I know there’s lovely if politically ambiguous sean nos called "The Bonny Bunch of Roses" involving a conversation between Napoleon’s mum and the lad, she opining on British unity and all that, but the one I’m thinking on is a march, I think. Are there words to this?A recording mayhaps? Here’s the first line:
T:The Bonny Bunch of Roses
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
G A | d2 de dBAG | gabg e2 | gaba gfed | Bcde dB A2|
Hi there,
Is this the tune you’re looking for?
https://thesession.org/tunes/1123
I’ve heard Mary Humphreys and Anahata sing the tune you speak of, but also played faster as this polka, just instrumental.
It’s not the same tune as ‘The Rose Tree’. I found a version of the song (tho’ not a march) by Nic Jones on the web; https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+bonny+bunch+of+roses+lyrics&view=detail&mid=A641964EB8B72D96A1B1A641964EB8B72D96A1B1&FORM=VIRE
This is as good as it gets.
It’s not "The Rose Tree". Neither is it the air to "The Bonny Bunch Of Roses" as sung by Nic Jones and Seamus Ennis, and "The Bonny Bunch Of Roses" is nowhere on "De Dannan’s" second album. Nevertheless, I think Jeff might be right because the fragment you’ve posted does sound very much like the tune to "The Banks Of The Roses", which as he points out , is on that recording.
Post the whole of the tune and we might be able to confirm that. 4 bars isn’t enough.
Yeah, the notes are probably from The Banks of the Roses (although the note lengths/bar lines don’t really add upp).
Thx Jeff and Kenny and 5stringfool and Bazo and TheWanderer et alia futurum, my notation was just a sketch but you nonetheless have pointed me in the right direction, and I shall bank a bonny bunch of roses to each and every one of you in appreciation, with interest, on principal.
Yup, most certainly "The Banks" but a less agreeable lyric than such a lovely melody suggests, which is probably the murder-ballad-joke of it. But as a march-like tune, not bad at all. Thanks to all again for assisting in the compensation of a brain-fade, as I think I heard it on the De Dannan recording in the first place, many years ago,in fact.
The Rose Tree’s a nice old tune. too. Learned that one maybe from the Robin Williamson Pennywhistle Book? But early on, anyway, back in the 70’s.
