The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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OA - OG

 

 

Notation Note: The tunes below are recorded in what is called “abc notation.” They can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then “cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC Convert-A-Matic” at

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html 

 

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.   [AK]

 

 

 

O... See "Oh..."

           

O.S.T. SPECIAL. Cajun, Two-Step (4/4 time). USA, southwestern Louisiana. D Major ('A' part) & A Mixolydian/Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABB. The initials in the title stand for US Highway 90, the Old Spanish Trial, which horizontally bisects southern Louisiana. It is also, according to Raymond Francois (1990), the name of a nightclub in Rayne, Louisiana. A related song is "Cajun Special." Source for notated version: Aldus Roger & Phillip Alleman (La.) [Francois]. Francois (Yé Yaille Chère!), 1990; pgs. 430-431. Swallow Records SW-LP6007, Aldus Roger.

           

OAK AND ASH (and the Bonny Ivy Tree), THE. See "O the Oak and the Ash and the Bonny Ivy Tree," "Quodling's Delight," "Goddesses," "I Would I Were in My Own Country."

           

OAK RIDGE STOMP. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. G Major. Standard. AB. Howard Marshall reveals that the title refers to the white oak woods in Linn County, Missouri. Irish laborers cut and fashioned railroad ties from trees in the woods in the later 19th century. Source for notated version: Nile Wilson [Silberberg]. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 108. Voyager VRCD 344, Howard Marshall & John Williams – “Fiddling Missouri” (1999. Learned from Nile Wilson).

           

OAK STICK [1], THE. Irish, Jig or Air. D Major (Aird, Joyce): G Major (Goodman). Standard. AB (Joyce): AABB (Aird, Goodman). See also note for “Toormore Jig.” Source for notated version: "copied from a MS. lent (to Pigot) by Mrs. Woodroffe (of Cork?)" {Joyce}. Aird (Selections of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. 2, 1782; No. 177, pg. 65 (appears as “Oak Stick, New Way”). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 828, pg. 401. Shields/Goodman (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 336, pg. 137.

X:1

T:Oak Stick, The [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Song (1909), No. 828

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d2d dcB | cBc A3 | d2d ede | f3 g3 | d2d dcB | cBc A3 | d2f edc | B3 A3 ||

d2f faf | faf fed | c2e ege | ege edc | d2f faf | faf fed | Bdf edc | B3 A3 ||

X:2

T:Oak Stick. New Way

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Aird, vol. II (1782)          

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

ded dcB | c2A A3 | d2f ede | f3 a3 | dfd cec | B3 A2g | faf ecA | B3 A2 :|

|: d2f fdf | fdf fed | c2e ece | ece edc | d2f fdf | fdf fed | fga ecA | B3 A2 :|

 

OAK STICK [2], THE. English(?), Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Aird (Selections), vol. II, 1782; No. 138, pg. 51.

X:1

T:Oak Stick, The [2]

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Aird, Vol. II (1782)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

a/g/ | f2d ded | c2A BdB | efe e2f | g3 a2g | f2d ded | c2A ABA | Bcd edc | d3 d2 :|

|: a/g/ | f2d ded | g2a b2g | f2d ded | g3 a3 | b2g gag | a2f fgf | efe e2f | g3 a2 :|

                       

OAK TREE, THE (An Crann Darach). AKA and see “Mary Hold the Candle Steady While I Shave the Chicken Lip,” "Na Saighean," “The Northern Lights [2],” “The Old Oak Tree,” “Tommy Peoples’ (Reel) [4].” Irish, Reel. Ireland, County Donegal. D Major ('A' and 'C' parts), B Dorian ('B' part). Standard. AABBCC (Brody): ABBC (Breathnach). A popular reel in County Donegal. Caoimhin Mac Aoidh (1994) lists this as one of the Donegal tunes played with long bowed double stops, reminiscent of piping. A close County Tyrone variation is “The Grand Turk’s March,” while the Scots reel “Miss Montgomery” is quite similar to the version played by Donegal fiddler John Doherty. Sources for notated versions: Boys of the Lough (Ireland/Shetland) [Brody]: fiddler Tommy Peoples, 1968 (Co. Donnegal and Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 193, pgs. 100‑101. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 204. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), vol. 1, No. 50. CCE CL13, Tommy Peoples. Philo 1026, Boys of the Lough‑ "Live." Shanachie 29003, Tommy Peoples and Paul Brady‑ "The High Part of the Road." Green Linnet SIF 3051, Frankie Gavin - “Frankie Goes to Town.”

 

OAKEN LEAVES [1]. AKA and see ‑ "Touch and Take." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard. One part. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 16.

 

OAKEN LEAVES [2]. AKA and see "Milkmaid's Bob." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part (Sharp): AAB (Barnes). The tune was first published (1650) under the title "Milk Maid's Bob," and appeared only in 1670 as "Oaken Leaves." Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909; pg. 41.

                       


OAKLAND GARDEN. American, "Clog Dance". C Major ('A' and 'C' parts) & A Minor ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABBCC. Composed by minstrel Edwin Christie according to Ryan's Mammoth/Cole's 1000. See note for “Lotta’s Favorite” for more on E.P. Christy. The title refers to Boston’s Oakland Garden theatre, a minor venue that had a brief life, managed by Isaac B. Rich in the mid-1880’s. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 82. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 421, pg. 47. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 115.

X:1

T:Oakland Garden

M:C|

L:1/8

R:”Jig”

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

(3G,A,B, | C2D2 EGzG | ABcd eczG | ABcA GEzG | FEDC {D}CB,A,G, | C2D2 EGzG |

ABcd ecze | fgaf ec’af | ecdB c2 :: E2 | (A4 A)Bcd | eAzB cdez | fAz^c defz | eAzB cdez |

dBz2 {A,/B,/}D.B,zd | cAz2 {A,/B,/}C.A,zc | B^Gz2 {^G,/A,/}B,.G,zB | Aaec A2 :|

|: G2 | (c4 c)def | ~g2 ec GEzg | ~a2 fc AF za | ~g2 ec GEzg | ~f2 GB dfag | ~e2 CE Gc fe |

~d2 DG BedB | (cEGe) c2 :|

                       

OAKS ASSEMBLY, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). England, Yorkshire. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: an MS collection by fiddle Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle]. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 55, pg. 42.

                       

OATS AND BEANS. See “Nine-Pins (Ninepins) [2].”

                       

OATS, PEAS, BEANS [1]. AKA and see "Nine-Pins (Ninepins) [2]."  See also "Cassino."

 

OATS, PEAS, BEANS [2]. AKA and see "Baltimore [1]."

                       

OBAIR AN AISTIR. AKA and see “The Job of Journeywork [1].”

                       

OBAN AND LORNE SOCIETY MARCH, THE. Scottish, March. A modern compostion by Aberdeen-born fiddler and composer Bert Murray (b. 1913). Oban, Argyll and Bute, located on the west coast of Scotland, is the location of the distillery of a famous single-malt scotch. The town is a port and embarkation-place for Scotland’s western isles, while Lorne is the area surrounding. In fact, Craig Cockburn remarks that the Gaelic name for Oban is “An t‑Oban Latharnach,” or ‘the bay of Lorne’, usually shortened to “An t-Oban” (‘the bay’). Although the modern town only emerged in the 19th century, the area has a considerable and ancient history, starting with Loarn, the brother of Fergus, who settled there about the year 498 and established a fort at Dunollie, which remained the ancestral home of the Lorne family for generations.

                       

OBELISK HORNPIPE. AKA and see “Bashful Bachelor [2],” “Shaw’s Reel,” “Where Did You Find Her? [2]” "The Wily Old Bachelor." American, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard. AABB. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 114. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 151.

X:1

T:Obelisk

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D/C/ | B,/D/G/A/ B/G/D/B,/ | C/E/A/B/ c/A/F/D/ | B,/D/G/A/ B/G/c/B/ | (3A/B/A/ (3G/F/E/ (3D/E/D/ (3C/B,/A,/ |

B,/D/G/A/ B/G/D/B,/ | C/E/A/B/ c/A/F/D/ | B,/D/G/B/ A/D/E/F/ | GBG :: g/a/ | b/g/e/g/ d/g/B/g/ |

d/g/B/g/ d/g/B/g/ | b/g/e/g/ d/g/B/g/ | f/g/a/b/ a(g/a/) | b/g/e/g/ d/g/B/g/ | c/B/A/B/ c/d/e/f/ | g/d/B/G/ E/c/A/F/ | GBG :|

                       

O’BRIAN’S. See “O’Brien’s Reel.”

                       

O'BRIEN. American (?), Schottische. E Minor ('A' part) & G Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. Learned by Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner from an old Edison record in Holbrook, 1903.

           

O'BRIEN FROM NEWTOWN. Irish, Jig. Green Linnet SIF 1098, Seamus Connolly – “Here and There.”

                                   

O'BRIEN OF ARRA. Irish, March (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 201, pg. 78.

                       

O'BRIEN'S FANCY. AKA and see “Paddy Kelly’s (Reel) [2].”

                       

O'BRIEN'S HORNPIPE. Irish, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: fiddler Sean Ryan. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 1, No. 31.

                       

O’BRIEN’S JIG. Irish, Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB’. Source for notated version: accordion player Mary McDonagh Decker, via flute player Mike Rafferty (New Jersey) [Black]. Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No. 348, pg. 185.

X:1

T: O'Brien's

C: Mike Rafferty / Mary McDonagh Decker

Q: 325

R: jig

M: 6/8

L: 1/8

Z:Transcribed by Bill Black

K: Dmix

D | F3 DFA | dAF AFD | E3 CEG | cGE GEC |

F3 DFA | dAF AFD | GFG EFG | AFD D2 :|

e | f2 d d^cd | afd def | e2 c cBc | gec ceg |

|1 f2 d d^cd | afd def | gfg efg | afd d2 :|

|2 agf gfe | fed ^cAF | GFG EFG | AFD D2 ||

                       

O’BRIEN’S MARCH. Irish, March (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB (O’Neill): AABB (O’Farrell). Source for notated version: copied from O’Farrell’s Pocket Companion (c. 1808) [O’Neill]. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 43. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922; No. 57.

X:1

T:O'Brien's March

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:O'Farrell's Pocket Companion 1804-1810

Z:Paul Kinder

R:March

K:G

B3 AGA|B2 G g2 e|dBG E2 D|EAA A2 c|

BGG AGG|BGG g2 e|dBG E2 D|EGG G2||

d|gfg agf|gfe dBG|cBA BAG|EAA A2 D|

E/2F/2GA G2 e|dBG A2 B|DGc B2 A|B>GG G3||

                       


O’BRIEN’S REEL. AKA - “O’Brian’s.” Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Sources for notated versions: Emmett Hughes (b. 1921, Dromore, Queen’s County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; transcribed in the early 1970's from the Irish music sessions at the Regent Hotel, Leeds, England, which still has weekly sessions a generation later in the late 1990's [Bulmer & Sharpely]. Bulmer and Sharpley (Music from Ireland), vol. 1, No. 9. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 78.

X:1

T:O’Brien’s Reel

R:Reel

L:1/8

M:C|

K:D

dB|AF (3FFF G2 FG|ADFD EGFE|D2 FA dfec|dBAF E2 dB

|AF (3FFF G2 FG|ADFD EGFE|D2 FA dfec|1 dBAF D2 dB :||2 dBAF D2 de||

f2 fa g2 fg|afdf eB B2|f2 fe dfec|dBAF E2 fg|

af (3fff bf (3fff | afef dB (3BBB | f2 fe dfec|1 dBAF D2 fg:||2 |dBAF D2dB||

           

OBSESSIVE ISLAND. English. Composed by fiddler Clare Mann, of Newcastle, an All-Ireland fiddle champion. Tartan Tapes CDTT1004, Clare Mann & Aiden O’Rourke – “Heat the Hoose” (1998).

           

O’CALLAGHAN’S HORNPIPE (Cornphiopa Uí Cheallachain). Irish, Hornpipe. E Minor. Standard. AABB (Miller & Perron): AA'BB' (most versions). Named for the uncle of influential Kerry fiddler Pádraig O’Keeffe, Cal O’Callaghan. Sources for notated versions: fiddler Denis Murphy, 1966 (Co. Kerry, Ireland) [Breathnach]; fiddler Seán Keane (Dublin), with the Chieftains [Miller & Perron]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 308, pg. 157. Bulmer & SHarpley (Music from Ireland), vol. 1, 73. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; pg. 109. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 1, No. 14 (appears as untitled hornpipe). Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; pg. 120. Moylan (Johnny O’Leary), 1994; pg. 61. Vallely (Play Tin Whistle with the Armagh Pipers Club, vol. 2), 19. Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Éireann CL13, "Tommy Peoples" (1976).

See also listings at:

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources 

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:O’Callaghan’s Hornpipe

R:hornpipe

Z:id:hn-hornpipe-61

Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se

M:C|

L:1/8

K:G

(3Bcd|efgf eABA|GABd dBGE|DEGA ~B3d|(3efg fg ed (3Bcd|

g2fg ed (3Bcd|geaf gfed|(3BcB GB (3ABA FA|~G3F G2:|

|:(3efg|afge dega|bBBA G2 (3efg|afge dega|beed e3g|

f2 (3def gfeg|(3fgf (3def gfeg|fbaf gfed|(3Bcd ef e2:|

           

O'CALLAGHAN'S REEL (Ríl Uí Cheallacháin). AKA and see “Callaghan’s (Reel) [3],” “The Concert Reel [4],”  Denis Murphy’s (Reel) [1],” “Now She’s Purring.” Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard. AB (Breathnach): AABB (Harker/Rafferty). Paul de Grae points out there are several Sliabh Luachra tunes called (O’)Callaghan’s, all named for a famous fiddler who taught Padraig O’Keefe, himself an influential fiddler and teacher in the Sliabh Luachra region. Sources for notated versions: fiddler Denis Murphy, 1966 (Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry, Ireland) [Breathnach]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 131, pg. 71. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1985; No. 88 (appears as “Gan Ainm/No title”). Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), vol. 4; 3. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 102, pg. 32. Vallely (Play Fifty Reels with the Armagh Pipers Club), 1982; 34.

See also listing at:

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

 

O’CALLAGHAN’S REEL [2].  AKA and see “The Doon Reel [4].” Irish, Reel.

           

O'CAROLAN'S CONCERTO (Ceolcuirm Uí Cearballain). See also "Carolan's Concerto." Irish, Planxty (4/4 time, "animated"). D Major. Standard. AABB. Composed by Turlough O'Carolan, and reportedly his own favorite (Flood, 1905). It shows the influence of the Italian masters Vivaldi, Geminiani and Corelli on the composer. There is a persistant story that O'Caroland and Geminiani met, and indeed, Geminiani visited Ireland, and stayed for a short time in Dublin. They did not meet, however, according to Flood (1906, who quotes Charles O'Connor of Belanagare {d. 1790}, a friend of O'Carolan's), they did correspond through the violinist Elphin. The legend persists, however, that the Italian played Vivaldi's 5th Concerto for him, whereupon O'Carolan declared he could compose a similar piece the result being "O'Carolan's Concerto." See note for “Carolan’s Concerto.” Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 63. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 229. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 633, pg. 113. Claddagh Records, Leo Rowsome – “Ri na bPiobaire” (1959). Claddagh Records CC10, "Cheiftains 3." RCA 5798-2-RC, "James Galway and the Chieftains in Ireland" (1986).

           

O'CAROLAN'S DEVOTION [1] (Subailce Uí Cearballain). Irish, Air or Planxty (4/4 time, "with feeling"). D Minor (O’Neill). Standard. AB. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 227. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 630, pg. 112.

X:1

T:O’Carolan’s Devotion [1]

M:4/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With feeling”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 630

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Minor

d3e f2 e<d|d3e c2 B<A|c3A Gz F<E|D3C C4|D3E Fz F<G|A3F Gz B<A|

d3A {G}F z E<D|D3 E D4||D2 C2 {C}B,2 C2|C/D/z C/B,/z A,/G/,z A,2|

D2 D2 D3E|D/C/z B,/C/z A,4|F2F2 F3G|F/E/z D/E/z C4|c2c2d c3|d3e f2 ed|

d3e f2A2|A2 {B}A>G F/G/z A/B/z|c2E2E2 FE|DEFG A2D2|D>E {D}CB, A,2A,2|

B,2 A,6|A3B czce|c3e d2d2|e/d/ z cBAG E2|D3C C6|D3E FzFG|A3F G2 B<A|

D3A {G}F2 E<D|D3E D4||

 


O'CAROLAN'S DEVOTION [2] (Subailce Uí Cearballain). AKA and see "Miss Fetherston," "Carolan's Devotion." G Minor. Standard. AB. Composed by Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738); the only air he set to English words (albeit in bad English). It was composed in 1719 for a Miss Fe(a)therstone, of Ardagh, County Longford who was on her way to church at Granard one Sunday of that year when she chanced to meet the blind harper on the road. O’Neill (1913) records the conversation:

***

“Your servant, Mr O’Carolan,” she saluted, “I thank you.

Who speaks to me?” he replied.

“It is I, sir, one Miss Featherstone.”

“I’ve heard of you, Madam: a young lady of great beauty

and much wit. The loss of one sense prevents my beholding

your beauty; and I believe it is a happy circumstance for me,

for I am assured it has made many captives. But your wit,

Madam! I dread it.”