Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on July 31st 2001 by Mad Baloney.
This tune has been added to 442 tunebooks.
Also known as Earl's Chair, Virginia.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Earl's Chair, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
B2Bd BAFA | B2Bd BAFA | AF (3FFF DF (3FFF | AFdB AFEF |!
B2Bd BAFA | B2Bd BAFA | AFAB dcdf |edef d3z :||!
e2ec d2Bd | efec dFAB | e2ec d3e | fedB ADFA |!
e2ef eB(3BBB | gB(3BBB defg |afbf afef | gedB ADFA :||
The Earl's Chair
The story I heard about this one was that there is a great big chair-shaped rock somewhere in Ireland known as the "Earl's Chair".
This tune is a very common session tune, which allows for a lot of variation. This setting is basic with only the trebles notated to keep the rhythm going. I like to play double stops on the first B (On Fiddle), first I drone the open D with the B, then on the second time around I play the lower G with the B. Try rolls, trebles, cuts those long notes are crying out for an ornament.
A guitarist would do well starting with the "G" then moving to the "Em". in the first bars.
# Posted on July 31st 2001 by Mad Baloney
Nice chords Brad - they've sparked an interesting debate on the thread about Lydian, Phrygian and Locrian modes Nov 2002.
# Posted on December 1st 2002 by Dow
The Earl's Chair
This is a favourite version of mine.
K: Dmaj
B2 dB BAFA|B2 dB BAFB|AF (3FFF DF (3FFF|AFdB ADFA|
B2 dB BAFA|B2 dB BAFB|A3 B defd|1 edef d3 A:|2 edef d3 f||
e2 ef d2 df|edef dB A2|e2 ef dcde|fedB ADFA|
e2 ef dB (3BBB|gB (3BBB defg|afbf afeg|fedB ADFA:|
I believe this is the neatest one on the whistle or flute.
# Posted on June 14th 2003 by slainte
Jack Coen Version
This is the basic setting as played by Jack Coen, and can be found on the album he made with his son Jimmy, "Traditional Irish Music on Flute and Guitar"
X: 1
T: The Earl's Chair
S: Jack Coen
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Reel
K: Dmaj
B3 B BAFA|B2 dB BAFB|A2 FA DAFA|A2dB ADFA|
B3 B BAFA|B2 dB BAFB|AFAB defd|1 edef d2FA:|2 edef dABd:|
e3 f d2Bd|edef dB Ad|e3 f d2de|fedB ADFA|
e3 e e2ed|e2ef defg|a2bf afeg|fedB ADFA:|
According to Jack, this is the original version of the tune, and that it was composed by Pato (Packie) Maloney of Woodford, Co Galway , an uncle of Mike Rafferty.
It's the elongated 'e' near the end of the second part that I like the best.
Tim
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by tmcelrea
Down between the Two Derryoobers
This was the original title that Patto Moloney called the tune but replaced it with a more manageable title.
The Earl's Chair (throne shaped rock) can be found in Derrycrag Wood.
# Posted on August 29th 2006 by PaddyCmusic
Sounds modal to me... not like Dmaj.
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by wathgwen
Not Dmajor
This setting is B minor
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by awildman
Ahh........ Em.......starting on the 5th
# Posted on January 30th 2008 by jig
I'd say it's in Dmaj. It's just unusual in that if you were backing it, you wouldn't start on a chord of D. Same thing as with the Providence reel. Several different possibilities are possible for the 1st chord. What's important in this tune is where the melody resolves to. The way to tell is to look at the end of the parts. At the end of the A-part it resolves onto D - hence Dmaj is a good choice of key sig.
# Posted on January 30th 2008 by Dow