Champions by Sean Maguire
• Classic Recordings Of The Irish Fiddle Legend by Paddy Reynolds
• Dr. Dan Reid Memorial Challenge Recital 2006 by Various Artists
• Drioball Na Fáinleoige by Johnny Connolly
• English Fiddle Tunes by Pete Cooper
• Fiddler's Fancy: The Music Of James Hill by Tom McConville
• Fifty-Odd Years by Jimmy Power
• Folktrax-074 Johnny Doherty - The Pedlar's Pack by John Doherty
• From The Archives by Sean McGuire And Josephine Keegan
• Ireland's Own Traditional Accordionist by Finbarr Dwyer
• Irish Accordion by Joe Derrane
• Irish Dance Party by Michael Coleman And The McNulty Family
• Jigs And Reels by Jesse Smith
• Just For Gordon by Gordon Duncan
• Live And Kicking by Swarb's Lazarus
• Man Of Achievement by Sean Maguire
• Micho Russell by Micho Russell
• Milestone At The Garden by Irish Fiddle Masters From The 78 RPM Era
• Northumberland Rant by Various Artists
• On Two Levels by Sean Maguire
• Out Of The Blue by Anna Murray
• Paddy Keenan by Paddy Keenan
• Pedlar's Pack by John Doherty
• Pride Of New York by Joanie Madden, Brian Conway, Billy McComiskey And Brendan Dolan
• Pure Piping by Leo Rickard
• Star Of Ireland by Finbarr Dwyer
• Stepping Up: English Country Dance Music by Various Artists
• The Blue Lamp by Jonny Hardie And Gavin Marwick
• The Border Minstrel by Billy Pigg
• The Bucks Of Oranmore by Joe Burke
• The Bunch Of Keys: The Complete Recordings Of Johnny Doran by Johnny Doran
• The Celebrated Recordings by John Doherty
• The Classic Recordings Of Michael Coleman by Michael Coleman
• The Donegal Fiddle by Various Artists
• The Friendly Visit by Frank Brunel And Vincent Rosinach
• The High Level by Bobby Gardiner
• The Killaville Sessions by Ceoltoiri Coleman
• The Master Pipers Volume 1 by Johnny Doran
• The Merry Love To Play by Peter Horan And Gerry Harrington
• The Music Of Kevin Keegan by Kevin Keegan
• The Slippery Stick, Traditional Fiddling From New Brunswick by The Robichaud Brothers
• The Slopes Of Benbulben by John Regan
• The Stone In The Field by Tommy Reck
• The Well Tempered Bow by Liz And Yvonne Kane
• The Willie Hunter Sessions by Willie Hunter And Violet Tulloch
• Traditional Music From Clare And Beyond by Gearoid O HAllmhurain
• Traditional Music Of Ireland And The Bucks Of Oranmore by Joe Burke And Charlie Lennon
• Upslide by John McGann
• Willie Clancy: The Gold Ring - CD 2 Of 2 by Willie Clancy

X: 1
T: High Level, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
d>c|:(3BdB G>B D>G B,>D|G,>B,D>G B2 A>B|c>AF>A D>AF>A|d^cd>e d>=cB>A|
G>AB>G D>GB,>D|G,>B,D>G B>G D2|E>FG>A B>c^c>d|1e>cA>F G2 d>c:|2e>cA>F G2A>G||
F>AD>A F>AD>A|F>DF>A d>AF>A|(3BdB G>c (3BdB G>c|B>GB>d g>dB>d|
^c>eA>e c>eA>e|^c>Ac>e a>ec>e|d2 e>f g>e^c>e|d>^cd>e d2 (3=cBA|
G2 D>G B2 G>B|d2 e>d c>BA>G|F2 D>F A2 F>A|d>ef>e d>cB>A|
G2 D>G B2 G>B|d2 c>B c>BA>G|E>FG>A B>c^c>d|e>cA>F G2 d>c||

The High Level Hornpipe

Someone requested this,so here it is.It was written by James Hill,the great Tyneside fiddler.It's usually printed in F in collections,but it sounds better in G on the fiddle.

# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd

The high level hornpipe

The tune as given is a compilation the first 16 bars are Hill's origional, origionally I think in F. But the next 8 bars are the
*A *music from Robert Whinham's "A New High Level".... (see "Remember Me" Graham Dixon's biography of Robert Whinham.) I will try to write out Whinham's Tune asap. I first heard these tunes joined by the "High Level Ranters" in the 60's it was their signature tune.

# Posted on March 15th 2004 by alexboydell

The High Level Hornpipe

As stated above, by the great James Hill. It is usually printed in Bb and it sounds best in that key. A tune from Koehler's Collection.

Graham Dixon's first book was a collection of Hill's tunes. Now out of print, but I actually have a stack of about 10 copies in my office....

The New High Level also appears in one of the Northumbrian Piper's tune books (can't remember offhand which one) - in G there because it is intended for the pipes. You can also see this variant attributed entirely incorrectly to Andrew Rankine in the "black book" - Ho-ro-gheallaidh

# Posted on July 5th 2004 by lfmarshall

The High Level Bridge

Some versions on the net seem to have a 3rd part that goes along the lines of:

|:(3def|g2dg ecAF|GdBG D2GF|EcEc DBDB|(3ABA FA GFEc|
DBGF EcAF|GdBG D2GF|EGce dBGB|ADFA G2:|

There's a similar setting from Paddy Keenan. Does anyone know where this part comes from? Is it part of another hornpipe?

My setting only has 2 parts and is really straightforward, apart from the fact that I play it in the original key of Bb

K:Bb
|:dc|BdFB DFBd|fbdf Bdc=B|ceAc FAce|gf=ef gf_ec|
BdFB DFBd|fbdf BdcB|GABc de=ef|gf_ec B2:|
K:F
|:cB|Afcf Afcf|AFAc fcAc|dfBf dfBf|dBdf bfdf|
egcg egcg|eceg bgeg|fefa gbeg|fefg f2:|

I think it sounds much nicer in Bb, although it's often played in G in Northumberland to cater for the pipes, and if the pipes are pitched down towards F, you could find yourself having to play in that key, or maybe tune down.

# Posted on August 7th 2004 by Dr. Dow

Here's a version which appears in some of the older manuscripts. I don't think the A-part's quite as interesting with its non-stop arpeggios but I like the way it's rounded off with that Bnat thrown in. The B-part is also different in that the C chord is minor for a while:

K:Bb
|:FA|BdFB DFBd|fbdf BdFB|ceAc FACE|AFcA ecAF|
BdFB DFBd|fbdf BdFB|G=Bcd egf_B|AFGA B2:|
|:cB|Afcf Afcf|AFAc fcAc|dfBf dfBf|dBdf bfdf|
egcg egcg|=eceg bgeg|fcaf =ecge|1 f=efg f2:|2 f=efg f_edc||

# Posted on August 11th 2004 by Dr. Dow

"Fly By Night" / "The Low Level Hornpipe" ~ sometimes makes a set

Submitted on June 6th 2004 by kjlowe.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3122

I have also come across this tune mistaken and mistitled for "The High Level Bridge" / "The High Level Hornpipe"...

# Posted on July 13th 2006 by ceolachan

bowing 'the high level'

i've been playing (trying to play) this great hornpipe (i play it in G) for a couple of years now, with lots of slurs to smooth it out and allow some speed, and it _always_ sounds sloppy to me, last night, on a whim, i tried single bowing almost every note. it sounded a little like a violin lesson, but at least every note came out clear. is there a happy medium, or is it, maybe, best to single bow jumpy tunes like this one. and if i single bow it enough, will it smooth out and sound more natural? i know there's no 'right' answer to this, just looking for opinions/guidance. thanks.

# Posted on December 14th 2011 by 'tinamatt

Re: bowing 'the high level'

It will only "smooth out and sound more natural" if you make it so. If you single bow it with the aim of being jumpy, it will stay jumpy, if you single bow it with the aim of being smooth, it will be smooth.

There is a "happy medium" of sorts, namely, what you are most comfortable with, both in terms of ability and sound.

# Posted on December 14th 2011 by SmashTheWindows

Re: bowing 'the high level'

Try a mixture of singles and pairs.

# Posted on December 14th 2011 by Nicholas Jelinek

Re: bowing 'the high level'

Try it in B flat. That is where it is usually played. You may find the fingering a little more difficult, but the bowing may be easier. B flat is a good key on the fiddle

# Posted on December 14th 2011 by Charlie the Fiddler

Re: bowing 'the high level'

thanks for these replies, all. the tunes section here has it in key of G, and i've heard it that way, but maybe i'll try Bb too. this guy solves the issue by playing it in about EVERY key:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWJBgNkVN24

# Posted on December 14th 2011 by 'tinamatt

Re: bowing 'the high level'

singles and pairs - YES! thx again.

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by 'tinamatt

Re: bowing 'the high level'

You'll be pleased to know I've submitted your link of your man Vernon to:

http://www.gearchange.org/

I hope it makes the top of the list.

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by llig leahcim

Re: bowing 'the high level'

heh, yeah, i know, that one toward the end is pretty horrendous, but i think he's aware. and if you can't smile at a hornpipe, what CAN you smile at?

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by 'tinamatt

Re: bowing 'the high level'

There is nothing more in the world that can turn an agreeing smile into a grimace more than a hornpipe

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by llig leahcim

Re: bowing 'the high level'

i suppose that was inevitable.

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by 'tinamatt

Re: bowing 'the high level'

Here's a nice rendition - under 18 Fleah competitor from the USA:

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_334_7_adam_cole_mullen/

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Hup

Re: bowing 'the high level'

This might help a wee bit...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX3npELVLQk

But this older Fiddle here is about the best I've ever heard
at bowing it ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3UDiFl7Dyk

jim,,,

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by FIDDLE4

Re: bowing 'the high level'

Good clip of McKillop there. He mostly uses single bows, but also does pedal bowing (one down bow followed by three notes on an up bow, crossing strings), particularly in the B part of the tunes where the notes alternate between the E and A strings. Pedal bowing is a common enough approach to such passages, but McKillop does it as well as anyone there.

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Will Harmon

Re: bowing 'the high level'

yes, thanks Hup, the comhaltas setting is great, lots of variation, and very visible bowing - i'll study it.
jim, i had seen that youtube 'high level', but didn't get much from it, except very clearly played notes; and the 'auld fiddler' is one i've heard ali bain play, and will save for when i grow up. (i'm 62, but don't know how that reckons in fiddle years) watching the players, as opposed to audio-only, makes the tune seem more accessible though, and i may give it a spin...
I'll have to get my fiddle and see about that pedal bow too.
thanks to you all.

# Posted on December 15th 2011 by 'tinamatt