The Trip to Pakistan

Reel in E minor

This was composed by the Scottish flute player Niall Kenny. The tune, though modern, has quickly entered the traditional repertoire, being recorded numerous times, by Old Blind Dogs (Five) for example and most recently by Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Hass on In the Moment. A seminal recording appears to be the 1994 Tannahill Weavers album Capernaum, where the tune appears as part of the 'Unicorn Set,' which has 'Trip to Pakistan' followed by the Breton 'An Andros.' Interestingly Niall Kenny himself writes: "I wrote the tune more in the Breton style rather than as a reel, and I know it is played this way by the Breton pipe bands. I think the Tannahill Weaver's version is closer to how it was written, but then I did share a flat with John Martin for a number of years." John Martin was the fiddler for the Tannahilll Weavers at the time of the Capernaum recording.

The Butterfly

Slip Jig 9/8, in Em or E Dorian

Composed by the Irish fiddler Tommy Potts (1912-1988), although the tune is generally said to be cobbled together from previously existing slip jigs which Tommy may have learned from his father, the piper John Potts. Tommy's rendition can be found on his only album, The Liffey Banks, 1971. Another seminal version is that of the Bothy Band in their first album, The Bothy Band, 1975. Kevin Burke, who later joined The Bothy Band, has also recorded the tune, with The Bothy Band and on his own. The tune has become quite well-known and is the theme music for the film The Secret of Roan Inish. Born in Dublin, Tommy Potts was unusual in that his playing of traditional tunes was very improvisational. He would often play in Martin Hayes' home when Martin was a child and Tommy's playing is said to have influenced the fiddling of both Martin Hayes and Frankie Gavin.

Josefin's Waltz

Key of Gmajor.

This was written by Roger Tallroth, the guitarist for the Swedish group, Väsen. Tallroth wrote the tune for the christening of a niece. It appears on Väsen's 1994 album, Essence. Recordings have also been made by Dervish (At the End of the Day), Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Hass (Fire and Grace), Natalie MacMaster (Blueprint), and Hanneke Cassel (My Joy).

A video of Väsen playing the tune can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJS3ZTf-sWI.

Danny Ab's Slide

This is a single jig or slide from southwest Ireland. It is in the key of A minor. It also goes by the name Danny O'Keefe's. I learned it in Ireland from Siobhán Ní Chonaráin at the Willy Clancy Summer School.

The tune goes well in a set after another of our fiddle circle tunes, The Road to Lisdoonvarna.

Here is some notation for the tune which may help for guitarists and cellists.

The Road to Lisdoonvarna

This Irish tune is a slide in Edorian. 

Lisdoonvarna is a small town in County Clare, in the west of Ireland. It is famous for its traditional matchmaking fair held there each summer.  

For much complicated explanation of what makes a slide as distinct from a jig or a double jig see this extended discussion from The Sessions. Look in the comments section. 

For guitarists or cellists, here is some notation with cords. 

An interesting version of the tune can be found here. Note that this version is played in a different key. 

Grand Etang

Grand Etang is a Cape Breton march in Em. It was written by the fiddler Howie McDonald and can be found on his album, A Few Tunes, 1989. The tune comes to our fiddle circle via Galen Fraser, who learned the tune at Skye Fiddle Camp, 2007. 

A midi version of the start of the tune can be found here: Grand Etang.

High Drive

High Drive is a pipe reel in D major composed by the late, great Scottish piper Gordan Duncan. 

It came to us via the July San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers meeting. Alasdair Fraser also taught it at the 2007 Sierra Fiddle Camp in June of that year.

You can hear Wendy MacIsaac, a Cape Breton fiddle, play it here.

Mo Ghile Mear

Back in May, Sally Ashcraft introduced the group to Mo Ghile Mear.

Hi, fiddlers!

I'd like to submit a poignant slow air/march for consideration for our repertoire:

Mo Ghille Mear, an Irish Jacobite song from the 1700s, written in honor of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

You can hear and watch Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas play an arrangement of it online:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHz3wry5Nc&mode=related&search=

One source suggests:

The Original Gaelic version, by the 18th-century poet Seán Clarach MacDomhnaill, is one of the many Irish Jacobite songs written in honour of Prince Charles Stewart ("Bonnie Prince Charles). The air is, appropriately, of Scottish origin, a version of The White Cockade. Jim Connell, a 19th-century Irish exile in Scotland, originally set the words of The Old Red Flag to the same tune.

The tune also has words and is often sung. Here is a clip of Mary Black singing the tune:

http://www.blackfamilyresources.com/mary/soundclips/75.mp3

The Chieftains do the song on Wide World Over, with Sting singing verses in English:

http://play.rhapsody.com/thechieftains/thewideworldovera40yearcelebration/moghilemearwithsting?didAutoplayBounce=true

The lyrics can be found here:

http://www.gaconline.org/pages/moghilemear.html

Here is a version of the lyrics with translations of the Gaelic and suggestions for pronunciation. Click to enlarge.