The Bonnie Isle O' Whalsey

reel

Key signature: Amajor

Submitted on August 29th 2003 by dafydd.

This tune has been added to 25 tunebooks.

Also known as The Boanie Isle O'Whalsay, Bonnie Isle A' Whalsay, Bonnie Isle O' Whalsay, Bonnie Isle Of Whalsay, The Bonnie Isle Of Whalsay, Bonny Isle A' Whalsay, Da Boanie Isle O Whalsay, Da Boanie Isle O Whalsey, Da Boannie Isle O' Whalsey, Da Bonnie Isle A' Whalsay, Da Bonny Isle A' Whalsay, Da Bonny Isle O'Whalsey.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 1982 by Willie Hunter And Violet Tulloch
• Dorney Rock by Kevin Macleod
• From Shetland by Trevor Hunter
• Gillian Frame And Back Of The Moon by Back Of The Moon
• Obadeea by Hom Bru
• Shetland Springs Fae Da Bonnie Isle by Gibbie Hutchison
• The Big Spree by Breabach
• The Silver Bow: The Fiddle Music Of Shetland by Tom Anderson And Aly Bain

X: 1
T: Bonnie Isle O' Whalsey, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amaj
|:edcA B2 ed|cAAc BE E2|edcA B2 ed|cABG A4:|
cde=g dfed|cAdc B=G G2|cde=g fded|cABG A4|
cde=g fded|cAdc B=G G2|cdef =ga=ge|dBGB A4|

A tune from Shetland. It is sometimes played with the high 'e's at the start of bars 1 and 3 slurred across the bar lines, giving it a syncopated feel, a feature more common in Shetland than Irish fiddling.

The following setting is from Richard Robinsons Tunebook.

M:4/4
K:Amix
(e2|e)d cA B2ed|cA Ac BE2(e|e)d cA B2ed|\
cA B^G A2::
AB|\
cd eg fd ed|cA Ac BE E(c|c)d eg fd ed|\
cA BG A2A2|
cd eg fd ed|cA Ac BE Ec|\
cd ef ga ge|dB GB A2||

# Posted on September 23rd 2004 by granama

Slurs

Yeah, you've really got to accent the high E's in the A section with slurs to make this work. It's a really super tune - I play it often. Have you ever tried it in the same set as Spootiskerry? This tune also works best with syncopated bowings and makes a good partner to Bonnie Isle of Whalsey

# Posted on September 23rd 2004 by jakki S

The Bonnie Isle O' Whalsay

Sorry,I made a mistake in the abc.The high Gs in the second part should be natural.I'll alter the abc and perhaps Jeremy could edit the sheet music.

# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd

Tom Anderson, Aly Bain and Dave Tulloch recorded this as the last tune in a monster set of reels:

Jack Broke da Prison Door, Donald Blue, Sleep Soond i' da Moarnin', Lasses Trust in Providence, Da Boanie Isle O' Whalsay

# Posted on September 24th 2004 by granama

A golden oldie.

Also recorded by Dougie McLean, on his first album several years ago, with yours truly on flute.

# Posted on September 24th 2004 by Kenny

5 reels

In Shetland, that set laid out by granama is played at practically every session, often as the first set - if anyone suggests the "5 reels" or the "Auld 5", that's what they mean.

# Posted on April 21st 2008 by Swift