Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on February 9th 2003 by lazyhound.
This tune has been added to 212 tunebooks.
Also known as O'Carolan's Draught.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Carolan's Draught
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
D2 |: GABc defd | g2fe d2Bd | e2ce d2Bd | c2Bc AcBA |
GABc defd | gfed ^cbag | gfed A2^c2 |1 d3e dcBA :|2 d6 f>g||
afga bagf | e/f/gfe ed=cB | edef gfga | bagf efga |
bBbB aBaB | gBgB fBfB | edef gfed | e2ed e3f |
gfed cBAG | e2d2 d2BG | c2Bc ABGA | FGAF DEFD |
EFGE FGAF | GABG ABcA | d2g2 bagf | g2gf g2 ||
This is a Carolan tune (one of about a dozen in our repertoire) that get played occasionally in Bristol sessions when everyone's in the right mood, usually towards the very end of the session.
In style it is obviously early 18c, and I feel that Carolan in writing this was perhaps heavuly influenced by Vivaldi.
# Posted on February 9th 2003 by lazyhound
A lot of people hate this piece (I hesitate to call it a tune). I happen to really like it. The only thing I really don't like about it at sessions is that people play it funereally slow -- I tend to play it rather snappily and perky. (Although since it's not a popular one, it's nice to play it when everyone else is on furlough to the bar or such.)
Zina
# Posted on February 9th 2003 by Zina Lee
I agree, Zina. It should be played at a good reel speed, and then perhaps people find it more acceptable. Played slowed it's more like a technical exercise.
# Posted on February 9th 2003 by lazyhound
Bars 12-18 (numbered starting from the D before the repeat mark and including repeat bar at the end of the A-part) are sometimes played with d#s instead of d-naturals, i.e. E harmonic minor. As Trevor says, O'Carolan was heavily influenced by the Italian Baroque, and my guess is that he composed the tune with the d#s. Harmonic minor scales, of course, are unheard of in Irish Tradtional Music, and it dseems likely, that on passing into the repertoires of Irish musicians not having a classical music background, the sharps became naturals, assimilating it, to a degree, with traditional dance tunes.
Needless to say, it is NOT a reel, but since O'Carolan left little or no written information on how he intended his compositions to be performed, it's up to us to decide. I agree that it responds well to a livelier tempo than it is sometimes played at. To my ear, however, 'reel' tempo seems a bit excessive - a gentle hornpipe tempo (perhaps even with a bit of 'swing') would seem more appropriate to me.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by OrganicPeatCreature
New to,O'Carolyn's Draught
I have just started to learn this piece from a CD 'Hammered Strings' played by Alisa Jones. The first several times I would get to the piece I would skip over it to the next track, as I did not care for it. Now that i have listened to it several times through, it has become a favorite of mine. Still have a hard time with the last part though.
# Posted on February 13th 2005 by Ozark Doyle
ANOTHER SOURCE
X: 1
T: Carolan's Draught 186.
S: Donal O'Sullivan, Vol. 1 "CAROLAN"
S: The Life Times and Music Of An Irish Harper
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
D2 |: GABc defd|g2fe d2 d2|e2E2 d2D2|c2Bc AcBA |
GABc defd|gfed ^cbag|gfed A2^c2| d6 :||
fg|afga bagf| egfe edcB|edef gfga|bagf efga|
bBbB aBaB|gBgB fBfB|edef gfed|e6f2|
gfed cBAG|e2d2d2D2|c2B2A2G2|FGAF D2r2|
EFGE FGAF|GABG ABcA|d2g2 bagf|g6:||
# Posted on June 21st 2007 by windybaer
I discovered that this pairs quite nicely with Carolan's Concerto http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/788. See the comments of the that tune for details.
# Posted on March 15th 2008 by Dow
Guitar arrangement on Youtube
Here is my arrangement : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIkFKHja5rU
Hope yoy will enjoy
# Posted on September 14th 2008 by Jean2