<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?tags=Playlist+05&page=2&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&output=rss2 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 04:41:47 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Lisa and Patrick]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/615

Story

I remember listening to Frank Claudy playing his whistle in the room next to mine at Gavin's Golden Hill Resort in East Durham in the Catskill Mountains of New York during a week of Irish music, song, and dance. The reel on this track, a composition of Frank's, caught my attention. Frank kindly recorded it for me for this collection. He named it for Patrick McComiskey (a son of Billy and Annie McComiskey) and his bride-to-be, Lisa Farrell.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-05_Lisa_and_Patrick-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Lord Gordon's Father]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/619

Story

The long version of the reel 'Lord Gordon', which the great Michael Coleman recorded in the 1930s, contains a number of parts which are attributed to that master County Sligo fiddle player. Another version, with two parts, was recorded on a 78 by musicians from the Ballinakill area of County Galway. Here, Monsignor Charlie Coen gives us still another two-part setting of the tune, which he has given the clever title 'Lord Gordon's Father', surmising that the origins of Michael Coleman's masterpiece lie in an older, simpler setting of the tune, perhaps somewhat like this one.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-11_Lord_Gordons_Father-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Marg's Jig]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/490

Story

Maeve Donnelly plays a composition of master composer Mrs. Matilda Murdoch, the queen of New Brunswick fiddle playing. Matilda has numerous compositions to her credit and she takes great pleasure in passing the tunes along to musicians eager to learn them. Matilda was delighted to hear the musical confluence that resulted when Maeve played this New Brunswick tune in her wonderful Irish fiddle style.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-14_Margs_Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![CDATA[Maxwell's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/627

Story

The inimitable fiddle master Seán Maguire recorded this tune, with Josephine Keegan at the piano, on one of their records. Here we hear Gráinne Murphy giving us her special rendition of Maxwell's Reel.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-29_Maxwells-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:20 -0800
<![CDATA[Mr. and Mrs. Ted McGraw]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/487

Story

I have known Ted and Bridget McGraw of Rochester, New York, since the 1980s. I have great memories of playing with Ted in The Village Coachhouse, in Brookline, Massachusetts, a veritable musical institution that was owned by the Varian family of Cork. Here Ted recounts how he came to have a tune written for him and Bridgie by Jimmy Shand, Jr., renowned Scottish accordionist, composer, and accordion tuner: 'We were in Scotland in '86 heading out of Auchtermuchty looking for Jimmy Shand's house when I spotted Jimmy Jr. standing by his gate across the road. He was instantly recognizable from his record jackets. His famous father was adjudicating somewhere up the country so Jimmy Jr. graciously invited us in for a chat. When I saw his shop I immediately asked if he could convert an old Hohner Club Morino to Irish tuning. The bargain was made and even at that time, it was difficult to match the quality of 'Artiste' reeds, so about a year later the box came back to me in Rochester with the tune enclosed, dated Oct. '87. The tone quality of the box, by the way, was beautiful!' The jig is played here for us by Josephine Keegan on fiddle and piano.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-04_Mr_and_Mrs_Ted_McGraw-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![CDATA[Mug of Black Tea]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/492

Story

Growing up in Ireland, and while practicing my fiddle in the home of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), I drank many's the mug of black tea. I remember her tea being very strong and having to drink it without milk. I questioned my granny as to why she made it so strong. Her response to me was that it was 'no good unless you could trot a mouse on it'. Food for thought I suppose.

My good friend, the wonderful musician Josephine Keegan, composed this lovely tune. She plays it here for us on fiddle to her own piano accompaniment. Josephine did make some tea for Sandy and me when we visited her home in County Armagh and she did have milk! Josephine's composition may also be found in The Keegan Tunes, Cuid a Trá (Book 3).

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-23_Mug_of_Black_Tea-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![CDATA[O'Carolan's (Number 174)]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/729

Story

Turlough O'Carolan's eighteenth-century compositions have attracted the attention of musicians all over the world. His music occupies a unique and permanent place in the repertoire of Irish traditional music. I learned this tune from the guitar playing of my friend Anisa Angarola. We played it together on Anisa's CD Birdwatcher Hill, and that track appears here. The tune can be found as number 174 in Donal O'Sullivan's magisterial collection Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper, Volume 1.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-16_OCarolans_Number_174-Waltz.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:24 -0800
<![CDATA[Peggy Monaghan's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/622

Story

Peggy Monaghan was Sean Nugent's sister, and he honoured her with this fine reel. It is played here by his son Larry Nugent. Thanks, Larry, for the tunes!

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-17_Peggy_Monaghans-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Roving Bachelor, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/626

Story

This tune was played for me by Johnny McGreevy in 1972 on my first visit to Chicago. It may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection and in O'Neill's Music of Ireland. My gratitude to Tina Lech for her interpretation of this fine old reel.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-25_The_Roving_Bachelor-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Sarah's Wedding]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/621

Story

Paddy O'Brien from County Offaly made this tune for Sarah Kelly, the daughter of his friend and musical cohort, fiddle player James Kelly. All who attended Sarah's wedding had a wonderful day. Paddy, in his own unique style, performs it on this track.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-15_Sarahs_Wedding-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Small Fox, Big Field]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/624

Story

One of the young musicians featured in this collection and for whom I have much admiration is Eric Eid-Reiner. In his own words he tells us about his composition's title: 'This tune has nothing to do with hunting, despite what one might logically guess. I wrote this reel while waiting a long time for a taxi from a company with 'fox' and 'field' in its name. I observed several taxis from that company pass right by before mine finally arrived.' Since writing this tune in 2007, Eric has slightly revised the melody, which can be found in his book of original tunes and heard on a 2014 CD by The Moving Violations. The band members on that recording are Van Kaynor and Ron Grosslein on fiddles, Eric Eid-Reiner on piano, and Chuck Corman on bass.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-21_Small_Fox_Big_Field-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Spancilhill]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/708

Story

Spancilhill in east County Clare gives its name to this song which I first heard around 1958, sung by Robbie McMahon, who was himself from that very same neighbourhood. Robbie gave us his updated rendition during a wonderful afternoon of singing in his home a few years ago, after Mrs. Maura McMahon, in her usual manner of hospitality, served us a fine Irish meal. Robbie told my friends and me that Michael Considine from Spancilhill wrote the song. Mr. Considine was born around 1850 and immigrated to America as a young man. His intent was to bring his sweetheart to America when he had saved enough money for her passage, but, suffering from poor health, he somehow knew that his dream would never materialise. He passed away around 1873 in California, but the song found its way back to County Clare and was popularised by Robbie's singing of it.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-19_Spancilhill-Song.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:23 -0800
<![CDATA[Top of the Bow]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/625

Story

Flute player Shannon Heaton wrote 'Top of the Bow' for her friends Emerald and Eden, two fiddle-playing sisters. They had their fiddles out in the car, learning a tune on the way to a gig. However, after realizing that their playing had left little marks in the car's ceiling, they decided that it's best to use just the very tip-top of the fiddle bow when playing in the car...

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-22_Top_of_the_Bow-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[West Limerick]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/701

Story

Another tune recorded the evening that Sandy and I traveled to Ardagh, County Limerick, to Peadar's Pub to record the exciting music of accordionist Donie Nolan. This is also a tune that Donie played in concert during our musical tour of Australia in 1994.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-35_West_Limerick-Slide.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:23 -0800
<![CDATA[Whelan's Auld Sow]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/494

Story

The leader of the band Cherish the Ladies is Joanie Madden, who plays this tune for us on the flute. I first heard Eddie Moloney play it. Eddie came from Ballinakill in County Galway and may have named the tune. Tommy Whelan was a member of the Ballinakill Traditional Players. However, I do not know if he indeed owned a sow...

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-30_Whelans_Auld_Sow-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:14 -0800