Contentment Is Wealth (jig) on The Session

Contentment Is Wealth

Source: Moher - "over the edge"
Transcription: g.m.p.

A good tune from a good album.

I like the name, really speaks to me…

Isn’t the title a bit ambiguous? You could either take it as meaning that "contentment is achieved by being wealthy" or "contentment is wealth of a more wholesome kind than money". I think I prefer the latter :-)

History of Contentment is Wealth jig

Greetings ye faceless ones of the ITM ether

I was not sure whether to post this in the tunes section or under discussions. I opted for discussions as there is a greater chance for many a varied reply.

I noticed in the tunes section that the sheetmusic to the jig titled O’Connell’s Farewell to Dublin is the same as that for Contentment is Wealth. However, in the versions I know of these tunes the B parts are the same but the A parts differ.

Or put another way (to avoid confusion)
O’Connells: The first 8 bars differ from Contentment but the melody in the 8 bars of Part B are the same.

I am also aware of Paddy O’Brien’s version where the first 8 bars of Contentment is the same as the Contentment version I am aware of, but the B part is different.

Does anyone know how these tunes evolved or mutated?

Thanks
Simon

Re: History of Contentment is Wealth jig

Ha ha - not completely faceless, Simon. THere are a few of us with links to webpages and sites with our photos up. So then you know you’re talking to Real People.
In answer to your question - well, a bit of waffle actually, as there is no easy answer. This happens all the time and is one of the endearing features of the music.
It could be that the tune transmogrified as it crossed a county border way back. Maybe the player who took it to the neighbouring county remembered the first part really well but forgot exactly how the second part went - so (s)he sellotaped his own bit on. Or maybe, to make the tune their own the player changed a bit of it and that then became the standard rendition in that part of the world. As I say, it happens all the time.

Thanks for the reply, Lordy.

I doubted there was a specific answer, but you don’t know unless you ask. Your reply confirmed my suspicions as to possiblities of the various versions.

Cheers
SJT

“O’Connell’s Welcome To Dublin” ~ one in the same…

Key signature: e minor
Submitted on November 20th 2003 by Grack.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2174

“Paddy Carty’s Favourite” ~ in Triplicate

Key signature: E minor (rather than E Dorian)
Submitted on March 12th 2004 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2642

Contentment is Wealth

I don’t know why, but Cape Breton fiddlers call this tune the Golden Keyboard.

Much confusion

The real "Contentment is Wealth" is a different tune in O’Neil’s collection. Paddy Reynolds often played it together with this one, which was "Tony Molloy’s" (after the flute player with the Leitrim Ceili Band of east Galway) on a recording by Sean Ryan and PJ Moloney.

Contentment Is Wealth (jig) ~ Slainte’s brave attempt to give it air

So, to put a bit more confusion into the mix…

While listening to John Williams’ Celtic Passion recording, I saw that John Williams calls this jig Tongs by the Fire, which is actually a completely different tune. But this is the one that matches it. It’s weird, mayhaps there was confusion and they guessed what the name was. Either way, a fun tidbit that can give a bit more confusion to the mix=D

Harry Bradley also recorded a version of this as the Tongs by the Fire though he doesn’t provided where the title comes from.

Haha, I think I tried to type "he doesn’t inform where the title comes from."

John Skelton’s version on “One at a time”

John Skelton performed a beautiful flute version of this tune with the title "O’Connell’s Farewell to Ireland" on his 1993 album, "One at a time."

On the album liner he says this:

The title of this reel, like the better known "O’Connell’s Welcome to Parliament," refers to Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847). Sean Keane plays a version of this tune as a hornpipe, and I also remember hearing it played by P.J. Crotty, the Co. Clare flute player. My own setting, however, is based upon the reel in Brendan Breathnach’s "Ceol Rince na h’Eireann, 2."

I just noticed that the tune is listed here as a jig. It’s performed as a reel by Skelton.

Wrong

https://thesession.org/tunes/4090

The above is the tune John recorded, which has nothing whatsoever in common with this jig, as far as I can see.
The title is "O’Connell’s Farewell To Dublin", not Ireland.

Wrong? Thanks for the gracious welcome, Kenny.

You are right, I typed the title incorrectly; it is Dublin.

Listening to the two, I think they’re related, but sometimes these tunes sound similar to my ears when they’re not.

Welcome to the session, art, although I see you posted here in August last year, so a "welcome" is a bit belated. Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself in your biography, please ?

Thanks for the welcome, Kenny. I’ve added a description to my profile. That was a good idea. I hadn’t noticed that possibility.

One more title!

Karen Tweed also plays this tune as ‘The Miner’s Jig’.

Andrea Beaton’s and Paul Cranford’s Versions

On Paul Cranford’s website he (a Cape Breton fiddler) calls this jig Contentment in Wealth. His version is the first one I have posted. The second version I have here is from Andrea Beaton’s playing.

Tate, I wish you had posted those two versions here: https://thesession.org/tunes/6842

Jackie Daly

From the playing of Jackie Daly, I love this version.

In A minor in O’Neill’s

Mary Bergin- Contentment is Wealth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXuGAjaae3M

play video

Contentment Is Wealth, X:7

Slightly simplified, and loosely based on a Joe McKenna version (which is in a different key, but nobody’s perfect).

Contentment Is Wealth, X:8

This is the second tune here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojUp9RqP3jY