Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Barndances]]> Caples, Billy]]> Rabata, Nicole (flute)]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> McElroy, Kevin (banjo) 70994386]]> Donohue, Gabriel (piano) 103020997]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Rabata, Nicole ]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> McElroy, Kevin]]> Donohue, Gabriel]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Barndances]]> Haley, Ed 60419553]]> McGuire, Séamus (fiddle) 43512454]]> O'Briain, Garry (guitar) 58691214]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> McGuire, Séamus ]]> O'Briain, Garry]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Barndances]]> Connolly, Séamus 33682623]]> Ellis, Tony 29143698]]>
I was not at home when he rang me, but he played the tune onto my answering machine and asked if I had ever heard it. As soon as I received his message, I returned his phone call and told him that I had never heard the tune before.

Later, on one of his CD recordings, Quaker Girl, Tony recorded the tune for posterity and gave it the above title. I am very proud that my friend, the wonderful fiddle player Liz Knowles, kept Tony's interpretation and feeling in mind yet added her very own nuances, colour, and variations when she played the tune for this collection. Thanks, Liz!]]> Knowles, Liz (fiddle) 68565066]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Knowles, Liz ]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Barndances]]> McCarthy, Dominick]]>
Moving further along in years, my wife Sandy and I visited Sir Jimmy's hometown of Auchtermuchty, Scotland in the hope of meeting the maestro. Deciding that an unannounced visit might be intrusive, we continued on our journey.

This introduction to Dominick McCarthy's Irish Barndance may seem unusual; nevertheless, it seems appropriate to write about Sir Jimmy in order to write about his equally talented son Jimmy Shand Jr., accordionist, composer, and accordion tuner. On a recent visit to Auchtermuchty with my friends Drs. Jim and Cindy Polo, we were welcomed into the beautiful home of Jimmy Shand Jr. and his lovely wife Margaret. Jimmy had invited us, and on that trip I did not hesitate to knock on the door of the Shand residence. The kind warm hospitality that we received from Mr. and Mrs. Shand will now also be embedded in my mind. Music, stories, photographs, and holding Sir Jimmy's accordion were special treats on that occasion. 

And then our conversation turned to Jimmy Jr.'s music compositions. I told Jimmy that Dominick McCarthy from Clara in County Offaly had played the barndance for me over thirty years ago. Mr. Shand told me that he did not have any recollection of the tune. Upon giving Jimmy Jr. the sheet music, he began to whistle, and with a twinkle in his eye he smiled as the tune instantly came back to him. He was delighted to be reminded of this tune while saying it would be a welcome addition to his forthcoming book, Jimmy Shand, Jr. Music Compositions.

Unforgettable memories all around. Thank you, sir, for your composition and for the welcome that you and Margaret gave to Cindy, Jim, and myself. Jimmy, I hope you never stop playing and composing!


]]> Murphy, Gráinne (fiddle)]]> Murray, Alan (guitar)]]> Shand, Jimmy, Jr. (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Murphy, Gráinne ]]> Murray, Alan]]> Shand, Jimmy, Jr.]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Banjo music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Barndances]]> Galvin, Ellen]]> MacMahon, Tony 171508158]]> We shall hear Barbara play some of her own compositions (‘Ashcraft-Fraser House’, ‘The Reel Bus’, and ‘A Riverview Cabin’) as we venture through this collection.

]]> McElroy, Kevin (banjo) 70994386]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> Magone, Barbara MacDonald (piano) 53396920]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> McElroy, Kevin]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> Magone, Barbara MacDonald]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Waltzes--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Hébert, Donna 21838369]]> Cohen, Max]]> In Full Bloom. Donna writes:

'My father passed away in early March 2008 while our band was visiting the Grand Canyon. We were stalked by ravens all day until, at sunset, one landed among us. It looked straight at me and gestured, croaking; after a few minutes it flew off. Within moments, the call came through that my father had passed. Max and I wrote the tune and only then did I discover that my father's bomber unit in World War II was called The Ravens... When I heard the last mix from Canada, I wept with joy. Mark Busic (engineer) had captured the feel of the day, the canyon, the wonder, perfectly. Max's guitar is the raven's wings. My violin and viola are the spirit breaking free...'


]]> Hébert, Donna (fiddle, viola) (composer) 21838369]]> Cohen, Max (guitar) (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Hébert, Donna ]]> Cohen, Max]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Folk songs, Irish--Ireland]]> Celtic harp music--Ireland]]> Penny whistle music]]> Airs]]> 1000 Years of Irish Poetry.]]> Caesar, Pádraigín (harp, vocals)]]> Caesar, Siobhán (whistle)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Caesar, Pádraigín ]]> Caesar, Siobhán]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Violin music--Ireland]]> Viola music--Ireland]]> Cello music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Connolly, Lena]]> Brown, Bonnie Bewick (violin)]]> Lee, Julianne (viola) 316003328]]> Katz, Mickey (cello) 63719871]]> Connolly, Séamus (composer) 33682623]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Brown, Bonnie Bewick ]]> Lee, Julianne]]> Katz, Mickey]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Violin music--Ireland]]> Viola music--Ireland]]> Cello music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Walter, Chrysandra]]>
Anyway, as I drove home that night, many tears flowed like a river and the pain hurt, but the beginning notes of this tune came to me. As I sat in her hospital room for the next few days I worked on the air, writing it on the corners of the local paper 'The Boston Globe'. The end result is what you have on this track. It is played by my friend Bonnie Bewick Brown, a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Bonnie also arranged 'Miss Chrysandra Walter' for cello and viola and invited her friends to perform it, and they did so beautifully. I am forever grateful to Bonnie for this wonderful arrangement and for all the help she gave to me on this project. I know Sandy would be very proud of this tune and how it was played. My dear wife and friend Chrysandra will be forever remembered by me, and through this tune her memory will live on!]]> Brown, Bonnie Bewick (violin)]]> Lee, Julianne (viola) 316003328]]> Katz, Mickey (cello) 63719871]]> Connolly, Séamus (composer) 33682623]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Brown, Bonnie Bewick ]]> Lee, Julianne]]> Katz, Mickey]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Uilleann pipe music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> McConnell, Cathal 65520190]]> Cathal's Reel).

I gave the recording to my good friend Jerry O'Sullivan, who plays the tune on this track, but with his very own arrangement and interpretation. The phrasing, as one will see, is different from that of the written transcription of Cathal's playing. Fascinating, really, when one thinks of how music can be changed to suit the performer and the instrument. Thanks to both these fine exponents for their contrasting versions.]]> O'Sullivan, Jerry (uilleann pipes) 31619251]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> O'Sullivan, Jerry ]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Airs]]> McGann, John 275956837]]>
A more complete version of the tune is heard on this track, with my good friends the late John McGann playing guitar and Gabriel Donohue on keyboard. John was very involved with the transcription of the tunes for this project but, alas, he left us too soon. So in John's memory, perhaps 'Remembering Curly Remembering John McGann' might be a perfect title for this tune. Thanks, John, for all the music, stories, laughs, and friendship.]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) (composer) 33682623]]> McGann, John (guitar) 275956837]]> Donohue, Gabriel (keyboards) 103020997]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> McGann, John]]> Donohue, Gabriel]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Airs]]> McDonnell-Garvey, Máire 4192187]]> Keegan, Josephine (fiddle) (composer) 72741909]]> Donohue, Gabriel (piano) 103020997]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Keegan, Josephine ]]> Donohue, Gabriel]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Miller, Rodney (fiddle) (composer) 25930822]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Miller, Rodney ]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Violin music--Ireland]]> Violin and piano music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Bygone Days. I am delighted to have the tune included in this collection.]]> Burnham, Michael (violin)]]> Lawrie, Margaret (piano) (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Burnham, Michael ]]> Lawrie, Margaret]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Violin music--Ireland]]> Violin and piano music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Lawrie, Margaret]]> Burnham, Michael (violin)]]> Lawrie, Margaret (piano) (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Burnham, Michael ]]> Lawrie, Margaret]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Rowsome, Leo 92519391]]> Redican, Larry]]> Notes From My Mind. The pipes that Liam used on that recording were made by Mr. Rowsome. The air is soulfully played here by fiddle player John Daly from County Cork. More of John's own music and compositions may be heard on his CD entitled John Daly.]]> Daly, John (fiddle)]]> Brehony, Kevin (piano)]]> Redican, Larry (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Daly, John ]]> Redican, Larry ]]> Brehony, Kevin ]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Traditional Irish Music on Flute and Tinwhistle, on the Shanachie label.]]> Nugent, Larry (flute)]]> Nugent, Sean (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Nugent, Larry ]]> Nugent, Sean]]> ]]> More info.]]> Folk music--Ireland]]> Violin music--Ireland]]> Violin and piano music--Ireland]]> Airs]]> Walter, Chrysandra]]> elsewhere in this collection played by yours truly.

I know that Sandy would be proud of this tune, 'The Golden Flower' (a translation of her full name, 'Chrysandra'), which Bill composed after she left us to go to her eternal reward. As soon as I heard it, I knew that I wanted it to be the first tune in this collection. I was moved to tears by Bill's gift.

The other gift associated with Bill's composition is this hauntingly beautiful performance of 'The Golden Flower' by our special friends Hilary and Duncan Cumming on violin and piano. Hilary and Duncan played at our wedding at Saint Anne's Church in Lowell, Massachusetts. I somehow feel that their playing of Bill Black's gift has eased Sandy's journey to the Land of Peace where she will have pain no more. She is watching over all of us. Thank you Bill, Hilary, and Duncan.]]> Cumming, Hilary Walther (violin)]]> Cumming, Duncan J. (piano) 232023178]]> Black, Bill (composer)]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Cumming, Hilary Walther ]]> Cumming, Duncan J. ]]> Black, Bill ]]> ]]> More info.]]>