The Commodore

reel

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on May 29th 2003 by whistlemanhimself.

This tune has been added to 57 tunebooks.

Also known as Commodore.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Rake Of Reels by John Nolan
• Claire Mann by Claire Mann
• Dead String Rhythm by Flynn Cohen
• Ebony And Brass by Marc Pollier
• Fonnchaoi by Verena Commins And Julie Langan
• Happy Days by Caladh Nua
• Isn't Anyone Going To Stop Them? by The Magic Square
• Live In Concert by Brid Harper And Dermot Byrne
• May Monday by Karen Tweed And Timo Alakotila
• Out Of The Blue by Alan Kelly
• Sweeter As The Years Roll By by James Keane
• The Girls Won't Leave The Boys Alone by Cherish The Ladies

X: 1
T: Commodore, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
~a3f ~g3e|fedf ecAb|a~d3 bdad|cdef g2fg|
agfa gfeg|fedf ecAB|(3cBA eA fAef|1gece defg:|2gece d2AG||
FAde =f2d=f|e~=c3 DEG=c|ADFA dedB|ceag fdAG|
FAde =f2d=f|e~=c3 g=ceg|aged (3cBA ef|1gece d2AG:|2gece defg||

The Commodore

This reel was written by Billy McComiskey and Brendan Mulvihill back in the day when they were both members of the band The Irish Tradition in Washington DC. That would be the late 1970s/early 1980s, when the Tradition was a fixture in The Dubliner pub on Capitol Hill. The Dubliner is located on the ground floor level of a hotel that was then called the Commodore. The hotel and the pub are both still there, but now the hotel is called the Phoenix Park.

# Posted on May 29th 2003 by johnkerr

The Commodore

I heard this for the first time at a session a few days ago and tried to look it up when I got home. I think your transcription of this is the only one available on the net at the moment. Smashing tune.

# Posted on June 2nd 2003 by Dr. Dow

The Commodore

I believe Martin Mulhaire might've had an influence in the creation of this tune as well. It sure is a good one! Davy Spillane plays a crazy version on "Shadow Hunter."

# Posted on September 19th 2004 by reelymcneely

The Making Of...

Apparently Billy had written pretty much all of the tune but wasn't happy with it. He played it for Brendan and Brendan said something like "why not make that an F natural?" which is the the "hook" of the tune. So Brendan really only wrote one note of the tune, but it was the right one!!!

# Posted on February 18th 2005 by patrick cavanagh

I really love this tune! Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Patrick.

# Posted on February 19th 2005 by Zina Lee

I've been playing this tune backwards! I was taught it with the B part first. Great tune though either way.

# Posted on April 14th 2005 by Biddy

Backwards

Claire Mann plays the B part first on her CD, "Claire Mann." But I've always heard it (seldom, at that) with the A part first. That way the part with the 'hook' comes where it should.

# Posted on May 4th 2011 by David Levine