Dr. Gilbert’s reel

This is based on the version of Dr. Gilberts that Sean Smyth plays on Lunasa’s Otherworld cd, if you can hear in all that rowdy distortion (where’s my LR Baggs, a fuzz box, and a good amp?). The tune is also widely known as Dispute at the Crossroads, and shows up as such in the repertoire of Altan, John Doherty, and Tommy Peoples, among others. Some players sharp the c naturals more often than not, which gives the tune an edgier bite to my ear, fitting the second title.

The above title was given to the tune by John Doherty’s uncle, Mickey McConnell, after a dispute he had with the police whilst walking home drunk from a dance, playing the said tune on the fiddle.

T: Dr. Gilbert’s Fancy Concert
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
gf||eBBA ~B3c|dBAd BAGF|EDB,D G2FG|EDB,E DB,A,B,|
DEED EDB,D|FEED EFGA|(3Bcd ed Bdgb|1afdf efgf:|2afdf e^def||
eB~B2 gB~B2|defa afdf|g2bg fbaf|e^def edBa|
afdf edBc|(3dcB AF AFDF|(3EFG =cA Bdgb|1afdf e^def:|2afdf efgf||

What do people think it? Will what do you think? I always zoom straight for the "skip track" button, altho’ I love the rest of the album.

"of" it…

Have you compared it with the one on "Music at Matt Molloy’s"? I sitll cannot believe they are the same Mayo fiddler.

When I played "The Dispute" together with someone who was playing "Dr Gilbert", I didn’t think the two versions were very comfortable together. Here is my version of "The Dispute" for whistle/ flute based on John Doherty’s playing. Am I right about the key/mode?

K: Edor
gf|:eBBA ~B3c|dBAF AFDF|eBBA B/c/d gb|afdf efgf|
eBBA ~B3c|dBAF AFDA|B~e3 Begb|afdf efgf:|
eB~B2 gBeB|defg afdf|gabg fgaf|egfd ed B/c/d|
afdf edBc|dBAF AFDA|Be~e2 Begb|afdf efgf:|

I think this is a case of two distinct settings of the same tune, often going by different names. Clearly Dispute at the Crossroads and Dr. Gilbert’s are strongly related, sharing the same basic melody line and chord structure, with a few minor but significant differences that make them incompatible if you try to play them together.

LongNote, it’s Edor if you say so—meaning you play the c’s as sharps. If they’re meant to be naturals, then it’s Em.

As for Lunasa’s arrangement with all the distortion, I’ve heard them do this live and it doesn’t bury the lead near as much as it was on the album, so it was easier to go with it. I like the overall effect, heightening the "dispute" feeling, but I usually prefer my trad music clean, so you can hear all the nuances. A local zouk player here in Helena came up with a nice contrapuntal line—when we do a duet, it sounds like two people arguing, trying to talk over each other, except that the zouk and fiddle voices are distinct enough that you can hear each. Creates the same sort of tension as Lunasa’s fuzz, but without losing the clean sound.

Right , not to cause a row, but this is why I would go into fuss-pot mode and dispute giving "The Dispute" as a common AKA. If I ask for "The Dispute" in Donegal, I get what I have posted above — or something like it — not what has been posted as "Dr Gilbert". Though clearly the "same" tune, there are indeed enough differences to make "The Dispute" a distinct setting with a distinct title , maybe worthy of its own posting.

I prefer "The Dispute." Thanks Paddy for the transcription. I think Paul McGrattan recorded a very similar version of it.

X: 1
T: Dispute At The Crossroads
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
D: Altan - Another Sky (Dermot Byrne)
R: reel
K: Edor
gf|eBBA FABc|~d2AF AFDf|eB~B2 Begb|afdf efgf|
eBBA FABc|~d2AF AFDd|Be~e2 Begb|afdf e2:|
|:gf|eB~B2 gBeB|defa afdf|g2bg fbaf|egfg edBb|
afdf edBe|dBAF AFDd|Be~e2 Begb|afdf e2:|

http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPage.do?ToId=23189

First tune of the set

X: 1
T: Dr. Gilbert’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Emin
gf|:eBBA A~B3|dBAc BAGF|EDBD G2 FG|EDBE DBAG|
|BE (3EEE EDBD|GE (3EEE EFGA|(3Bcd ed Bdgb|afdf efgf:|
|:e~B3 g~B3|defg afdf|(3ggg bg fgaf|egfd e~B3|
|afdf edB^c|dBAF AFDF|EAcA Bdgb|afdf efgf:|

Here it is by Noel Hill and Tony Linnane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHHZflPb41o

play video

Second tune by Sean & Gearoid Keane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB8qOSea7us

play video

…gorgeous.

X: 1
T: Dispute At The Crossroads
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
D: Paddy Glackin - In Full Spate
R: reel
K: Edor
gf|eB~B2 BABc|dBAF AFDf|eB~B2 Bdgb|afdf efgf|
eB~B2 BABc|dBAF AFDd|Be~e2 Begb|afdf ef:|
|:gf|eB~B2 gB~B2|defa afdf|~g2bg faaf|~e2fd eB~B2|
afdf edBc|dBAF AFDd|Be~e2 Begb|afdf ef:|

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFiDvs56zds

play video

I really dig James Kelly’s imaginative rendition on his "Capel Street" album. The way he incorporates the low string is brilliant. Pitching the tune lower is really effective, AND his version takes some wonderfully unexpected turns!

I believe I read or heard someplace that the tune was originally French/Canadian & Michael Coleman made it into the reel he recorded by that name.

Surprised if I’m the only one to find this so similar to Ed Reavey’s (Fisherman’s Island)..

This is a flute version.

Órlaith McAuliffe and Shane McGowan
https://youtu.be/NHdf-z63dKI?t=1m26s

play video

Slight variation based on a recording I took at a session in Lisdoonvarna

A version fit for pipes, with some interesting triplets and a bunch of E and D crans.

This comment thread is kind of funny, where there is a long ‘dispute’ about the tune CALLED the "dispute". What’s even worse is that originally, it could have sounded much different, but we’ll never know because there isn’t a recording of the person who composed it. It seems to me that Celtic music, be it Irish, Scottish or some of the other versions from around the world, should be played loosely associated with however one feels when playing it. That makes it more alive and evolving, so to speak. If we always stress out about which scale it’s in, or what some other famous players have said about or done to this tune, then we fail to realize how irrelevant these details have become. Whenever I play a tune, it’s going to depend how I feel at the time as to what nuances I add or take out. I find that this is very relaxing and more enjoyable for player and audience alike. I’ve seen it a million times. I hope this helps!

I must add a little more to what I just posted. After reading and playing through the 10 versions printed here, only number 10 has "some" of the "right" phrases in the B-section. All the rest sound vaguely like the bluegrass tune called ‘Blackberry Blossoms’. I won’t print the version that I play here, not out of a sense of propriety, but because I don’t want to muddy the waters further. I think "my" version is much better than any other I’ve heard, so come and see Atlantic Bridge (my band) performing and I’ll play it if someone makes a specific request. Or, you might just hear it anyway, it’s one of my favourite reels, which I pair up with some other cracking tunes.

Wow — that’s some band promotion. Your version of Dr. Gilbert’s, of which you don’t share a transcription or recording, is better than Coleman, Glackin, Keane, Hill/Linnane, O’Connor, McAuliffe, Altan, Lunasa, and all these others? Awesome, I’d love to hear it!

@Terry:

Hmm, I had a look at most of the settings and #10 isn’t particularly different from any of the others. Even that version has just about the same "material" as the opening phrase of Blackberry Blossom (but two bars later…) if you’re thinking of bar 3 and 4.

The differences are on an ornament/"passing notes" level.

Example:

#9
|:eB~B2 gB~B2|defg afdf| ~g2 bg fgaf|egfd eBB2|
|afdf edBc|dBAF AFDF|(3EFG =cA Bdgb|1 afdf efgf:|2 afdf e2 ||

#10
|:e ~B3 g ~B3|defg afdf|g/f/g bg fgaf|egfd e ~B3|
afdf ed B/c/e|dBAF FEDF|EAcA Bdgb|afdf efgf:|

The question I have is not "whose is best", which is probably indeterminate, but more immediately who was this Dr Gilbert?

From the playing of Graham Wells & David Clark.

Here is a fiddle and cello version to listen to, in E Dorian (Em).

https://soundcloud.com/user-155461785/doctor-gilbert