Here's a fairly common tune called something or other. It gets "Dang" or "Bang" between Jenny and the tapistrator. I'm neither sure about what happened between Jenny and the weaver, nor about what the proper term for a maker of tapestries might be. It's a nice tune anyway, I hope. I think it might be on a Bothy Band record somewhere.
Here's a reel (I'm sorry about so many reels) from Donegal. I heard it on a tape of Francie Byrne from Kilcar. I'll probably run out of tunes quite soon. It's easy enough to know a tune when other people start them but trying to conjure them up while looking at a computer is a bit of a challenge. If anyone has any tunes in mind which they would like to hear played on the flute, please please let me know. Idir an dá linn, bainigí sult as an cheol agus bígí ag seinm ar bhur bhfeadóga móra.
Today isn't one here, buíochas le Dia! This reel is nicer than the weather it describes. It's worth digging out a recording of Séamus Ennis playing this tune. In the meantime, here's a flute version to be getting along with.
I think this tune was made up by box and fiddle player Finbar Dwyer. It has a fiddly G sharp in the first part but is good therapy. Just to prove the point about the G sharp, I've made a mess of it myself in a couple of places. Please don't feel obliged to learn the messes. (24/04/07 - Just played this one again after hearing the state of the last try. The messes are still there but I've moved them around a bit.)
Here's a tune associated with the fiddle player Jimmy Lyons, who came from Teelin in Co. Donegal.
Here's a reel which Mary Bergin put on her record "Feadóga Stáin". It is in CRÉ 3 (number 123).
Here's a jig which you'll find in CRÉ 3 (number 15). I think it's on a record of Sean Keane and Matt Molloy - Contentment is Wealth, where it is called Connie Connell's Jig.
Here's a well known reel. There's a version of in in Ceol Rince na hÉireann 3 (number 96). I'm not sure how close my version is.
I've never heard a name for this reel but it suits the flute well.
I think this jig is on a record of Bobby Casey, a fiddle player from County Clare.
I've played this reel in A minor. It's often played in E minor as well but A comes before E in the alphabet and E doesn't necessarily stand for "easier" at the moment. You'll here fiddle players playing this in A minor an octave lower in Donegal (if you're in Donegal listening to a fiddle session, that is). Some of them call it the "Gweebarra Reel".
Here's a jig called by the name above. The title translates into English as "You'll Come Home With Me". I hope the tune is of some use to somebody, somewhere, sometime, somehow, somewhat, some chance.
Here's a tune about which I know nothing, apart from the name. Still sounding like there's cotton wool either in my mouth ot the flute but hopefully you can still pick up the tune OK. I've never played the flute immediately after coming out of the dentist's surgery but I'd imagine it would sound something like this.
Here's a very popular tune. It's always a good standard one to learn but doesn't get recorded all that often. It's worth digging out a recording of James Morrison playing it to show that it really does have a life. I've played it slow at first and then quickened up a little. There's nothing wrong with common tunes. There probably only so common because people like them.
I don't know about Tom Ward's problems but I do know that I'm having bother of my own with flutes. I promise to stop complaining about them 'though. My flute is getting fixed early next week. This is a good fiddle / flute reel which you can hopefully decipher through the puffs and out of tune bits. Sure it's the message that counts, not the messenger.
Here are 2 common reels which are hopefully quite well suited to the flute. I hope someone enjoys playing them. If anyone has any particular tunes they want to hear then please let me know. It would be easier for me to do what I'm told than than to think for myself. Good luck.
Here are the last 2 jigs again. I hope they make sense. I've found another flute which I hadn't played for a few years but I thought I'd give it a run out until the other one was fixed. If it sounds bad, that's my fault. It might be harder to get my playing fixed than the flute.
Here are 2 jigs. The first one is probably a little bit less common than the first. I've slowed them down a bit here.
Here are the same tunes again at "normal" speed.
Here are two reels. The first one is very common and the second one less so. I thing the second one comes from Fermanagh. They're both handy enough on the flute (not that you'ld think so from my effort here).
I've also heard the first tune called "The Bench of Green Rushes" but what's in a name? The second tune is very popular and hopefully quite playable on the flute. My flute is still sick. It just got sick shortly after I started to put tunes on this site. I'm not sure where cause and effect fits in or fit in here. I'm heading off shortly to where a flute doctor lives and hopefully on my return things will be better. In the meantime I'll plough on with a few tunes now and again. I hope some people...
Here's the same jig a bit quicker plus one called the Luckpenny.
Every time I ask someone the name of this tune they tell me that I have the wrong name. I want it to be called by the name I've given it so I'll keep asking. I hope you like this tune and enjoy learning it.
Here's a reel. Don't know much about it but it's quite a nice tune for the flute.
Here's the same highland as before plus another one called Tom Taylor's or The Teelin highland.
Here's a highland. I can't remember it's name but I think it would be quite easy to learn. I've slowed it down a bit here.
Here's the previous tune plus a reel named after the Micko Russell from Doolin, Co. Clare. I think I should have played the parts twice each. It's on Mary Bergin's first tin whistle record if you want another version.
Here's a common reel, slowed down. It's probably a good one for learning as there aren't too many scary bits in it.
Another popular reel.
This is a version of a reel which was composed by the flute player Vincent Broderick.
