Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on June 27th 2003 by Kurt Franke.
This tune has been added to 73 tunebooks.
Also known as Gorman's, Sportin' Nell, Sporting Nellie, Sporting Nelly.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Sporting Nell
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
AD (3FED A2 dB|ABAG EFGB|AD (3FED A2 dB|ABGE EDDB|
AD (3FED A2 dB|ABAG EFGB|AD (3FED A2 dB|~A2 GE ED D2||
cdec d3 B| cdef gedB|cdec d2 dB|cAGE ED D2|
cdec d3 B| cdef gedf|eaag efed|cAGE ED D2||
source: Ceol Rince na hEireann No. 3
# Posted on June 27th 2003 by Kurt Franke
Sporting Nell
1) As written, and as played by e.g. the wonderful musician Tommy McCarthy (may he R. I. P.), this is really in a mode of D. Different versions use either f natural or f# in the second part, which might change how you name the mode (if you care about that), but the tonality is D.
2) Other versions (sometimes called "Gorman's") are often played in a mode with an "E" tonal center, which especially suits some pipers, whistlers, and flute players.
3) Could the name refer to Nell Gwyn? Or a less famous but locally popular character of similar reputation?
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by Paul Groff
To add --
comment #1 was made because the key is currently listed as "G."
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by Paul Groff
Sporting Nell
Love this tune setting from Patrick Ourceau. Patrick is a master. Real soul and passion. Not sure about the modality but it works out, feels right in resolving to a D. I like a slow slide up to the low A on the G-string while playing the unison open D string at the end of the tune.
X:1
T: Sporting Nell
M:C
K: D Dor
S:Patrick Ourceau
|:AD{F}ED A2 dc|AcGE {F}ED (3EFG|AD{F}ED A2 dc|1 AcGE {F}ED D2:|2 AcGE {F}EDEG|
[|~c2 ec gcec|~c2 ec AddB|~c2 ec gcec|AcGE {F}EDEG|
~c2 ec gcec|~c2 ec Adde|f3 d efed|cAAG Addc|] [D4A,4] z4|
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by fidkid
Origin
I was told by the late Micho Russell RIP that the name originates from the tune called Nell Flaherty's Drake.
He supposed that the name came from someone sportin' around with it to make it into the reel
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by merryblacksmith
A more major version gets played in our session, with C#s in the 2nd part:
X: 1
T: Sporting Nell
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmix
AD~D2 A2dc|AcAG EG~G2|AD~D2 A2dc|AcGE ED~D2:|
^cdec ~d3A|(3B^cd ef gedA|^cdec deed|^cAGE ED~D2|
^cdec ~d3A|(3B^cd ef gedg|eaag eged|^cAGE ED~D2||
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by Dow
That Patrick Ourceau version given above is basically the same tune as the Long Strand, posted here: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3169.
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by Dow
I've been playing through the version with C nats, and now I'm not so sure which is played at our session. I think maybe it sounds better with nats. Ach whatever...
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by Dow