Captain John’s hornpipe

Trevor, why no info on the tune? Did you get it from a session?

This is probably a Scottish reel, from the guitar playing of Tony Cuffe [RIP ]. I seem to remember it originally came from one of the “Kerr’s” collections. There is an Irish connection, in that I heard it played by Geraldine Cotter on piano on a recording which was played on Clare FM some time last year. She had a different name, and I’ll try to track it down. A favourite tune of mine on whistle, especially for the ascending series of triplets in the second part. Tony always had an ear for a good tune.

Already here - as “Captain John’s”, posted by “Lazyhound”. He hasn’t provided any information, so I’ll paste my transcription and the details into the “Comments”. Sorry Jeremy - should have checked first.

I’ve just posted a transcription of this tune from Tony Cuffe, but Trevor’s beaten me to it, although there are significant differences in the settings. Here’s what I posted :

This is probably a Scottish reel, from the guitar playing of Tony Cuffe [RIP ]. I seem to remember it originally came from one of the “Kerr’s” collections. There is an Irish connection, in that I heard it played by Geraldine Cotter on piano on a recording which was played on Clare FM some time last year. She had a different name, and I’ll try to track it down. A favourite tune of mine on whistle, especially for the ascending series of triplets in the second part. Tony always had an ear for a good tune.

fg |: afge fded | cdec A3 d | cdef gfed | cdBc A2 fg |
afge dfed | cdec A2 z d | cdef gece |1 dfec d2 fg :|2 dfec dgfg |
eA (3AAA g2 fg | eA A2 A2 z g | gfed dcBA | GB B2 B2 AG |
Fd (3ddd ce (3eee | df (3fff eg (3ggg | fgaf bgec |1 d2 dc dgfg :|2 d2 d
c d4 |

What a strange ‘hornpiped’ 2nd part… nice tune.

Kenny I know this as a French Canadian reel/hornpipe - called ‘La Mer’ (The Sea)!
I’ve also seen it as Captain John’s and The Mare.
One of my favourite tunes. Why not have it in twice!
All the best, Sharon

Hi Kenny - forgot to say that this tune is also in the Gunn MS (Fermanagh 1865) as ‘The Duke of Brunswick’s Hornpipe’
All the best, Sharon

That particular Mare seems to have been very well-travelled.

It’s an oild tune — appears in Joyce, P. W.; “Old Irish Folk Music and Songs” and as #309 in O’Neill’s “Waifs and Strays”

Submitted on November 17th 2002 by Trevor Jennings.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1141

This tune appears in other sources as 1. Ryan’s Mammoth (1883) as “Bonnie Annie - Clog” 2. The Stephen Grier MS of Co. Leitrim c.1883 - untitled 3. George Spencer MS Leeds c.1831 “Princes Hornpipe” 4. George H. Watson MS Norfolk c.1850-80 “Mairs Hornpipe” 4. “Reel du Goglu” - Canadian version attributed to Joseph Allard

Giving some early transcriptions a go, “Joyce’s Old Irish Folk Music and Song” - 1909 & “O’Neill’s Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody” - 1922 ~ and giving it a bit of play beyond those transcriptions…