Dance Forms: What are Hornpipes?

One of the oldest of the dance forms from western Europe/Great Britain are the Hornpipes.  

Here are some of the Hornpipes I like

There are two basic types of common-time hornpipe, ones like the "Sailors' Hornpipe", moving in even notes, sometimes notated in 2/2, moving a little slower than a reel, and ones like "The Harvest Home", moving in dotted notes. Some 19th-century examples mix the dotted and even styles.  (Other types of Hornpipes are in 3/2 and 9/8 time.)

Examples of Hornpipes:

• Fisher's
• Harvest Home
• Boys of Bluehill
• Rights of Man

Fisher's Hornpipe

Dance Forms: What are Hornpipes?

One of the oldest of the dance forms from western Europe/Great Britain are the Hornpipes.  

Here are some of the Hornpipes I like

There are two basic types of common-time hornpipe, ones like the "Sailors' Hornpipe", moving in even notes, sometimes notated in 2/2, moving a little slower than a reel, and ones like "The Harvest Home", moving in dotted notes. Some 19th-century examples mix the dotted and even styles.  (Other types of Hornpipes are in 3/2 and 9/8 time.)

Examples of Hornpipes:

• Fisher's
• Harvest Home
• Boys of Bluehill
• Rights of Man

Fisher's Hornpipe

The Ridotta

The Ridotta

The tune is a version of Portobello Hornpipe, the latter being a somewhat more developed variant. "Ridotta" seems to have been published mid-18th century and in circulation prior to the "Portobello" strain, but both coexisted for some time, although the "Ridotta" strain does not seem to have survived the 18th century.

The Ridotta was published in several major London collections of the mid-18th century: Walsh printed it in Caledonian Country Dances and Compleat Country Dances Master vol. 6 (1754), John Johnson issued it in Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances vol. 2 (1742 or after 1750), and John Simpson in Delightful Pocket Companion, vol. 2 (c. 1750).

A 'Ridotta' or 'Ridotto' referred to ridotto was a public ball, typically a masquerade, popular in the 18th century. The word had other meanings, however: it also was a concert hall in whose raised balcony the musicians performed, although the name also could refer to the foyer of a theater where people would go for refreshments during intermissions. Il Ridotto (It.: 'The private space') also referred to several illegal, privately owned gambling clubs that offered games of chance to members of Venice's nobility in the city's Rialto District, dating from 1638.

The Wikipedia entry for Masquerade ball records: "A Swiss count who arrived in Italy in 1708, is credited with introducing to London the Venetian fashion of a semi-public masquerade ball, to which one might subscribe, with the first being held at Haymarket Opera House. London's public gardens, like Vauxhall Gardens, refurbished in 1732, and Ranelagh Gardens, provided optimal outdoor settings, where characters masked and in fancy dress mingled with the crowds. The reputation for unseemly behavior, unescorted women and assignations motivated a change of name, to the Venetian ridotto, but as "The Man of Taste" observed in 1733":

• In Lent, if masquerades displease the town,
• Call 'em Ridottos and they still go down.

Additional notes

Recorded sources : - Mrs. Casey Records MRCRD 9993, The Cock and Bull Band - "Encore du Vingt" (1999).

The Ridotta

The Ridotta

The tune is a version of Portobello Hornpipe, the latter being a somewhat more developed variant. "Ridotta" seems to have been published mid-18th century and in circulation prior to the "Portobello" strain, but both coexisted for some time, although the "Ridotta" strain does not seem to have survived the 18th century.

The Ridotta was published in several major London collections of the mid-18th century: Walsh printed it in Caledonian Country Dances and Compleat Country Dances Master vol. 6 (1754), John Johnson issued it in Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances vol. 2 (1742 or after 1750), and John Simpson in Delightful Pocket Companion, vol. 2 (c. 1750).

A 'Ridotta' or 'Ridotto' referred to ridotto was a public ball, typically a masquerade, popular in the 18th century. The word had other meanings, however: it also was a concert hall in whose raised balcony the musicians performed, although the name also could refer to the foyer of a theater where people would go for refreshments during intermissions. Il Ridotto (It.: 'The private space') also referred to several illegal, privately owned gambling clubs that offered games of chance to members of Venice's nobility in the city's Rialto District, dating from 1638.

The Wikipedia entry for Masquerade ball records: "A Swiss count who arrived in Italy in 1708, is credited with introducing to London the Venetian fashion of a semi-public masquerade ball, to which one might subscribe, with the first being held at Haymarket Opera House. London's public gardens, like Vauxhall Gardens, refurbished in 1732, and Ranelagh Gardens, provided optimal outdoor settings, where characters masked and in fancy dress mingled with the crowds. The reputation for unseemly behavior, unescorted women and assignations motivated a change of name, to the Venetian ridotto, but as "The Man of Taste" observed in 1733":

• In Lent, if masquerades displease the town,
• Call 'em Ridottos and they still go down.

Additional notes

Recorded sources : - Mrs. Casey Records MRCRD 9993, The Cock and Bull Band - "Encore du Vingt" (1999).

Loch Leven Castle (hornpipe)

LOCH LEVEN/LAVAN CASTLE. AKA - "Lochleven Castle." AKA and see "Gill Can (The)," "Humors of Tuamgraney," "Hurry Home the Harvest," "Miss Lyle's Reel," "Shores of Lough Greaney," "Silver Street Lasses," "Tomgraney Castle (1)." Scottish, Canadian, Old-Time; Reel, Hornpipe, Breakdown. USA, West Virginia. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. A Dorian (Brody, Cranford/Holland, Perlman, Spadaro): A Minor (Davie, Hunter, Kerr, Milne). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (most versions): AABB' (Brody, Perlman, Spadaro): AA'BB' (Spadaro).

Loch Leven Castle [1], surrounded by a loch in Perth and Kinross, served as the site of an exciting 16th century drama involving Mary, Queen of Scots, who was imprisoned there for several months by Sir William Douglas, at the behest of the Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland. The Douglas family was divided in their loyalty, however, and Sir William's younger brother George Douglas was a supporter of Mary (and for this had been banned from the castle), and himself had the support of many of the Scottish nobility. Mary had other sympathizers among the local populace and even in the castle itself, notably a sixteen year old boy named Willie Douglas who had become quite enamored of the Queen and became the hero of this story. Willie was a bold, adventurous and resourceful lad who had charge of the castle's boats. Word was brought to Mary by Sir William's unsuspecting wife, who innocently returned a token, an earring, and mentioned that her son George 'would ride to Glasgow the next evening;' this was the signal that Mary's escape had been planned for the next evening. Willie had planned a celebration for that day to include feasting and revelry, and even served Sir William at his table (he had the cunning to have planned the banquet in the hall whose window faced away from the loch and the escape route). He managed to slip the keys to the castle away from Sir William while he was distracted and went straight to Mary, who had evaded her chaperones and hid in an upstairs chamber. They stealthily made their way through the castle and out the great doors of the castle (which Willie locked behind him with Sir William's keys) to a boat waiting below and Mary and Willie were rowed to shore, but not before Willie disabled the rest of the boats and threw the castle keys into the loch's dark waters. Mary swiftly made her way to West Middrie Castle in Fife and safety.

The reel has been popular in County Donegal under the original title, and is played elsewhere on the island as a hornpipe, variously titled " Humors of Tuamgraney," "Humors of Tuamgreine," "Tuamgraney Castle," and "Tomgraney Castle (1)," while a Northumbrian version is called "Silver Street Lasses." The reel has been popularized by modern American Old-Time musicians, sourced to influential West Virginia old-time fiddler Franklin George, who also plays the Highland pipes and who has several British and Irish tunes in his fiddling repertoire. George learned the tune from a 78 RPM by the Honeyman Fiddlers, a cover name for the group The Cameron Men, who played it in a medley with "Loch Katrine" and "Miss Lyall." American spellings tend to be "Loch Lavan Castle." See also the similarly structured phrasing and similar melodic material of "Jerry Daly's Hornpipe (2)," "Bonaparte Crossing the Alps" and "Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (2)."


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Fuzzy Mountain String Band (Durham, North Carolina), who learned the tune from Franklin George (W.Va.), and old-time fiddler who also plays the Scottish bagpipes [Brody]; Laurie Brownescombe (Spadaro); Joseph Doucette (b. 1910, Deblois Road, West Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman].

Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 172. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 41, p. 17. Davie (Davie’s Caledonian Repository), Aberdeen, 1829-30; p. 30. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 327. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; p. 94. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; Set 17, No. 2, p. 11. Laybourn (Köhler’s Violin Repository vol. 3), 1885; p. 235. Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaidh), 1990; p. 20. Milne (Middleton’s Selection of Strathspeys, Reels &c. for the Violin), 1870; p. 37. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 85. Spadaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; p. 49.

Recorded sources : - Beltona Bel 2270 (78 RPM), David Hutchison (Edinburgh, c. 1936. Hutchinson was an accordion player nicknamed The Accordeon Strathspey King). Revonah RS-924, "The West Orrtanna String Band" (1976). Rounder 7008, "Jerry Holland" (1976). Rounder 0035, Fuzzy Mountain String Band- "Summer Oaks and Porch" (1973). Takoma D-1064, Norman Blake- "Directions." Ron Gonella - "Scottish Violin Music" (1966).

See also listing at :
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [4]
Hear Frank George's version at Slippery Hill [5]

Loch Leven Castle (hornpipe)

LOCH LEVEN/LAVAN CASTLE. AKA - "Lochleven Castle." AKA and see "Gill Can (The)," "Humors of Tuamgraney," "Hurry Home the Harvest," "Miss Lyle's Reel," "Shores of Lough Greaney," "Silver Street Lasses," "Tomgraney Castle (1)." Scottish, Canadian, Old-Time; Reel, Hornpipe, Breakdown. USA, West Virginia. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. A Dorian (Brody, Cranford/Holland, Perlman, Spadaro): A Minor (Davie, Hunter, Kerr, Milne). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (most versions): AABB' (Brody, Perlman, Spadaro): AA'BB' (Spadaro).

Loch Leven Castle [1], surrounded by a loch in Perth and Kinross, served as the site of an exciting 16th century drama involving Mary, Queen of Scots, who was imprisoned there for several months by Sir William Douglas, at the behest of the Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland. The Douglas family was divided in their loyalty, however, and Sir William's younger brother George Douglas was a supporter of Mary (and for this had been banned from the castle), and himself had the support of many of the Scottish nobility. Mary had other sympathizers among the local populace and even in the castle itself, notably a sixteen year old boy named Willie Douglas who had become quite enamored of the Queen and became the hero of this story. Willie was a bold, adventurous and resourceful lad who had charge of the castle's boats. Word was brought to Mary by Sir William's unsuspecting wife, who innocently returned a token, an earring, and mentioned that her son George 'would ride to Glasgow the next evening;' this was the signal that Mary's escape had been planned for the next evening. Willie had planned a celebration for that day to include feasting and revelry, and even served Sir William at his table (he had the cunning to have planned the banquet in the hall whose window faced away from the loch and the escape route). He managed to slip the keys to the castle away from Sir William while he was distracted and went straight to Mary, who had evaded her chaperones and hid in an upstairs chamber. They stealthily made their way through the castle and out the great doors of the castle (which Willie locked behind him with Sir William's keys) to a boat waiting below and Mary and Willie were rowed to shore, but not before Willie disabled the rest of the boats and threw the castle keys into the loch's dark waters. Mary swiftly made her way to West Middrie Castle in Fife and safety.

The reel has been popular in County Donegal under the original title, and is played elsewhere on the island as a hornpipe, variously titled " Humors of Tuamgraney," "Humors of Tuamgreine," "Tuamgraney Castle," and "Tomgraney Castle (1)," while a Northumbrian version is called "Silver Street Lasses." The reel has been popularized by modern American Old-Time musicians, sourced to influential West Virginia old-time fiddler Franklin George, who also plays the Highland pipes and who has several British and Irish tunes in his fiddling repertoire. George learned the tune from a 78 RPM by the Honeyman Fiddlers, a cover name for the group The Cameron Men, who played it in a medley with "Loch Katrine" and "Miss Lyall." American spellings tend to be "Loch Lavan Castle." See also the similarly structured phrasing and similar melodic material of "Jerry Daly's Hornpipe (2)," "Bonaparte Crossing the Alps" and "Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (2)."


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Fuzzy Mountain String Band (Durham, North Carolina), who learned the tune from Franklin George (W.Va.), and old-time fiddler who also plays the Scottish bagpipes [Brody]; Laurie Brownescombe (Spadaro); Joseph Doucette (b. 1910, Deblois Road, West Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman].

Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 172. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 41, p. 17. Davie (Davie’s Caledonian Repository), Aberdeen, 1829-30; p. 30. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 327. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; p. 94. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; Set 17, No. 2, p. 11. Laybourn (Köhler’s Violin Repository vol. 3), 1885; p. 235. Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaidh), 1990; p. 20. Milne (Middleton’s Selection of Strathspeys, Reels &c. for the Violin), 1870; p. 37. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 85. Spadaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; p. 49.

Recorded sources : - Beltona Bel 2270 (78 RPM), David Hutchison (Edinburgh, c. 1936. Hutchinson was an accordion player nicknamed The Accordeon Strathspey King). Revonah RS-924, "The West Orrtanna String Band" (1976). Rounder 7008, "Jerry Holland" (1976). Rounder 0035, Fuzzy Mountain String Band- "Summer Oaks and Porch" (1973). Takoma D-1064, Norman Blake- "Directions." Ron Gonella - "Scottish Violin Music" (1966).

See also listing at :
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [4]
Hear Frank George's version at Slippery Hill [5]

Magh Luirg, or The Plains of Boyle (hornpipe)

PLAINS OF BOYLE, THE (“Magh Luirg” or “Má Luirc”). Irish, Hornpipe. D Major (Harker/Rafferty, McDermott, Mitchell, Moylan, Mulvihill, O’Malley, Vallely): D Major/Mixolydian (Breathnach, DeMarco & Krassen). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Mitchell): AABB (most versions): AA’BB’ (Harker/Rafferty, Moylan, O’Malley). A very popular Irish session hornpipe. To the east of Boyle, County Roscommon, are rich flat limestone grasslands, known as the Plains of Boyle, famed for cattle pastures. It was the mensal lands of the MacDermots, Princes of Moylurg.

The hornpipe was recorded in New York in the 78 RPM era in 1924 by Gowlan, Killarga, County Leitrim flute and uilleann piper Michael Gallagher (1887–late 1950's) and again that same year by the duet of accordion player P.J. Conlon with flute player Tom Morrison. It was also recorded twice in 1929, both times for Columbia Records: by fiddler and accordion player Frank Quinn (1893–1964), originally from Greagh, Drumlish, Co. Longford, and by fiddler James Morrison (1891–1947), originally from County Sligo. Flute player Gallagher recorded the tune on the uilleann pipes, which he had picked up rather quickly after emigrating to America (according to the repeated story), inspired by Irish-American piper and stage performer Patsy Tuohey. Gallagher referred to his pairing of "Plains of Boyle" with the second tune in the medley, "Leitrim Fancy," as 'Moran's Hornpipe', a reference to his source, an unknown musician. Francis O'Neill, in his Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922), described Gallagher as "a clever performer on the Irish or union pipes, recently from Ireland."

Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Sligo-style fiddler James Morrison (Co. Sligo/New York) [DeMarco & Krassen]; piper Jim Brophy, 1972 (Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach]; accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Cape Breton fiddler Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald (1913–1987) [Miller & Perron]; piper Andy Conroy (New York, originally from Lough Glynn and Dublin) [Breathnach]; piper Willie Clancy (1918–1973, Miltown Malbay, West Clare) [Mitchell]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources : - Breathnach, Ceol: A Journal of Irish Music, vol. 2, no. 1, 1965; 16a. Breathnach (The Man and His Music), 1997; No. 6, p. 9. Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 315, p. 160. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 81. DeMarco and Krassen (Trip to Sligo), 1978; pp. 31, 45, 59. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 262, p. 81. McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), 1920’s; No. 78, p. 20. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 55. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 122. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 1, p. 29. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra), 1994; No. 53, pp. 31-32. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 17, p. 93. O’Malley (Luke O'Malley's Collection of Irish Music), 1976; No. 122, p. 61. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 217. Prior (Fionn Seisiún 2), 2003; p. 32. Vallely (Learn to Play the Fiddle with Armagh Pipers Club), 197?; No. 41, p. 37.

Recorded sources : - 3 SCONES 2008, Dermy Diamond, Tara Diamond, Dáithí Sproule - "Seanchairde/Old Friends" (2009). Celtic CX 34, "Winston Scotty Fitzgerald" (Cape Breton). Columbia 33330-F (78 RPM), Frank Quinn (1929). Columbia ‎33393-F (78 RPM), James Morrison (1929, paired with "Lawson's Hornpipe). Gael-Linn CE 18 (78 RPM), Liam (Willie) Clancy. Gael-Linn CEF 075, Liam (Willie) Clancy – “Na Ceirnini 78, 1957-1960.” Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (1924). Green Linnet SIF 3007, Mick Hanley – “As I Went Over Blackwater” (1982). June Appal JA0026, Malcolm Dalglish & Grey Larsen – “First of Autumn” (1978). Kells Music KM-9510, Brendan Begley – “We Won’t Go Home ‘Till Morning.” Philo 2005, John McGreevy & Sean Cooley – “McGreevy & Cooley” (1974). Rodeo International RNT 2009, “Winston ‘Scotty’ Fitzgerald and his Fabulous Entertainers” (197?). Shanachie 33004, “The Pure Genius of James Morrison” (1978). Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Saydisc CDSDL 348, Eileen Monger Ensemble – “The Lilting Banshee” (recorded 1985). Saydisc CDSDL449, Eileen Monger Ensemble - "Traditional Dance Music of Britain & Ireland" (2018). Starr 9567 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Topic 12TS 373, John Rea – “Traditional Music on the Hammer Dulcimer” (1979).

Magh Luirg, or The Plains of Boyle (hornpipe)

PLAINS OF BOYLE, THE (“Magh Luirg” or “Má Luirc”). Irish, Hornpipe. D Major (Harker/Rafferty, McDermott, Mitchell, Moylan, Mulvihill, O’Malley, Vallely): D Major/Mixolydian (Breathnach, DeMarco & Krassen). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Mitchell): AABB (most versions): AA’BB’ (Harker/Rafferty, Moylan, O’Malley). A very popular Irish session hornpipe. To the east of Boyle, County Roscommon, are rich flat limestone grasslands, known as the Plains of Boyle, famed for cattle pastures. It was the mensal lands of the MacDermots, Princes of Moylurg.

The hornpipe was recorded in New York in the 78 RPM era in 1924 by Gowlan, Killarga, County Leitrim flute and uilleann piper Michael Gallagher (1887–late 1950's) and again that same year by the duet of accordion player P.J. Conlon with flute player Tom Morrison. It was also recorded twice in 1929, both times for Columbia Records: by fiddler and accordion player Frank Quinn (1893–1964), originally from Greagh, Drumlish, Co. Longford, and by fiddler James Morrison (1891–1947), originally from County Sligo. Flute player Gallagher recorded the tune on the uilleann pipes, which he had picked up rather quickly after emigrating to America (according to the repeated story), inspired by Irish-American piper and stage performer Patsy Tuohey. Gallagher referred to his pairing of "Plains of Boyle" with the second tune in the medley, "Leitrim Fancy," as 'Moran's Hornpipe', a reference to his source, an unknown musician. Francis O'Neill, in his Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922), described Gallagher as "a clever performer on the Irish or union pipes, recently from Ireland."

Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Sligo-style fiddler James Morrison (Co. Sligo/New York) [DeMarco & Krassen]; piper Jim Brophy, 1972 (Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach]; accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Cape Breton fiddler Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald (1913–1987) [Miller & Perron]; piper Andy Conroy (New York, originally from Lough Glynn and Dublin) [Breathnach]; piper Willie Clancy (1918–1973, Miltown Malbay, West Clare) [Mitchell]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources : - Breathnach, Ceol: A Journal of Irish Music, vol. 2, no. 1, 1965; 16a. Breathnach (The Man and His Music), 1997; No. 6, p. 9. Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 315, p. 160. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 81. DeMarco and Krassen (Trip to Sligo), 1978; pp. 31, 45, 59. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 262, p. 81. McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), 1920’s; No. 78, p. 20. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 55. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 122. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 1, p. 29. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra), 1994; No. 53, pp. 31-32. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 17, p. 93. O’Malley (Luke O'Malley's Collection of Irish Music), 1976; No. 122, p. 61. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 217. Prior (Fionn Seisiún 2), 2003; p. 32. Vallely (Learn to Play the Fiddle with Armagh Pipers Club), 197?; No. 41, p. 37.

Recorded sources : - 3 SCONES 2008, Dermy Diamond, Tara Diamond, Dáithí Sproule - "Seanchairde/Old Friends" (2009). Celtic CX 34, "Winston Scotty Fitzgerald" (Cape Breton). Columbia 33330-F (78 RPM), Frank Quinn (1929). Columbia ‎33393-F (78 RPM), James Morrison (1929, paired with "Lawson's Hornpipe). Gael-Linn CE 18 (78 RPM), Liam (Willie) Clancy. Gael-Linn CEF 075, Liam (Willie) Clancy – “Na Ceirnini 78, 1957-1960.” Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (1924). Green Linnet SIF 3007, Mick Hanley – “As I Went Over Blackwater” (1982). June Appal JA0026, Malcolm Dalglish & Grey Larsen – “First of Autumn” (1978). Kells Music KM-9510, Brendan Begley – “We Won’t Go Home ‘Till Morning.” Philo 2005, John McGreevy & Sean Cooley – “McGreevy & Cooley” (1974). Rodeo International RNT 2009, “Winston ‘Scotty’ Fitzgerald and his Fabulous Entertainers” (197?). Shanachie 33004, “The Pure Genius of James Morrison” (1978). Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Saydisc CDSDL 348, Eileen Monger Ensemble – “The Lilting Banshee” (recorded 1985). Saydisc CDSDL449, Eileen Monger Ensemble - "Traditional Dance Music of Britain & Ireland" (2018). Starr 9567 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Topic 12TS 373, John Rea – “Traditional Music on the Hammer Dulcimer” (1979).

What are some good fiddle tunes for a beginner?

So as you know, I teach violin and many fiddle styles including celtic, bluegrass, klezmer, jazz, western swing, texas style and Quebecois.

Someone recently asked me to suggest some tunes a beginner can learn.  I decided to include some more advanced  tunes as well

Camptown Races comes to mind, as does Liza Jane, Buffalo Gals, Shady Grove (it's in Bm but doable), Shortnin' Bread, Oh, Susanna, Cindy, Dixie, Wildwood Flower, Soldier's Joy, Going to Boston, Flop Eared Mule, Skip to My Lou, Girl I left Behind Me, Old Joe Clark, Cripple Creek...all basically level 1 tunes except maybe the last 3 or so.

Slightly more advanced would be Mississippi Sawyer, Arkansas Traveler, Rose Tree, Over the Waterfall, Newcastle, Southwind, Si Beg Si More, Sandy River, Salt Creek, Chinky Pin, Cotton Eyed Joe, Cameron Highlanders, Scotland the Brave, Harvest Home, Ash Grove, Amazing Grace, Swinging on a Gate, Fisher's Hornpipe, Snowflake Reel

Every fiddle player needs to learn the "double shuffle" bowing pattern. Here are some good tunes to practice with it:

Orange Blossom Special, Back Up And Push, Rubber Dolly,.

Now we get into some jigs! Here are some easier ones: Irish Washerwoman, Garry Owen, St Patrick's Day (inna mornin), Haste to the Wedding, Road to Lisdoonvarna, Swallow Tail, Kid on the Mountain and Pipe on the Hob.

How about some Polkas? I like: As we Went Out On The Ice, Kangaroo, Kerry, Spare Leg, Andy Boyle's, Britches full of Stiches.

What are some good fiddle tunes for a beginner?

So as you know, I teach violin and many fiddle styles including celtic, bluegrass, klezmer, jazz, western swing, texas style and Quebecois.

Someone recently asked me to suggest some tunes a beginner can learn.  I decided to include some more advanced  tunes as well

Camptown Races comes to mind, as does Liza Jane, Buffalo Gals, Shady Grove (it's in Bm but doable), Shortnin' Bread, Oh, Susanna, Cindy, Dixie, Wildwood Flower, Soldier's Joy, Going to Boston, Flop Eared Mule, Skip to My Lou, Girl I left Behind Me, Old Joe Clark, Cripple Creek...all basically level 1 tunes except maybe the last 3 or so.

Slightly more advanced would be Mississippi Sawyer, Arkansas Traveler, Rose Tree, Over the Waterfall, Newcastle, Southwind, Si Beg Si More, Sandy River, Salt Creek, Chinky Pin, Cotton Eyed Joe, Cameron Highlanders, Scotland the Brave, Harvest Home, Ash Grove, Amazing Grace, Swinging on a Gate, Fisher's Hornpipe, Snowflake Reel

Every fiddle player needs to learn the "double shuffle" bowing pattern. Here are some good tunes to practice with it:

Orange Blossom Special, Back Up And Push, Rubber Dolly,.

Now we get into some jigs! Here are some easier ones: Irish Washerwoman, Garry Owen, St Patrick's Day (inna mornin), Haste to the Wedding, Road to Lisdoonvarna, Swallow Tail, Kid on the Mountain and Pipe on the Hob.

How about some Polkas? I like: As we Went Out On The Ice, Kangaroo, Kerry, Spare Leg, Andy Boyle's, Britches full of Stiches.