The Session >> Tunes >> The Foxhunter (reel)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Foxhunter

reel

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 20th 2002 by Josh Kane.

This tune has been added to 569 tunebooks.

Also known as The Fox Chase, The Fox Hunter, Fox Hunters, The Fox-Chase, Foxhunter's, The Foxhunter's, Foxhunters, Sealgaire An TSionnaigh.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Foxhunter, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|: d2BG d2BG | d2BG AGEG | d2BG dGBG | AcBG AGEG :|
|: D~D2B BAGE | DGBG AGEG | D~D2B BAGB | AcBG AGEG :|
|: gedB GABd | gdBd eaaf | gedB GABG | ABcd eA~A2 :|
|: dggf ~g2ge | dggd egdB | dggf ~g2gd | egdB AGAB :|
|: G2BG dGBG | GABG AGAB | ~G2BG dGBd | egdB AGAB :|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
The Foxhunter sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

This tune is nice played in A on fiddle banjo etc., with lots of open E-string. When playing in G, I find cross fingering the d to G rather tricky on mandolin. That said, playing it in A is a bustard on the whistle or flute.
I've also heard it played with the 1st part omitted after the first time round - i.e. the final part stands in for the first part. I'm not sure whether that's an alternate version or just a mistake.

# Posted on January 27th 2002 by OrganicPeatCreature

I've heard it played with the first part omitted as well, but I think it's probably just a mistake. I don't have much to say on that particular issue because 1.) I learned it from my cousin and 2.) I've never seen it in a music book before. hmmmmm...
(P.S. playing it in A on the flute is a BIG bustard.)

# Posted on January 28th 2002 by Josh Kane

This might not be such a bustard on the key of A on the flute, after all. There aren't that many F#s (which would become G#s ).

# Posted on January 28th 2002 by glauber

But I don't have a keyed flute. That means a whole lot of half-holing!

# Posted on February 15th 2002 by Josh Kane

The g# can be cross-fingered xxx0x0. This works on most whistles (but only in the upper octave) and I expect it would work for most keyless flutes as well. Once you get used to it, it's faster than half-holing and useful.

# Posted on February 15th 2002 by Bloomfield

Fiddle Tuning

Some fiddler's re-tune their instrument for this tune: AEAE. James Kelly and Sean Keane have both recorded it this way. Wouldn't work for a session, of course...

If you've never played in this tuning: it brings about an incredible ringing sound. Cape Breton fiddlers use this tuning for a lot of their tunes as well.

# Posted on April 18th 2003 by pchaffee

Chieftains 2 Version

Here is the ABC notation for the version played on Chieftains 2, showing a few subtle differences from the original posting:

dGBG dGBG|dGBG AGEG|dGBG dGBG|GABG AGEG:|
|:~D3 B BABG|DGBG AGEG|~D3 B BABG|AcBG AGEG:|
|:gedB G2 Bd|gdBd eA ~A2|gedB GBdB|ABcd eA ~A2:|
|:dggf g4|dg ~g2 egdB|dggf ~g3d|(3efg dB AGAB:|
|:~G2 BG dGBG|GB ~B2 AGAB|~G2 BG dGBG|(3efg dB AGAB:|

# Posted on February 14th 2004 by turophile

Loads of fun when played as fast as possible on the banjo. Ought to follow a tune in Amin, since the a part sounds great with a full Amajor chord on guitar.

# Posted on February 19th 2004 by Larshansen

Lazy Man's "A" Version

Just move your fingers up a hole on the whistle and play as normal.

# Posted on February 19th 2004 by LongNote

I lived down in Dingle for about 5yrs and this tune preceded by the Bucks was like the national anthem was on U.K. tv. 30yrs ago..time to go to bed! Seriously, at least 40% of sessions i heard or sat in down there ended with these 2 tunes in a set.Like the Kerry anthem or something. Oh and sometimes they do the Foxhunter in G and then take it up to A, so it's almost like set of 3.Great stuff.

# Posted on July 27th 2007 by hakanozel

Foxhunter Reel by Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh on YouTube

eAcA eAcA|eAcA BAFA|eAcA eAcA|(3Bcd cA BAFA|
eAcA eAcA|eAcA BAFA|ce (3eee fcec|(3Bcd cA BAFA||
E3c cBAF|~E2 cA BAFA|E3c cBAc|(3Bcd cA BAFA:||
afec AB (3cBA|aece f~B3|afec AB (3cBA|Bcde f~B3|
afec AB (3cBA|aece fb (3bbb|aBgB fBec|Bcde fBcd||
eaag a3f|e~a3 (3fga ec|eaag abae|(3fga ec ~B2cd|
eaag a3f|e~a3 (3fga ec|eaag abae|(3fga ec BdcB||
A2cA eAcB|A~c3 BABc|(3AAA Ac eAce|(3fga ec BdcB:||

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4OAkUN-m3A

# Posted on March 18th 2008 by Pere

When it comes to the fiddle, SOO much better in A.

# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by synaesthete402

Haha, that's brilliant Longnote.

# Posted on August 31st 2008 by Whiddler

Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

I'm learning the Foxhunter's Reel in G on a BC box , and wondering whether I should be learning the A version. There's no big difference in difficulty on the box - G may be slightly easier.

Which is generally played in sessions?

And yes, I realize learning both versions would do no harm, but usually. . .?

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Martin_BC

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Time for me to be a curmudgeon. & I do not wear it well.
There is a perfectly good discussion & comment section in the Tunes category. Or as I am told (repeatedly), "Please remember, as stated in the discussion submission guidelines, if you have a question or comment about a specific tune, recording, session, or event, to post it in the relevant listing rather than in discussions. Thanks."
Martin I do hope your post receives more responses, regardless of where it ends up (winds up?)
Play in A & the good fiddlers' will love it. If either way works for you (A & G) I'd say you should learn both.
~ end of rant.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Random_notes

~

almost . . . & if it does end up in the Tunes comments please give a title to each response. By this I mean ~ if one clicks on "Tunes" & then clicks on "Comments" rarely does one know which tune is being commented on. no more hijacking.
Cheers Martin

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Random_notes

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Thanks Random - as a pedant I always appreciate a good display of genial curmudgeonliness. It's my observation that MANY questions raised in the Comments section of tunes are NOT ANSWERED within days or even months or years. I sortof want to know now, so does that give me enough justification? If I had the facility I would move the discussion to the tune comments as soon as it had an answer. Also, I'm curious - what led to your being told (repeatedly)?

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Martin_BC

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

While curmudgeon is in fact my middle name, Random seems to have that covered. So, at the risk of encouraging an informative and specific discussion about a particular tune on a particular instrument in the discussions portion of this forum...
I've always heard the tune played in A, but when I tried it in G on the B/C box, it made a lot more sense to me. I can kind of muddle through it in A, but I think I could actually play it in G, given some time. On the whistle, as well, it's certainly playable in A but it works much better in G. All that being said, I've usually heard it in A.

My advice would be to learn both, and start it in G when you want to play it. If some fiddler starts it in A, storm out of the room in a huff and start your own session withough the bloody fiddles. OR, alternatively, you could just play along in A, but that would be the sensible thing to do.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Let's just say I have received a few polite emails. Most recent below, & I must congratulate your "Discussion" for already having greater longevity than the following *comment*; http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1967

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Random_notes

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Martin, more importantly for you, what is the most common key in your corner of Australia?

Fiddlers tend to like it in A (but most will play it in A or G), and whistle/flute/pipe players prefer G. Not sure about other instruments. So the key will often depend on what sort of instrument carries the tune in your circle.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Miss Lonelyhearts

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

I learnt it back in the mid-Seventies as a G tune, and first heard it in A on the Matt Molloy / Tommy Peoples / Paul Brady album of 1978. I suspect it has been played increasingly often in A since then, though those better informed than me may say it's been consistently played in A in the tradition for a long time.

It's a great tune in both keys, though playing it in A does I think have an edge in giving an extra fillip to the end of a set.

On the BC - an instrument that defeated me - I would have thought it was quite a bit easier in G than A.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by nicholas

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Thanks Jon and Will - I'll learn both as I've heard the 2 keys played in succession and the change-up sounded pretty good.

Not sure what my local session plays it in - Donough, are you about to enlighten me on Foxhunter's Reel at the Dav?

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Martin_BC

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Mostly in A.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Henk Bos

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

G - ( but you'd be hard pushed to find anyone here in Aberdeen who knows it in either key ).
Wasn't it fiddler Paddy Kelly of Cree, Co.Clare who first put it into A ? Breandan Breathnach's book "Folkmusic And Dances of Ireland", printed in 1971, has a very detailed transcription in "A" attributed to Chieftains fiddler Sean Keane. There is also a CD which includes Breathnach's original source recordings of all the tunes and songs in that book.
I first heard it in "A" on the "Music From The Coleman County" LP from 1972, played by Seamus Tansey and Andrew Davey
( I think).

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Kenny

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Round here we tend to play twice through in G then up to A and twice through in A.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Bernie

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

That's what they do on Encore by Celtic Fiddle Festival - only to return back to G again and then to A once again!

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Henk Bos

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

G all the way.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by TheSilverSpear

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

So far a fairly even spread - G, and A, and both together. Sorry to hear about your divorce from the BC nicholas. any chance of a reconciliation, or have you taken up with another?

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Martin_BC

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

A with fiddle tuned AEAE is great. Patrick Kelly, mentioned above, and James Kelly have recorded the tune this way. Lots of open string possibilities. A geat ringing sound.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by prestonian

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Never heard anyone make the the dogs bark in G, could just be me and my personal howsyourfather but I prefer it played in A.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Solidmahog

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

So I switched to A and it seemed to have more lift and flow. Course being in A on the BC box, you need an assistant to walk over there with the bellows.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Martin_BC

Re: Foxhunter's Reel in sessions - G or A usually?

Easy...sessions with many fiddles/banjos would love to play in A.

Pipers/flutes will usually prefer G.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by VOKEPASA

Foxhunter's Reel

Don't know if this is relevant or not;
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/511
;)

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Random_notes

*

Definitely A! I just played "Foxhunter's Reel" on my Low D & it sounds grand (in A).
I don't think I have tried it before. Now if I can only manage "Calliope House" in E.

# Posted on May 16th 2009 by Random_notes

Foxhunter's in G

Tulla ceili band play it in G. That could be relevant :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvtqZgEg3AA

# Posted on August 29th 2009 by Bile

Foxhunter's Reel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ayHYwMtJo&feature=rec-fresh+div

Frankie Gavin - Fiddle, Dermot Byrne - Accordian, Steve Cooney - Guitar and Carl Hession - Piano

# Posted on November 6th 2009 by conscientious objector

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