The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

_______________________________

HOME       ALPHABETICAL FILES       REFERENCES[COMMENT1] [COMMENT2] 

[COMMENT3] [COMMENT4]                                       

V

 

 

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]

 

 

 

V.A. MACLELLAN’S. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Nova Scotia. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Barry Shears identifies V.A. as itinerant musician Vincent MacLellan (1856-1935), originally of Broad Cove, Nova Scotia, a bard and musician who played the fiddle, bagpipe and piano. Several of his poems were published in a book entitled Failte Cheap Breatuinn (1892). Shears (Gathering of the Clans Collection, vol. 1), 1986; pg. 58 (pipe setting).

                          

VAGALAND. Shetland, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The melody was composed by Shetland fiddler Arthur S. Robertson. The title refers to both Shetland itself and the Shetland poet Thomas Alexander Robertson (b. Walls, 1909‑d. 1973). Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 173, pg. 225.

                       

VAILLANCE POLKA MILITARE. Scottish, Polka. G Major. Standard tuning. ABCCDAB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 440, pg. 51. HN4409, Richard Thompson – “Strict Tempo” (1981).

X:1

T:Vaillance Polka Militare

M:2/4

L:1/8

K:G

D|BBBB|dc c/B/c|ffee|ed d/^c/d|BBBB|dc c/B/c|ffed|g/d/B/d/ g2||

aA/A/ Ad/f/|aA/A/ Ad/f/|aA/A/ AA|d/A/d/f e/A/^c/e/|aA/A/ Ad/f/|

aA/A/ Ad/f/|ad/f/ e/A/^c/e/|dd/d/ ^c/c/=c/c/||

K:C

c2 B>A | G2E2| A2 G>F|E2C2| d/e/d/e/ d/g/g/g/|c/d/c/d/ c/g/g/g/|A/B/A/B/ A/d/d/d/ |1

G/A/G/A/ G/d/d/d/ :|2 c/G/E/G/ c2 || B/B/B e/e/e| cA d/d/d| BG A/A/A| A/A/A d/d/d |

B/B/B e/e/e | cA d/d/d|BG A/A/A | d/d/d d/A/d/f/| dd/d/ d/A/d/f/| dd/d/ d/A/d/f/|

d/A/d/f d/A/d/f/ | d/A/d/f/ d/A/d/f/ | dddd|dd^c=c ||

                       

VAIL'S BREAKDOWN. Canadian, Breakdown. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 6, pg. 7.

                       

VALCARTIER SET (Part One). French‑Canadian, Quadrille. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AA'BBAA'BB'. The melody is the first part of a six‑part quadrille, known in Valcartier ("a rural community north of Québec City which was settled primarily by Irish and Scottish immigrants") as "the set." The source for the tune (Corrigan) learned the tune from two different relatives, each of whom had a separate 'B' part. Source for notated version: accordion player Keith Corrigan (Valcartier & Sainte‑Foy, Québec) via Lisa Ornstein & Denis Pepin [Reiner & Anick]. Reiner & Anick (Old Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; pg. 63.

                       

VALE OF COLOUN, THE. Irish, Air (6/8 time, "not as fast as a jig" {Joyce}). G Major. Standard tuning. AB (Joyce): AAB (O'Neill). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 688, pg. 346. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 64, pg. 40

X:1

T:Vale of Coloun, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Mod.: time well marked.”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909), No. 688

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D | DGG {A}GFG | ABc d2e | dBG {A}GFG | BAA A2D | DGG {A}GFG | ABc d2e {f/g/} |

DBG AGA | {B}BGG G2 || d | g>ab g>fe | def g2 f/e/ | dBG {A}GFG | BAA A2d |

gbg ege | def g2 f/e/ | dBG {B}AGA | BGG G2 ||

                       

VALE OF LEVEN. Scottish, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AB. Compsed by Carl Volti, born Archibald Milligan in Glasgow in 1849. Volti, a fiddler, composed many tunes found in the Kerr’s collections and also published several tutors, albums of popular songs, national overtures, etc. (Nigel Gatherer). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 4, pg. 3.

X:1

T:Vale of Leven

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 4, No. 4

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A2 (AB) ABcd|efec eaga|A2 (AB) ABcA|FBBA GABc|A2 (AB) ABcd|

efec eaga|fgag fedc|BcBA GBBe||ceef ecAB|ceef eaga|ceef ecAc|

FBBA GABd|ceef ecAB|ceef eaga|fgag fedc|BcBA GBBe||

                       

VALENCIENNES.  English, Jig. The tune appears in Preston’s Twenty-Four Country Dances (London, 1794). Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen – “Telyn Berseiniol fy Ngwlad/Welsh Music on the Welsh Triple Harp” (1996. Appears blended with the jig “Madame Cordé’s Frolic,” also from Preston).

                       

VALENTIA HARBOR. AKA and see "Amhrán na Leabhar" (Song of the Books), "Cuan Bhéal Inse."  Valentia was the birthplace of the druid Mogh Roith, Servant of the Wheel, who beheaded John the Baptist and is the source of the roof-slates on the British Houses of Parliament. The first transatlantic cable had is eastern terminus at Valentia. The harbor itself (along with nearby Portmagee, named after a redoubtable 18th century female smuggler) was a favorite sheltering place for the American privateer John Paul Jones during the American Revolutionary War.

                       

VALENTIA LAMENT. AKA and see "Amhrán na Leabhar" (Song of the Books), "Suan Bhéal Inse." Irish, Slow Air. See note for “"Amhrán na Leabhar". GN1, Joe Thoma ‑ "Up the Track: Traditional Music from Kenmare."

                       

VALENTINE. English, Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. ABBB (x4), A. Collected from the Cotswold village of Ascot‑under‑Wychwood, Oxfordshire, England. Source for notated version: E. Spring via Roy Dommett [Bacon]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 22.

                       

VALENTINE O'HARA. Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Major. Standard. AB. Valentine O’Hara was a highwayman. "There was a song to this air telling about—

***

A bold young man named Valentine O'Hara,

Whose friends resided nigh the hill of Tara.

***

'He enlisted'‑‑as Mr. M'Kenzie goes on to say‑‑'but being treated badly, deserted and took to the road. He made a great sum of money, but lost it all in a sudden death at Tyburn.' I suppose the hero of this song is the same as 'Bold Val O'Hara', who has given his name to another air which will be found farther on" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 318, pgs. 148‑149.

X:1

T:Valentine O’Hara

L:1/8

M:C

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E2|E2 FG A2 GA|B2c2 d3e|d2B2c2A2|F2E3 zE2|E2 FG A2 GA|B2c2d2 ze|

f3d B2G2|B2 A3 z||A2|d3d f2e2|e2c2B2 zc|d2B2c2A2|F2 E3 zE|E2 FG A2 GA|

B2c2d3e|f3d B2G2|B2 A3z||

                       

VALENTINE'S DAY. AKA and see "The Maid in the Moon [2]." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. The tune dates to John Playford’s (1623-1687) first edition of his Dancing Master, 1650. The dance “Valentine’s Day” was introduced to France and was printed by Feuillet in 1700 in his treatise Choregraphie. Feuillet published subsequent editions of his work as the popularity of English country dancing took off on the Continent, several taken from The Dancing Master. In 1679 he included “La Valantine” (Valentine’s Day). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

                       

VALERIE A. MACKENZIE JIG. Canadian, Jig. Canada, Cape Breton. Composed by Mabou Coal Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, fiddler Donald Angus Beaton (b. 1912). Rounder 7011, "The Beatons of Mabou: Scottish Violin Music from Cape Breton" (1978).

                       

VALERIE MACDONALD. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. D Major. Standard. AABB’. Composed by fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape Breton). Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 103, pg. 30.

                       

VALES OF NEWDIREEN, THE. Irish, Air (3/4 time). Ireland, west Limerick. D Mixolydian. Standard. One part. “Old west Limerick song, words composed by Lowney, learned from my father” (Mulvihill). Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 14, pg. 121.

X:1
T:The Vales of New Direen
C:words composed by John Downey
B:Mulvihill
D:Martin Mulvihill with Mick Moloney. Traditional Irish Fiddling from
County
D
:Limerick. also Comhaltas cd.
H:Old
West Limerick Song.
N:Martin Mulvihill from his father.
M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

Z:Lesl
K:D
G2|A4 GF|D4 E2|F4 D2|G4 FG|A2 G2 F2|D4 D2|(D6|D4) B2|
=c4 B2|=c4 A2|d4 e2|d3 cA2|G3 FG2|A2 B2 c2|(A6|A4) B2|
=c4 B2|=c4 A2|d4 e2|d3 cA2|G3 FG2|A2 B2=c2|(A6|A4) G2|
A4 GF|D4 E2|F4 D2|G4 FG|A3 GF2|D4 D2|(D6|D6)||

                       

VALLAFIELD. Shetland, Jig. Shetland, Unst. C Major. Standard. AABB. The only Trowie, or fairy, tune from Unst in the Shetlands. The story goes that it was heard by a man coming home from visiting a friend. When he sat down to light his pipe under a rock face, Gullhammer (at the south end of Vallafield), he heard music coming from inside the rock. Frightened, he reached into his pocket for his knife, for in those days it was believed cold steel would ward off enchantment. The tune immediately stopped but he managed to retain the tune in his head and sang it to his daughter when he got home. She played it on her fiddle and gave the tune to others. Anderson (Ringing Strings), 1983; pg. 75. Anderson & Georgeson (Da Mirrie Dancers), 1970; pg. 12.

                       

VALLEY DOREE. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountaind fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

                       

VALLEY FORGE. Old-Time, Breakdown. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard. ABC (Silberberg): AA'AA"BB'CC' (Phillips). From the playing of Ramona Jones, who may have learned the melody from Jimmie Driftwood. Sources for notated versions: Ruthie Dornfeld [Phillips]; Stephanie Prausnitz [Silberberg]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 161. Happy Valley Records PRP 43871/2) – “Ramona Jones - "Back Porch Fiddlin’.” Heritage Records 36, Ramona and Mark Jones ‑ "Women of Old Time Music" (Brandywine, 1980). Rounder CD0364, The Ill-Mo Boys - “The Marimac Anthology: Deep in Old-Time Music.

                       


VALLEY HIGHLANDER, THE.  Canadian, Reel. A Minor. Standard. AABB'. Composed by piano player Matthew Cook, editor of The Night in the Kitchen Collection and presently a student at St. Mary's Universtiy, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Cook (Night in the Kitchen Collection), 1996; pg. 21.

                       

VALLEY NEAR SLIEVE NA MON [1], THE. Irish, Air or Waltz.

X:1

T:Valley Near Slieve na mon

R:waltz

S:From the playing of Mike Lennon

B:Jim Coogan's Session Tunes

Z:Music: Jean Lewis

Z:abc's: Michael Hogan

M:3/4

L:1/4

K:G

Bc|:d3|e2 d|G3|D2 G|B3|c2 d|E3|EAG|F3|

D2 E|F2 c|B2 A|GFG|E2 F|1 G3|GBc:|2 G3|GFG||

|:A2^G|A2 B|c3|cdc|B3|G2 A|B3|B2 d|^c3|A2 B|^c2 g|f2 e|

d^cd|c>B c|B>_B=B_B|A2 d|e2 d|e2 d|G3|GDG|B3|c2 d|E3|EAG|

F3|D2E|F2 c|B2 A|GFG|E2 F|G3|1 GFG:|2 G3|G||

 

VALLEY NEAR SLIEVE NA MON [2], THE. Irish, Air (2/4 time). G Major. Standard. AB. O’Neill (1922) says: “This fine air which runs to the unusual number of 14 bars in each part was sent me by a Dublin friend, Mr. M. Flanagan, a distinguished linguist and scholar. In his leisure moments, he enjoys the music of his fiddle, and union pipes, being a skillful perfomer on both instruments.  A brief sketch of his eventful life appears in Irish Minstrels and Musicians.Whether suitable to the meter of the melody or not, Mr. Flanagan's charming verses will be no less appreciated than his music.” The words are by Charles Kickham (b. 1828), author of “Knocknagow,” who was being groomed for the medical profession. Unfortunately, he was deafened and half-blinded by a firearms accident at the age of thirteen. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for Fenian activity and, due to ill-treatment in
prison, was released totally blind. Kickham died in 1882.

***

SLIEVENAMON

Alone all alone by the wave washed strand

All alone in a crowded hall

The hall it is gay and the waves they are grand

But my heart is not here at all

It flies far away by night and by day

To the times and the joys that are gone

And I never will forget the sweet maiden I met

In the valley near Slievenamon.

***

It was not the grace of her queenly air

Nor her cheek of the roses glow

Nor her soft black eyes, nor her flowing hair

Nor was it her lily white brow

But the soul of truth and of melting ruth

And the smile like a summer dawn

That stole my heart away on a soft summer day

In the valley near Slievenamon

***

In the festive hall by the star washed shore

Or wherever my restless spirit flies

My love oh my love shall I neer see you more

And my land will you never uprise

By night and by day I ever ever pray

While lonely my life flows on

To see our flag unfurled and my true love to enfold

In the valley near Slievenamon.

In the valley near Slievenamon

***

Source for notated version: M. Flanagan, Dublin [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922.

X:1

T:Valley Near Sliavnamon, The

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:M. Flanagan, Dublin

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Air

K:G