The Session >> Tunes >> Sonny's (mazurka)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Sonny's

mazurka

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on February 2nd 2006 by AlBrown.

This tune has been added to 119 tunebooks.

Also known as Ó Brógáin's, Brogan's, Charlie Lennon's, Francie Mooney's, Francis Mooney's, Garrett Barry's, The Hag With The Fiddle, Hugh Gillespie's, The Irish, Johnny Doherty's, The Old Donegal, Phroinsias', The Polka , The Polka-(Mazurka), The Polka-, Sonny Ó Brógáin's, Sonny Brogan's, Sonny's, Vincent Campbell's.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Sonny's
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
R: mazurka
K: Dmaj
|:DF|A2 AG FA|d2 dA BA|G3 B AG|FA EA DF|
A2 AG FA|de dA BA|G3 g fe|d4:|
|:Ad|f2 fa gf|e2 eg fe|d2 df ed|cd Bd Ad|
f2 fa gf|e2 eg fe|d2 df ec|d4 :|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
Sonny's sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

This is the more common Sonny's Mazurka

The Sonny's Mazurka in G that I found in the tune base is not the one I play. Someone had put the ABCs for the Dmajor Sonny's that I am more familiar with into the comments section for the G tune. So people can find that easier, I pasted the ABCs into a tune of its own. It is the version of Sonny's I have found in books, and that we play here in RI, USA. We usually play it with what we call Johnny Doherty's Mazurka, or the Donegal Mazurka, that is also found at The Session under the name Tommy People's Mazurka. I got this tune from my friend Mark Bachand.

# Posted on February 2nd 2006 by AlBrown

At our session we play this and then Shoe the Donkey. I remember once there was a French guy who was in the session and he was a very good fiddle player. He let us hear some of his French traditional tunes and then out of nowhere asked "Can any of you dance a Mazurka?". We all look blank saying we could play them but not dance them so he got up and showed us how. It was quite funny and he was lilting Sonny's mazurka. It always makes me smile playing this tune because I keep remembering that day. :)

# Posted on February 4th 2006 by PaddyCmusic

"The Irish" / "Sonny's" ~ hmmmm? ~ Duplication?!

Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on January 2nd 2003 by Trevor Jennings.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1276

Duh?! ~ Come on guys, a duplication is a duplication

Before all this goes "POOF! ~ if you really are that caught up in the 'version' and you think it is 'significantly' different from that in the 'comments' for the earlier contributions, put it there for our collective appreciation ~ frankly, I don't see much difference, but I appreciate even the slight variations:

# Posted on February 5th 2006 by ceolachan

'Mazurka' ~ 'Varsouvienne'

You'll also find dance descriptions for these. The Irish did dance these in several forms and with verve and humour and grace too. She was a fine dancer our Gracey. Anyway, it does help the playing to know the dance, and no, they aren't exactly the same thing, though there are a number of tunes that can be swung either way, either as a 'mazurka' or as a 'varsouvienne'... I've enjoyed everyone I've had the pleasure of learning and dancing, including such crossbreeds as the 'mazurka-waltz' and the 'polka-mazurka', lovely stuff to dance either on the floor or through the melody, whatever your choice of partners, another person or your choice of musical instrument...

# Posted on February 5th 2006 by ceolachan

I first heard this tune as Sonny Brogan's Mazurka?

# Posted on February 6th 2006 by nílim cinnte

Duh! ~

And others first heard it as:

"Charlie Lennon's Mazurka"
"Francie Mooney's Mazurka",
"Garrett Barry's Mazurka"
"The Hag With The Fiddle"
"Hugh Gillespies"
"The Irish Mazurka"
"The Old Donegal Mazurka"
" Phroinsias', Mazurka"
"The Polka-Mazurka"
: Sonny Brogan's Mazurka"
"Sonny's"
"Vincent Campbell's Mazurka" ~ ETC...

Some give it the name of the person they heard play it or who they were lucky enough to have learned it from, others just go by the 'pop' Irish recording they purloined it from, namely the likes of "The Chieftains" and "The Boys of the Lough"... The number of names attached to this are miniscule compared to something like "Shoe the Donkey". The only title given that is distinct from a name or a musician is "The Hag With the Fiddle", but the name most folk I've heard play it in the 'modern sense' call it is merely "Sonny's"...

The name "Sonny's" or "Sonny Brogan's" has a history that "The Chieftains" carried forward, from that seminal group of Sean O'Riada's "Ceoltoiri Cualann" ~ and that group's earlier origins, in the same year, 1959 ~ evolved from a group of musicians Sean O'Riada brought together that year to provide the music for "The Song of the Anvil", a play by Bryan McMahon. "Ceoltoiri Cualann" was a rich mix, including the man hisself ~ Sean O'Riada:

Sonny Brogan & Eamon de Buitlear ~ button accordions
Martin Fay & John Kelly Sr. ~ fiddles
Paddy Moloney ~ uileann pipes and whistle
Michael Tubridy ~ flute
Ronnie McShane & Peadar Mercier ~ bodhran and bones
Sean O Se ~ singing...

Another musical gang and hangout for Sonny Brogan was "The Piper's Club" in Thomas Street, Dublin, sharing music with the likes of John Kelly Sr., Tom Mulligan, Tommy Potts, Tommy Reck, Leo Rowsome, Sean Seery and many more...

Sonny Brogan (died 1966) was one of the earliest advocates of the two-row B/C button accordion, despite also having reservations about 'modern' influences on the music of his times. He was caught in the middle, also not favouring the extremes of the 'purists' or the 'nationalists' either... Brogan also did recordings in the 1930's with the group "The Lough Gill Quartet"... He also wrote an article for 'Ceol' but I was unable to find an online link to this and sadly do not have my copy here to refer to and offer some etracts from ~ of the man's insights and thoughts... Maybe someone else can offer that, I hope...

"Sonny Brogan's" / "Sonny's"
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/SO_SOR.htm

# Posted on April 4th 2006 by ceolachan

'c' I couldn't disagree more with your comment that this is a duplication of that other mazurka. I think they're different tunes.

# Posted on April 29th 2007 by Dow

"Sonny's" / "The Irish" ~ mazurka ~ NOT A DUPLICATION :-/ Mea culpa!

Yes, I do see what you mean Mark. I've probably played these two for ages and can see the relationship, but they exist as distinct entities... I was probably working on title and not thinking that clearly, which isn't necessarily unusual for me. These two are often played together and I suspect were also in Sonny Brogan's repertoire, which accounts for them both being tagged with his name, despite their differences, and similarities...for example the one step difference in bars 1-2 & 5-6 of both the A & B parts...which have a lovely hint to each other and which also make them an interesting set together.

So, I concede, I was semi-conscious again, in space, yes, aside from being in distinctly different keys, and having some nod to one another, they are not identical, just reside sometimes together...

# Posted on August 14th 2007 by ceolachan

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