The Showman’s Fancy hornpipe

I found this on the request list, hope this helps!

I saw more comments are wanted on posted tunes. Ok, I had this tune from Mike Rafferty. I really like it alot. At our house session one of the members joined in to play it on whistle and they ‘slided’, or whatever its called, up to the high f and the high g, things like that. It made it sound so soulful that way, I liked it even more. This is a great old tune. Is anyone else playing it?

There is also a nice recording of this tune by accordionist Mike Shaffer on his "Mike and Merv" disk.

This tune can also be found in Johnny O’Leary’s book - Of Sliabh Luachra.

Tune no. 106, on page 62, where it is called The Londonbridge Hornpipe.

It is also known as the 2nd of two O’Keefe Hornpipes.

Eugene O’Donnell, on his classic "Slow Air & Set Dances" recording, plays "Showman’s Fancy" (though not identified as such) as 2 parts of "The Derry Hornpipe."

The given transcription is not any version I’ve known for it, though close, suggestive.

Much closer to how I’ve had it and played it is to be found in the lovely little collection known as "Allan’s Irish Fiddler", one of the earliest collections I ever acquired, and valued, as all the transcriptions, as dots to, are decent ones, unlike some other collections I won’t mention. You can find an online version of it here ~ but avoid the shight ABCs that ‘Noteworthy Composer’ spits out, which you’ll also find here ~

http://www.oldmusicproject.com/
http://www.oldmusicproject.com/allans.html
& dots for "The Showman’s Fancy" - hornpipe
http://www.oldmusicproject.com/AAAllans/GIF/084-showmansFancy.gif

Here are ABCs for the same, not processed through the mangle of ‘Noteworthy Composer’. 😉 This is a good approximation of the basics I play, though I have some quirky takes on it, and throw in the occassional snap, possibly borrowings from others of the lovely family of swung tunes ~

X: 2
T: The Showman’s Fancy Hornpipe
B: “Allan’s Irish Fiddler”, Mozart Allen, Glasgow, date ?, page 21, tune #84
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: DMaj
|: (3FG^G |\
A>^GA>B A>df>d | B>dg>f e>dc>B | A>^GA>B A>FD>F | E>^DE>F E2 (3FG^G |
A>^GA>B A>df>d | B>dg>f e>dc>B | A>df>d g>ec>e | d>ed>c d2 :|
|: (3cd^d |\
e>^de>f g>ec>A | d>cd>e f>dA>f | (3gag (3fgf (3efe (3ded | (3cdc (3BcB A2 (3FG^G |
A>^GA>B A>df>d | B>dg>f e>dc>B | A>df>d g>e (3cBA | d2 d>c d2 :|

Some folks avoid the accidentals in the lead-ins, for example ~
|: (3EFG |\ ~ instead of ~ |: (3FG^G |\ ~ and ~ |: (3Bcd |\ ~ instead of ~ |: (3cd^d |\
I have given some gentle variations for the last two bars, which are options for either the A or the B part, which can be played any number of ways, including as given ~

~ | A>df>d g>ec>e | d>ed>c d2 :|
~ | A>df>d g>e (3cBA | d2 d>c d2 :|
~ | A>d (3fed (3gfe (3cBA | (3ded c>e d2 :|
~ | A2 f>d g2 c>B | A>dd>c d2 :|

Though I tend to finish the tune here, I find I tend to play a higher variation on a number of the bars, but suspect they are a borrowing from elsewhere, one I’m trying to remember…

The Showman’s Fancy was recorded by Joe Derrane in the late 40s or early 50s. It is coupled with a few unidentified hornpipes. He was a former student of Jerry O’Brien

Jackie Roache recorded it in the early 60s and did a bang-up job. He was a former student of James Morrison and John McGrath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKQ8o5-4bTU

play video

This version from the playing of Joe Derrane, who added bits of other hornpipes and perhaps even composed some himself to create the multipart monster. A bit antisocial for a session, but the epitome of party pieces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_wZaVfZAbY

play video

transcribed (more or less) from a great set of hornpipes on Simon Bradley and Eamonn’s Coyne’s album Russell’s House.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnH4WRmxmrs

play video