Extended CD Track Commentary, Part 4
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Extended CD Commentary, Disc Two, Tracks 9 - 16
by Jackie Small
Unfortunately due to space limitations within the CD booklet itself, we were not able to print the full versions of Jackie Small's commentary in the liner notes to The Francis O'Neill Cylinders. His full commentary is listed below; simply click on the track title to jump to commentary about that particular tune.
Disc Two, Tracks 9 - 16
9. Dan Curley (Air): James Early
This air is possibly the melody of a song about the Dan Curley who was a member of the nineteenth-century nationalist organisation known as The Invincibles. Curley was executed for his part in the murder in 1882 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, of high-ranking British officials.
10. Banish Misfortune (Jig): Edward Cronin
O’Neill 1903, # 776 (where it was notated from Cronin, who is also the performer here); O’Neill 1907, # 53.
This is a masterly performance by Cronin, in a rich style that might once have been common throughout Munster.
This is one of the instances where we can match a notation in O’Neill with a sound recording of the same tune being played by the performer who contributed it.
11. Bean Dubh an Gleanna (Air): Patsy Touhey
O’Neill 1903, # 6 (where it was notated from Touhey, who is also the performer here), as ‘The Dark Woman of the Glen’.
Touhey was brought to the United States as a small child, and spent his entire life there. Despite this, he announces the title of this air in the Irish language with a very authentic accent. The melody played here is that generally known today as "The Death of Staker Wallace" or "The Lament for Staker Wallace." A different melody is used today for the love song "Bean Dubh an Ghleanna."
This is one of the instances where we can match a notation in O’Neill with a sound recording of the same tune being played by the performer who contributed it.
12. Rodney's Glory & The Humors of Bandon (Set Dances): Patsy Touhey
a) O’Neill 1903, # 1784; O’Neill 1907, # 958.
b) O’Neill 1903, # 786 (as a double jig); O’Neill 1907, # 977 (as a long dance / set dance)
13. The Blackbird (Air): Patsy Touhey
O’Neill gives three settings of this air; of these, the third is the nearest to that performed by Touhey here. For a performance of this tune as a long dance / set dance, see CD 2, track 1.
14. The Swallow's Tail (Reel): John McFadden
O’Neill 1903, # 1268; O’Neill 1907, # 536.
15. The Pigeon on the Gate (Reel): Patsy Touhey
O’Neill 1903, # 1406; O’Neill 1907, # 648.
This tune is given in O’Neill’s collections with the note A as its tonic; Touhey plays it here with tonic note E. Touhey’s version of this tune was known to, and highly valued by, the members of the pipers’ club in Dublin, an organization that was flourishing at the time these cylinder recordings were made.
16. Saddle the Pony (Jig): James Early
O’Neill 1903, # 719, as "East at Glandart;" O’Neill 1907, # 19, as "Humors of Glendart," with "East at Glendart" supplied as an alternative title. This is not the tune generally known today as "Saddle the Pony."
Abbreviations:
RMC = Ryan's Mammoth Collection, edited by William Bradbury Ryan (Boston, 1883)
SP = The Complete Collection of Irish Music as Noted by George Petrie (1789—1866), edited by Charles Villiers Stanford (1903)
Kerr 4 = Kerr’s Fourth Collection of Merry Melodies for the Violin (Glasgow, date unknown)
ON 1903 = O’Neill’s Music of Ireland, edited by Francis O’Neill (Chicago, 1903)
ON 1907 = 1001 Gems – The Dance Music of Ireland, edited by Francis O’Neill (Chicago, 1907)
ON 1915 = O’Neill’s Irish Music — 400 Choice Selections, edited by Francis O’Neill (Chicago, 1915)
ON 1922 = Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, 2nd edition, edited by Francis O’Neill (Chicago, 1922)
PPT = The Piping of Patsy Touhey, edited by Pat Mitchell & Jackie Small (Dublin, 1986)
