The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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[COMMENT1] 

[COMMENT2] 

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]

 

 

[COMMENT3] [COMMENT4] 

UA CATASAIG AN FEADAIRE. AKA and see “Casey the Whistler.

 

UA CUINN AN SEANDUINE. AKA and see “Old Man Quinn.

 

UA DUBTAIG AN RINNCEOIR. AKA and see “Duffy the Dancer.

 

UA DUIBIR, AN RINNCEOIR. AKA and see “Dever the Dancer.

 

UA SPEALAIN AN BEIDLEADOIR. AKA and see “Spellan the Fiddler.

 

UAIGH A’ BHAIRD. AKA and see “The Poet’s Grave.

           

UAIGNEAS. Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). G Minor. Standard. AABB. Composed by fiddler and pianist Josephine Keegan (b. 1935), of Mullaghbawn, south County Armagh. Keegan explains that at the top of 2,000 foot Slieve Gullion is an extinct volcano with a crater lake, and the cave of the mythical Caileach Beara. The poet Rafteiri made reference to the place when he wrote ‘Uaigneach me is na Caileach Beara’ (I’m as lonely as the Caileach Beara). Keegan (The Keegan Tunes), 2002; pg. 86.

                       

UAILL-CHUMHA NA FEINNE. AKA and see “The White Cockade [1].

           

UAIR BEG/BHEAG ROIMH A’ LA (A Little Hour Before Day). Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Minor (O’Sullivan/Bunting): F Minor (Petrie). Standard. AB (Petrie): ABB (O’Sullivan/Bunting). The tune was originally published in Neale’s 1787 collection. The words to the tune give advice for childbirth: O’Sullivan translates, “Doctor dear, give me advice, a little hour before day, What is the best way to bear a child, A little hour before day?” “Draw your knees together and clench your fists, And walk nine times round the hearth, Go hiher and thither through the house—that’s the advice, A little hour before day.” O’Neill (1910) asserts the tune is “unquestionably a version of ‘Sean O Duibir an Gleanna’/’John O’Dwyer of the Glen’.” Stanford-Petrie prints two tunes by this title (Nos. 1079 & 1080), according to O’Sullivan (1983) “more or less related to Bunting’s,” along with a third (No. 1472) called “A dhochtuir dhilis.” A variant in Roche goes by the title “Uair roimh breachadh an lea” (Farewell to Ardmore). Source for notated version: noted from harper Charles Byrne in 1806. O’Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 66, pgs. 101-103. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 1079 & 1080, pgs. 273-274.

 

UAIR ROIMH BREACHADH AN LEA. AKA and see “Farewell to Ardmore.”

 

UAIR TEID TU A BAILE, AN. AKA and see “When You Go Home.

 

UAIREADOIRIDE, AN. AKA and see “The Watchmaker.

 

UARNANA HORNPIPE. English. England, Northumberland. One of the “missing tunes” from William Vickers’ 1770 Northumbrian dance tune manuscript.

 

UBALLA I GEIMREAD/GEIMRID. AKA and see “Apples in Winter [1].

 

UBALLA MIC GEALAIN. AKA and see “Gillan’s Apples [1].

 

UBHAIDH ABHAIDH. AKA – “Oovee Aavee.” Scottish, Air (2/4 time). B Minor. Standard. AABB. An example of puirt a beul (Gaelic mouth music). Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; pg. 10.

 


UC! OC ON! APR AN TANNAIPE BUIDE (Och och one, said the yellow tanner). Irish, Air (6/8 time). F Minor. Standard. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 1518, pg. 380.

 

UCH NA n-UCH IS OSNA I LAR MO CHLEIBH (Alas and alas and a sigh in the depth of my breast!). AKA – “Alas the pain in my heart” (Uch nan uach is osna lar mo cleibh), “Alas, alas! The pain in my heart” (Uch nan oh! Is osna lar mo chliabh). Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard. One part. Source for notated version: noted by Bunting from Charles Byrne in 1792. The source for the words to the air (which O’Sullivan/Bunting gives) is one McDermot, a shoemaker in Castlebar. O’Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 10, pgs. 14-15.

 

UCH NAN OH! IS OSNA LAR MO CHLIABH. See “Uch Na n-Uch Is Osna I Lar Mo Chleibh.

 

UCH NAN UCACH IS OANA LAR MO CLEIBH. See “Uch Na n-Uch is Osna I Lar Mo Chleibh.

 

UGDARAS GAN EOLAS. Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 99, pg. 30.

 

UGLY CUSTOMER, AN (Rocdaire Granda). AKA and see “After the Hare.” Irish, Reel. A Major. Standard. AB. The tune also appears as an untitled reel in Brendan Breathnach’s Ceol Rince na hÉireann, vol. 2, No. 151. O’Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 127. O’Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 623, pg. 113. O’Neill (Music of Ireland), 1903; pg. 1373.

X:1

T:Ugly Customer, An

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:O’NeillDance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 623

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

EacA eAcA|Eace dB B2|EacA eAcA|afed cABG|EacA eAcA|Eace dBBg|

{b}agae age|dB ed cA A||e|{b}agae fefg|afec dBBe|{b}agae age|dBed cAAe|

{b}agae age|{d}dBcA BF F2|EFED EFAB|ceBd cA A2||

 

UGLY THIEF, THE (An Gadaighe Grána) {Englished as “The Goddhee Grawna”}. AKA and see “Castlehyde.” Irish, Air (3/4 time, “rather slow”). F Major. Standard. AAB. “’The Ugly Thief, i.e. death...Written from memory, as I learned it at home when a child. There is a good setting in the Pigot Collection, where it is called ‘Castle Hyde,’ showing that that celebrated song was sometimes sung to it. There was an Irish song to this air in which Shauneen gives an account of his encouter with Death” (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 16, pg. 11.

X:1

T:Ugly Thief, The

T:An Gadaighe Grána (The Goddhee Grawna)

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

f/e/|dc A2 c/A/G/A/|FF F>G A f/e/|dc A2 c/A/G/A/|FF F2 :|

F/G/|AA f2 ef|dd d>c A A/B/|cc c2 Ac|de f3 f/e/|dc A2 c/A/G/A/|

FF F>G A f/e/|dc A2 c/A/G/A/|FF F3||

 

UILE-ÍOC, AN. AKA and see “The Perfect Cure.

 

UILIN. Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Minor. Standard. AB. “So incorrectly barred in MS. As ato be in some parts unintelligible. This is my attempt to restore it. Mr. Pigot copied it into his book of course as he found it in the Hardiman MS.” (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 761, pg. 374.

 

UILLEÁGAN DUB(H) O. Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard. AB. A popular air composed in the early 17th century, and used for several songs. The title literally translated means “dark or black (--haired) round head”, but Bunting (1809) gives the title as “The Song of Sorrow.” It was adapted in 1746 by Donogh MacConmara (Macnamara) to the well‑known song “The Fair Hills of Dear Eire” (Ban cnuic Eireann Og). “Uilleágan Dubh O” was printed by Walker in 1786 and was one of the tunes played in a meeting of Belfast harpers in July 1792 by Denis O’Hampsey (1695-1807), Hempson or Hampson (Donnchad a Haimpsuigh) of Magilligan, County Derry, who was then aged 95 years. Bunting collected the tune from Hempson and gives two settings, one from his MS 29, pg. 44, and one from MS 33, book 3. He notes in the former that it is “The best set I ever got before of ‘ouly can do wo’…Dennis a Hampson in 1796 + 1796.” Hempson was blinded at age three, but was a skilled performer. Bunting (1840) says of him: “The pieces which he delighted to perform were unmixed with modern refinements, which he seemed studiously to avoid; confining himself chiefly to the most antiquated of those strains which have long survived the memory of their composers, and even a knowledge of the ages that produced them. Hempson was the only one of the harpers at the Belfast Meeting in 1792, who literally played the harp with long crooked nails, as described by the old writers. In playing, he caught the sting between the flesh and the nail; not like the other harpers of his day, who pulled it by the fleshy part of the finger alone.” Bunting (Ancient Music of Ireland), 1809; No. 2. Heymann (Legacy of the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival), 1992; pgs. 4-5.

 


UILLEACHAN ‘N TIG THU CHAOIDH. AKA and see “Willie Will You E’er Return.

 

UILLIAM MAC CORMAC. AKA and see “Billy McCormick(‘s Jig).

 

UILLEAM ‘S CAULM’S MÒRAG (William and Malcolm and Marion).  AKA and see “Brose and Butter.”

 

UILLIAMIN BARLAIG. AKA and see “Billy Barlow.

 

UIR-CHILL A’ CHREAGAIN (The Fair Graveyard of Creggan). AKA and see “Creggan Churchyard.

 

UIS AN CAT. AKA and see “Whish, Cat from Under the Table,” “Huish the Cat.

 

UISGE AGUS UISGE-BEATA. AKA and see “Whiskey and Water.

 

UISGE BEATA IS TU AN DIABAL! AKA and see “Whiskey You’re the Devil!”

 

UIST LASSES DARLING, THE. Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AAB. The islands of North Uist and South Uist are in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides Islands. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 164, pg. 19. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 116. Rounder 82161-7032-2, Bill Lamey – “From Cape Breton to Boston and Back: Classic House Sessions of Traditional Cape Breton Music 1956-1977” (2000).

X:1

T:Uist Lasses’ Darling, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

B|AGFd F/F/F d2|fdAF E/E/E B2|AGFd F/F/F d2|fdAF E2D :|

g|fdfa bggb|affa geeg|fdfa bggb|afdf e2 dg|fdfa bggb|afdf bgeg|

fgaf gabg|afdf e2d||

 

ÚLLAÍ UÍ GHIOLLÁIN. AKA and see “Gillan’s Apples [1].”

ULLMUIG AN PRIM-BEILE GO MOC. AKA and see “Boil the Breakfast Early.

 

ULLULU MO MHAILIN. AKA and see “Alas, my little bag!”

 

ULSTER AIR. Irish, Air (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 8, pg. 3.

 

ULSTER BLOSSOM (bLat Cuige Ulad). Irish, March. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 2; No. 327, pg. 56. 1

 

ULSTER BOYS. Scottish, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Kerr (Merry Melodies). vol. 3; No. 219, pg. 25.

X:1

T:Ulster Boys

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 3, No. 219  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A2c ecA|B2A GFE|A2c ecA|dBG A3:|

cAc efg|agf efd|cAc efg|agf e3|cAc efg|agf edc|

ded cBA|BcA GFE||

 

ULSTER HORNPIPE (Crannciuil Ulaid). Irish, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB’. Source for notated version: Chicago Police Sergeant James O’Neill, a fiddler originally from County Down and Francis O’Neill’s collaborator [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 174. O’Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 1599, pg. 297. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; pg. 14.

X:1

T:Ulster Hornpipe

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 1599

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

dc|BGFG DGBd|cBAG FAGF|Ggfe dBAG|B2A2A2 dc|

BGFG DGBd|cBAG FAGF|Ggfe dcAc|B2G2G2 :|

||dc|BGBd gabg|abc’a gfed|egfa gbac’|bgfg e^def|gbdg egBd|

cBAG FAGF|Ggfe dcAc|B2 G2G2 dc|BGBd gabg|abc’a gfed|

(3efg (3fga (3gab (3abc’|bgfg e^def|gbdg egBd|cBAG FAGF|

Ggfe dcAc|B2G2G2|

 

ULSTER OUTCRY (Gair Ultac). Irish, Air or March (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. O’Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 1846, pg. 347.

X:1

T:Ulster Outcry

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air or March

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 1846

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

DEFG A/B/|cd cd cd cd|c8| c8|(3BAG E2 EFGA|B2 Bd Ad Bd|

Ad B3 c (3BAG|E2 GE AG (3BAG|AG (3BAG A2 (3BAG|

E3 E/F/ G/A/B/d/ c2|cd cd c2 BA|B2 BdBdBd|Bd B2 AG A2|

B2 Ad B2 Ad|B3 c (3BAG E2|EG AG (3BAG AG|A2 cB AG E2|

GE A>G (3BAG AG|G3 A (3BAG E2|GE AG (3BAG AG|A2 cB AG E2|

GE A>G (3BAG AG|G3 A (3BAG E2|Bz (3BAG zA (AGE|

ZB (3BAG zA (3AGE|G4 zA (3BAG|E2 GE AG (3BAG|

AG B/A/G/E/ (3DEG AG|G4||

           

ULSTER RONDO. Irish, Air (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. O’Farrell (National Irish Music for the Union Pipes), 1804; pg. 37.

X:1

T:Ulster Rondo

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Farrell – National Irish Music for the Union Pipes (1804)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

AG | FD DD | DF Ad | cA AA | Ac eg | fd d/e/d/c/ | Bg gf | e/f/g/f/ ed |

c/d/e/d/ c/B/A/G/ | FD DD | DF Ad | cA AA | A/B/c/d/ e/f/g/a/ | fd f/e/d/c/ |

Bg gf | e/f/g/e/ dc | d2d2 :: f>g ff | ff a/f/e/d/ | e>f ee | ee a/e/d/c/ | ff/e/ d/c/B/A/ |

^G/A/B/c/ Be/c/ | d/e/c/e/ B/e/A/e/ | A/e/A/e/ B/e/c/e/ | d/e/c/e/ B/e/A/e/ |

A/e/A/e/ B/e/c/e/ | d/c/d/e/ f/e/f/g/ | b/a/g/f/ f/e/d/c/ | d/c/d/e/ f/e/f/g/ |

a/^g/a/b/ a/f/e/d/ | c/d/e/f/ e/d/c/B/ | A/d/c/B/ A/G/F/E/ K

                       

ULSTER SEVEN STEP POLKA. See “Seven Step Polka.”

 

ULUACHAN DUBH O’. Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 70, pg. 21.

 

ULVERSTON VOLUNTEERS. English, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Knowles (A Northern Lass), 1995; pg. 42.

                       


UMPUIG AN CLUMAC. AKA and see “Toss the Feathers [1].

                       

UNA. Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Joyce remarks the song was still current among the folk of Cork and Limerick at the time of his writing. He makes a distinction between this tune and Moore’s “Oonagh,” a different tune. Source for notated version: Learned by Joyce from his father, presumably when a boy in Limerick in the 1840’s. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music), 1873/1890; No. 97, pg. 99.

X:1

T:Una

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:P.W. Joyce – Ancient Irish Music (1873), No. 97

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A Minor

DE|G2 G>A G>EDE|G2 GA G>EDE|A2 A>B c2 E>F|

G3E D2 EG|A2 AB c2A2|d2 de f2 ed|cAGE D2 EG|A4A2||cd|

e2 ef e>dcA|d2 de f2 e>d|d>cAG E2 DE|G3E D2 EG|

A2 AB c2 cA|d2 d>e f2ed|cAGE D2 EG|A4 A2||

                       

UNA A RUIN. AKA and see “Winnie Dear [1].”

                       

UNA ARUIN. AKA and see “Dear Oona [2]” or “Dear Winnie [2].

                       

UNA BHAIN NI CHUINNEAGAIN (Una Bhain’s Wedding Reel). AKA and see “The Donegal Reel,” “Miss Brown’s Reel.” Irish, Reel. This reel is known in County Donegal by its Gaelic title. An Ceol, vol. 3.

                       

UNA BHAN. Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard. One part. Ó Canainn (Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland), 1995; No. 70, pg. 62.

                       

ÚNADH. Irish, Air (cut time). G Major. Standard. One part. Únadh, or Una, is a woman’s name. Source for notated version: the 1861 manuscript collection of James Goodman, an Anglican cleric who collected primarily in County Cork [Shields]. Shields (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 17, pg. 10.

                       

UNANIMITY. Scottish, Scotch Measure. D Major. Standard. AAB. Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. II, 1782; No. 196, pg. 73.

X:1

T:Unanimity

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Aird, Vol. II (1782)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

gd gd/c/ | c/B/A/G/ d2 | G/A/B/c/ dd | e/d/c/B/ AG | gd gd/c/ | c/B/A/G/ dg/f/ |

ea/g/ g/f/e/d/ | (f/d/)(d/^c/) d2 :: dc/d/ ed | cBcA | cB/c/ dc | BABG | gg/a/ gD |

G/A/B/c/ {B}A2 | dd d/e/d/c/ | BA G2 K

                       

UNA’S LOCK. AKA and see “The Cumberland,” “Miss Gibson [2],” “Miss Nancy Gibson,” “The New Brig of Glasgow,” “Oonagh’s Waterfall.” Scottish. Johnson (The Scots Musical Museum), No. 447.

X:1

T:The Cumberland Reel or Una’s Lock

S:Longman and Broderip’s Second Selection of the Most Favorite

Country Dances, Reels, &c. [c 1790/91?]

Q:1/4=80

L=1/4

M:C|

Z:Transcribed by Bruce Olson

K:Bb

F/|Bb/g/ f/d/c/B/|A/F/c/A/ d/F/c/F/|Bb/g/ f/d/c/B/|\

F/B/A/c/ d/B/B/::d/|B/G/F3/4E/4 D/E/F/D/| E/C/C/B/ B/G/F/A/|\

B3/4G/4F3/4E/4 D/E/F/D/|B,/B/A/B/ d/B/B/K]

 

UNA’S NEW GOWN. Irish, Jig and Air. D Mixolydian?. Standard. AAB. Source for notated version: “Copied from a Munster MS. Lent me by the late John O’Daly, the Irish publisher of Anglesea St., Dublin” (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 192, pg. 95.

X:1

T:Una’s New Gown

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig and Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Mix

D|EFA BAF|dFF AFD|EFA BAF|FEE E2F|EFA BAF|dFF EFA|dfe dAF|FEE E2K

|:d|dAF Ade|fed e2 d/e/|fed edB|AdG FED|EFA BAF|dFF Ade|f/e/d/f/e/c/ dAF|FEE E2||

 

UNCLE ADAM’S BANANA. AKA and see “La Banane a None’ Adam.

                       

UNCLE BERNARD’S. English, Polka (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. The tune is used for a polka step in the North‑West (England) morris dance tradition. A popular melody in English sessions, although considered somewhat of a ‘beginner’s tune’. Wade, 1988; No. 29.

                       

UNCLE BUD. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

                       

UNCLE HENRY. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. D Major. From the playing of Violet Hensley, from northern Arkansas, learned in the 1920’s from her father. Mark Wilson says it is a ‘drastic revamping’ of the minstrel era song “Goodbye My Honey, I’m Gone.Rounder CD 0435, Violet Hensley (et al) – “Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 1.” Rounder Heritage Series 1166-11592-2, Violet Hensley (et al) – “The Art of Traditional Fiddle” (2001).

                       

UNCLE HENRY’S JIG. Canadian, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 153, pg. 102. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 110, pg. 74.

                       

UNCLE HENRY’S REEL. Canadian, Reel. A Major. Standard. AABB. Sources for notated versions: Jack O’Connor [Hinds]; Jerry Robichaud (Cape Breton) [Phillips]. Hinds/Hebert (<