Key signature: Adorian
Submitted on May 22nd 2003 by slainte.
This tune has been added to 97 tunebooks.
Also known as Charlie McKerron's, The Islay Rant, Islay Ranters, The Islay Ranters.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Islay Rant
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
|:EAAG ABcd|e2 ed eAAf|g2 gf gABA|GABG cABG|
EAAG ABcd|e2 ed eAAf|g2 gf gABA|1 GABG A3 G:|2 GABG A3 g||
|:a2 ab aged|eA (3AAA eAfA|g2 gf gABA|GABG cABG|
^cA (3AAA cAdA|eA (3AAA eAfA|g2 gf gABA|1 GABG A3 g:|2 GABG A3 G||
Islay Rant
Good one, slainte. A composition of fiddler Charlie McKerron of "Capercaillie". I have heard it played in sessions in Ireland, and it was recorded by flute player Emer Mayock.
# Posted on May 22nd 2003 by Kenny
Islay Rant
While I got to know this tune through a brilliant album "Opus Blue" by Shetland fiddler Catriona MacDonald, I later found it sometimes comes up in the sessions in Edinburgh.
It's another composition by Charlie MacKerron, the fiddler with the band Capercaillie. The dramatic and lyrical melody of the tune definitely comes from the northern tradition.
Originally a fiddle piece but sounds nice on my whistle, too! We can freely choose the speed.
# Posted on May 22nd 2003 by slainte
Inspired by Dow's post.
Does anybody play it on the banjo?
# Posted on May 22nd 2003 by slainte
Islay Rant
Great tune. This gets played fast and is often paired with the Glasgow (Tam Lin) reel initially at the D minor pitch at the session I go to. However, I think its better at a steady pace.
# Posted on May 22nd 2003 by Jamie
Islay Rant
This is a great tune of Charlie's. I learned a slightly different version from Karen Steven.
# Posted on May 23rd 2003 by eilidhthefiddler
Soooooo, what makes a rant a rant?
# Posted on May 23rd 2003 by Zina Lee
Zina, for information on rants, at least in the Northumbrian context, refer to:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/1126
However, the name seems to be used occasionally in Scotland and Ireland for tunes which seem to me to be indistinguishable form reels. I suspect McKerron's use of the word is more in a figurative (I do not refer here to dance figures) sense than in reference to any sort of dance form or rhythm. I could be mistaken.
Anyway, back to the tune. The version posted above is that which I have heard played in sessions. The version recorded by Capercaillie, on the album, 'Delirium', however, featuring the composer himself on fiddle, instead of repeating the B-part, reverts to the 2nd strain of the A-part for the last 8 bars (I'm experiencing deja vu. See )
Why doesn't anyone else play it like that?
# Posted on May 23rd 2003 by OrganicPeatCreature
Slainte, I would play it on banjo if I had one. I play it on mandolin and whistle (not at the same time), and it sound good on both.
# Posted on May 23rd 2003 by OrganicPeatCreature
We used to play this a lot preceded by Floating To Skerry (A waltz) and followed by Brenda Stubbert's ...
Just so as you know.
# Posted on May 26th 2003 by Ottery
Does anybody play it on banjo?
I do. Usually followed by farewell to chernobyl, which is a bit tricky to play on banjo, but I like the set.
# Posted on June 4th 2003 by Berni
Same Tune, Different Name
This would appear to be the same tune as the reel recorded by Kevin Burke on the "Portland" album and on "Up Close as "The Beare Island Reel".
He attributes it to some fiddle family from the Beare Island Peninsula, Southern Ireland. Whatever, it's still a great tune and one of my all time favourites.
# Posted on November 29th 2003 by riverrunner
Riverunner, you've got this confused with Beare Island, which is a far different tune (see http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/696) composed by Finbar Dwyer.
# Posted on November 29th 2003 by Miss Lonelyhearts
A bit similar to Andy Renwick's Ferret by Gordon Duncan http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/439
# Posted on September 4th 2007 by Dow
Other version
here's the version i know, it's a bit simpler/more repetitive, but i like the changing C note.
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amix
|:cA (3AAA cAdA|eA (3AAA eAfA|(g2 g)f gedB|GABG =cGBG|
cA (3AAA cAdA|eA (3AAA eAfA|(g2 g)f gedB|1 GABG A4:||2 \ GABG A2 e2|
|:(a2 a)b aged|eA (3AAA eAfA|(g2 g)f gedB|GABG =cGBG|
cA (3AAA cAdA|eA (3AAA eAfA|(g2 g)f gedB|1 GABG A2 e2:||2 \ GABG A4||
# Posted on June 1st 2008 by fynnjamin
isley ranters
Do most people play this tune the way it's written on this web page??
# Posted on July 21st 2008 by mandoe
"The Islay Rant" / "Islay Ranters" / "Charlie McKerron's" ~ reel X 2 on site
"Islay Rant"
Key signature: A Dorian
Submitted on May 22nd 2003 by slainte.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/1688
"The Islay Rant" / "Islay Ranters" / "Charlie McKerron's" ~ reel
Key signature: A Dorian
Submitted on October 18th 2003 by Peter Piper.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2076
# Posted on July 21st 2008 by ceolachan
"The Islay Rant" / "Islay Ranters" / "Charlie McKerron's" ~ duplication
Key signature: A Dorian
Submitted on October 18th 2003 by Peter Piper.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2076
# Posted on July 21st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: isley ranters
Do you know it differently? If so, consider doing a transcription and offering it in the comments to one of the two given, your own take on it or a transcription from a source you're fond of?
# Posted on July 21st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: isley ranters
If anyone ever plays any of the tunes how they are written, they are idiots
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: isley ranters
Written conventions are interesting.
Do you say "izlay" ranters?
Or "I'll eh" ranters? (as in "eh" what "way" are you going)
Or "I'll a"? (as in with the "I'll" as the shortening of "I will" and the "a" as in the "a" in the middle of "cat"?)
It's important to remember that comparing the conventions of written language with how you actually speak is the same as comparing written conventions of music with how you play it.
So to ask the question "Do most people play this tune the way it's written?" is simply ludicrous
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: isley ranters
Clearly, it's "eyes-lee", as in the brothers.
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: isley ranters
or "ees-lah," as in the the Madonna song "La Isley Bonita"
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by airport
Re: isley ranters
Now who went and opened Pandora's fiddle case?
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by ceolachan
Re: isley ranters
llig, you are one of the reasons I keep coming back. You crack me up!
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by feardearg
Re: isley ranters
Pronounced eye-la. Written by Charlie MacKerron of Capercaillie.
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by bogman
Re: isley ranters
Well, why isn't it spelt "eye-la", then? Was I subjected to 17 years of education for nothing?
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: isley ranters
Ceolachan - I thought Pandora played th box.
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: isley ranters
My Barfly program plays all the tunes exactly how they are written.
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: isley ranters
Granama, unless you were educated in English versions of Gaelic place names then your 17 years would be irrelevant in this instance. sorry
# Posted on July 22nd 2008 by bogman
Does anyone know the tune that Capercaillie play before this? On their album 'Delirium', Islay Ranters Reels is a 2 tune set.
Thanks.
# Posted on February 12th 2009 by Tobian
It is here:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/9712
# Posted on June 27th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Islay Ranter's Reel - Version on Delirium
This is how the tune was originally played by Charlie and Capercaillie on Delirium. The most significant difference from some versions of the tune is that, in the 2nd part it only goes into the A major section the first time round.
X:1
T:Islay Ranter's Reel
M:4/4
C: Charlie McKerron
D: Capercaillie - Delirium
R:Reel
K:Ador
|: EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA |1 GA (3BAG A3 G :|2 GA (3BAG A3 g |
| a2 ab aged | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
| ^cA (3AAA cAdA | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG A3 |
a2 ab aged | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA |1 GA (3BAG A3 A3 G ||
# Posted on June 28th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
I wish there was a way you could edit posts on here. Couple of small changes - added a 'g' at the end of the 2nd line of the 2nd part and took out the 1st time bar sign that was sitting at the end of the tune due to lazy copying and pasting on my part!
X:1
T:Islay Ranter's Reel
M:4/4
C: Charlie McKerron
D: Capercaillie - Delirium
R:Reel
K:Ador
|: EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA |1 GA (3BAG A3 G :|2 GA (3BAG A3 g |
| a2 ab aged | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
| ^cA (3AAA cAdA | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG A3 g |
a2 ab aged | eA (3AAA eAfA | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG cABA |
EAAB cgcd | e2 ed eAAf | g2 gf gBBA | GA (3BAG A3 A3 G ||
# Posted on June 28th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Martin Rochford's
The tune before this on Delirium is called Martin Rochford's and can be found here:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1062/comments#comment456237
Sorry about the dead link 3 posts up. The tune got deleted as a duplicate.
# Posted on June 28th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm