John McFadden’s Favourite reel

Source: Andy Mcgann & Paul Brady_It’s a Hard road to travel
Transcription: G. M. Pietrasanta

this is the way I play this tune with the flute.

g2fg eBdB|GABd eAA2|DGGF G2ef|gedc BcBA|
G/G/G fg e2dB|GABd eAA2|DGGF G2ef|gedc BGG2||
~g2ga ag(3agf|gabg eaaf|g2dg bgag|(3efg dc BGG2|
~g2ga ag(3agf|gabg eaaf|~g2ga gfed|(3Bcd gd egdB||

K:G
[|G2BG EGdB|GABd e~A3|DGLGF GuG (3Bcd|Lgedc (3Bcd LAF|
|GALAG EGDB|G2SBd e~A3|DGLGF GABd|Lgedc BGuG2S|]
[|~g3a (3bag af|gaLag e~a3|g2Sdg bgaf|Lgedc LB~g3|
|g2Sga LagLgf|gaLag e~a3|g2Saf Lgfed|BdLgd eLgdB|]
[|~G3B EGDB|G2SBD E~A3|DGLGF GuG (3Bcd|Lgedc (3Bcd LAF|
|G2Sbg egdB|GABD E~A3|DGGF G2SBd|Lgedc BG uG2S|]
[|~g3a LbgLaf|~g3a e~a3|g2Sdg bgaf|Lgedc LB~g3|
|g2S ga LbgLaf|gaLag e~a3|gaLaf gfued|B2SLgd eLgdB|]
[|GALAG EGdB|G3A E~A3|DGGF G2S (3Bcd|Lgedc (3Bcd LAF|
|G2SLbg egdB|GABD E~A3|DGGF G2SBd|Lgedc BGuG2|]
|~g3a (3bag af|gaLag e~a3|g2Sdg bgaf|Lgedc LB~g3|
|~g3a bgaf|g2Sag e~a3|g2Saf Lgfed|BdLgd eLgd2S|]

I finally learned this tune from a recording by James Morrison, which I just found out is played in G. On the recording "Irish Dances", I think the tuning is a bit different or it is played in A.

McFadden’s
R: Reel
K: Gmaj

|:GABG EGDB,|G,A,B,D EB,DB,|DGGF G2eg|gedc (3BAG FD|(3GFE FD EB,DB,|G,A,B,D EB,DB,|DGGF G2eg|gedc
BGG2||~g3a (3bag fd|gabg eaa2|g2dg (3bag fd|gedc BGG2|~g3a (3bag fd|gabg eaa2|gbaf gfed| (3Bcd gd edBA:|

Yes, Morrison had the fiddle tuned a full tone sharp of modern concert pitch for this recording. You can hear this more clearly on The Blackberry Blossom which he played after it.

Here’s basically what I’m hearing Kevin playing with The Tea Teetotalers here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCqJIeHGKFM&t=3m24s

play video

X: 5
T: John McFadden’s Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GBAG EGDB|GABD EA~A2|DGGF G2B/c/d|gedB cBAB|
GBAG EGDB|GABD EA~A2|DGGF G2B/c/d|gedc B/c/d ef||
gBdg bgfg|ea~a2 ea~a2|gBdg bgag|e/f/g dc B/c/d ef|
gBdg bgfg|ea~a2 ea~a2|bg f/g/a gedg|B/c/d gd egdB||

The Bridge Ceili Band recorded this on their 1999 cd "Sparks on Flags". It is the last tune on the cd & they entitled it "Martin Fallon’s First Night in America". Martin was a founder-member of The Bridge in 1970. He really loved this tune & he knew it as "The First Night in America". Martin was a Roscommon man but spent most of his life in Clonaslee, Laois. He died in 1980. RIP.

I know nothing about this tune except it’s coming from this recording :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o33QuDo1if4

play video

It’s a setting of this : https://thesession.org/tunes/1466 - but avoiding the low notes which are impossible to get on the flute.