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Irish Flute Tunes

Michael Clarkson•irishflute.podbean.com
Music
Traditional Irish Tunes Played on the Flute (iflute@googlemail.com)
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Episodes

Old Tipperary

Here's a very popular jig. It works well on the flute.

Apr 28, 2007•2 min

The Yellow Tinker

Here's a piping reel. It has a few F naturals in it. I tend to play the low octaves with a key and use half-fingering for the high octave ones. I'm a bit rusty with this tune but hopefully it almost makes sense.

Apr 28, 2007•1 min

The Sligo Maid

Here's a reel with is good for learning and is also a great tune in the standard repertoire of Irish traditional musicians everywhere.

Apr 28, 2007•2 min

The Curragh Races

Here's a nice piping reel which suits the flute very well.

Apr 27, 2007•2 min

Fred Finn's Reel

Here's a reel named after the South Sligo fiddle player , Mr. Finn - Peter Horan's friend.

Apr 27, 2007•2 min

McKenna's Reels

I put these on separately, slowish then quicker, but I thought that as these tunes have been almost conjoined for the last 80 years, it would be inhumane to split them up now. You'd be much better getting a recording of John McKenna playing these but, in case you can't get hold of one just yet, here's a version which is hopefully fairly close to the standard one.

Apr 27, 2007•3 min

Colonel Rodgers' Favourite

This is the first of 2 reels which are usually just known as "McKenna's", after the Leitrim flute maestro John McKenna.

Apr 27, 2007•2 min

Old Man Dillon

I always think of "The Times There are a Changing" but I think the spelling would need to be a changing too (to two?) Sorry. This is a popular jig although I haven't heard it played for a while.

Apr 27, 2007•2 min

The Ravelled Hank of Yarn

Here's a popular piping reel which suits the flute. It's often associated with Willie Clancy.

Apr 27, 2007•2 min

Fifing tune (Paddy O'Carroll)

Here's a tune from the fife & Lambeg drum tradition. Some of these have crept into the repertoires of Irish traditional flute players too. I can't remember a name for this one.

Apr 27, 2007•1 min

The Belfast March

Here's a fifing tune. There are some people in my part of the world who play it on big flutes too.

Apr 26, 2007•2 min

Charlie O'Neill's Polkas

Here are two polkas. The first one is called the "Shelf" polka. I never heard a name for the second one. Charlie O'Neill originally came from Mount Charles in Donegal and then moved to "the Moy" in Tyrone.

Apr 26, 2007•4 min

The Reel of Mullinavat (really - I think)

I posted this tune before but it I had the name totally wrong, or the tune, maybe both. I think this one really is called "The Reel of Mullinavat".

Apr 25, 2007•3 min

Paddy Fahy's Jig

Here's a jig with a few B flats and F naturals. Can a flute be a can of worms? I do the B flats with half-covering. The F naturals are with a short key. I was always a bit vague about the exactitude of the accidentals. Anyway, it'll be one source of the tune for whoever wants it.

Apr 25, 2007•2 min

The Flags of Dublin

Here's a reel from the world of piping. I'd imagine the flags aren't the sort which flutter unless the weather is really rough. Did you ever see a paving slab up a pole?

Apr 25, 2007•2 min

Eileen Curran

Here's a reel called Eileen Curran. I think I'd rather call these "people reels" - "Eileen Curran's Reel" and so on. The personification of tunes always made me feel a bit uneasy for some reason. Anyway, the good news is that there ate no G sharps in this tune. Shame about the high C naturals. (I half cover them here.)

Apr 24, 2007•2 min

The New Policeman

Here's a good tune for flute players. It's also very popular in sessions (as far as I remember).

Apr 22, 2007•2 min

Rosemary Lane (jig)

Here's a melodic jig which is I don't hear played all that much (I wonder if that could be because I almost never go to sessions these days). I think it deserves a bit of an airing from time to time.

Apr 22, 2007•2 min

The Trip To Durrow

Here's a very popular reel which isn't too cruel to flute players. I'm sorry if I've been cruel to it. If anyone has any requests (maybe even to stop) please get in touch iflute@googlemail.com. I appreciate any feedback. I've put my shoes back on for this tune as I know the tapping was of use to at least one person. I'm sorry for not having had it in the last few sets. I'll make sure I'm shod from now on. All the best, and I hope you like the tunes.

Apr 21, 2007•3 min

Gerry Commane's Reel / The Dogs Among the Bushes

The first tune is a reliable old standard. The second one is sometimes played a key below the present one but is handier on the flute in A minor. You can get the dogs to yelp a bit louder in the higher key. * Thanks to William for pointing out that the first tune is not The Reel of Mullinavat. I think it is Gerry Commane's Reel. I'll put the tune which belongs to the "Reel of Mullinavat" on when I get a chance.

Apr 21, 2007•3 min

The Maid on the Green (jig)

Here's a great tune for the flute. It's melodic, easy to play, easy to remember and other people know it (and it's in 'G', which always helps).

Apr 21, 2007•2 min

The Swallow's Tail

Here's a very popular reel. Sorry about the abrupt ending. I just remembered I was supposed to be doing something else and ...

Apr 20, 2007•2 min
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