Easter Snow slip jig

There is a nice version of Liam O’Flynn together with Catherine Ennis, daughter of Seamus Ennis one of *the* pipers, song and tune collector and Liam’s mentor.

Should be played rather slow 3/8= 35..40bpm

of course this is not a slip jig to dance…maybe could be written in 3/4 also, but it’s not a waltz at all as well …

There’s a gorgeous recording of this by Beginish.

one of the easier airs to tackle, but still quite lovely

The recording on pathway to the well is the best slow air I have ever heard on flute and, actually, my favourite slow air of all right now

learning this from the You tube clip. It is very lovely

I’m guessing this is the clip mentioned above. It includes some interesting details about Seamus Ennis as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LumLZb0V8c

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There’s a lovely version of the air & song on the CD ‘Alone by the Wildwood’ https://thesession.org/recordings/4403.

Do not under any circumstances try to learn this piece from the MIDI file here - listen to the air played or sung properly!! 🙂

This CD comes with a 64 page booklet or vice versa. Here you’ll find a history & words of each song. Of interest, is that the booklet claims that the air Easter Snow was composed by blind piper, Jimmy Fallon from Dysart in south Roscommon around the end of the 1800s. It also speculates that the name ‘Easter Snow’ is a corruption of Diseart Nuadhan (St.Nuadhan’s hermitage or church). Although it should be said that the term is also used for the Hawthorn blossom that whitens the ditches in late spring.
The song, Eastersnowe here is of unknown origin and age but was a favourite of the late Florry Brennan of Lanesboro, who got it from Seamus Ennis, who collected the tune from the Donegal traveller fiddlers, the Gallaghers. The author suspects it’s of the 1900s and perhaps made up locally to fit the air? Here’s the words:

Eastersnowe
In the twilight of the morning as I roved out upon the dew,
With my morning cloak around me intending all of my flocks to view.
’Twas there I spied a fair one and oh, she was a beauty bright,
And I took her for Diana or the evening star that rules the night.

I being so much surprised by her, it being the forenoon of the day,
To see this lovely creature coming over the banks of sweet Lough Ree.
Her snow white neck it naked and oh she was a beauty bright,
And my heart was captivated by the two dark eyes rolled in her head.

I said, "My dear your love I crave for Cupid is a cruel foe,
I’ll roll you in my morning cloak and I’ll take you home with me to Easter Snow.
You go and acquaint my parents,“ and ”indeed kind sir I’ll do the same,
And if both our parents give consent then neither you nor I will bear the blame."

I saw this version on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsVFN7VAf1g played by Chris McMullen played on a Low D whistle. I really like it though it was hard to transcribe his ornamentation, it being very complex in parts. I don’t think I always understood what he was playing as hard as I listened. No doubt piping ornaments crept in there. Js signify rising slides and > falling slides.

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At our local session recently, I was reminded of this beautiful Slow Air by the lovely Flute playing of Daithi Connaughton, so when better to record it than Easter Weekend. … In memory of Liam O’Flynn.

Cheers,
Dick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aMmUSj_DcA

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