The Baltimore Salute reel

Tune requested by dogface.

Source: Seamus Egan
Composer: Josie McDermott ( flute player, singer and songwriter from Co. Sligo )
Transcription: g.m.p.

I’ve just noticed this posting of Gian Marco’s. It’s the same as "Lansdowne Lass", as played by "Deanta", and John Wynne and posted by myself - I knew it would be, coming from the Seamus Egan recording. Could someone tell me if this is the tune played by Verena Cummins and Julie Langan, and "Sliabh Notes" under this name, ( and if so, did they get it from Seamus Egan ?)

The one on Sliabh Notes is as follows:

|:A|B2ge dBGA|BdBG AEGE|DG~G2 GABd|egdB ABGA|
B2ge dBGA|BdBG AEGE|DG~G2 GABd|gedB G3:|
|:A|BG~G2 DG~G2|g2eg dB~B2|g2eg d2Bd|eaag a2ga|
bgab agef|gage dBAB|GAGE DGBe|dBAB G3:|

Here’s how I play it. Can’t recall where I learned this—may have been from an old bootlet tape of Josie McDermott himself, though I’ve undoubtedly swerved from what he played. Note that I use the same ending for each part. I like all the rolls in this—great flute tune.

K:G
|:B2 ge dBGA|~B3 G AEGE|D~G3 GABd|egdB ABGA|
|B2 ge dBGA|BdBG A~E3|DGBG DGBe|dBAB G2 GA:||
|:B~G3 D~G3|gdeg d~B3|gd (3efg dGBd|eaag a2 ga|
|bgab agef|~g3 e dBAB|~G3 E DGBe|dBAB G2 GA:||

Will, I like your setting of this. The last bar of each part is the same so it feels somehow more balanced.

Or what about a mixture of all of them:

|:GA|B2ge dBGA|BdBG AGEG|DG~G2 DGBd|egdB ABGA|
B2ge dBGA|BdBG AGEG|DG~G2 DGBe|dBAB G2:|
|:GA|BG~G2 DG~G2|gdeg dG~G2|g2eg dG (3Bcd|eaag a2ga|
bgab agef|g2ge dBAB|G2EG DGBe|dBAB G2:|

Yes, well done Mark. For some reason, G major tunes always suggest more options to me than tunes in most other keys/modes. I really like this one’s rambling, flowing melody line.

Doesn’t June NiCormack play this tune in A? Anybody know in what key it was written? And the connection with Billy McComiskey? Thanks— Davie

June McCormack plays this in G on an Eb flute so it comes out in G#. Very nice playing. I don’t know of any connection to Billy MComiskey, sorry.

Only connection I could suggest between this tune and McComiskey is that Billy currently hails from Baltimore (USA).

Here’s a video of flute player Liam Ó Riain playing the tune after the Concert Reel.

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_260_4_liam_o_riain/

ComhaltasLive #258 - 6: Catriona Cullivan on Piano
http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_258_6_catriona_cullivan/

2 reels: "The Baltimore Salute" / "Crehan’s"

ComhaltasLive #264-2: Breda Shannon on Whistle
http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_264_2_breda_shannon_on_whistle/

2 reels: “The Trip to Birmingham” composed by Josie McDermott / “The Baltimore Salute”

X: 5
T: Baltimore Salute, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|: GA |\
BGGe dBGA | B/c/B GG AGEG | DG G/A/G DGBd | egdB ABGA |
BGGe dBGA | B/c/B GB AGEG | DG G/A/G DGBd | egdB GF :|
|: GA |\
BG G/G/G gG G/G/G | gdeg dB G2 | g/a/g fg edBd | eaag abga |
[1 bgab gede | gdeg dBAB | GBDB GABd | egdB GF :|
[2 b2 ab ge d2 | g/a/g eg dBAB | G/A/G DB GABd | egdB G2 |]

The 1st & 2nd endings for the B-part are offered to show some other options and to allow the tune to resolve on the tonic, G…

The story I got from Billy and some of the other local musicians here in Baltimore is that Josie came to Baltimore years ago (in the eighties maybe), played at one of the local pubs (which is no longer in existence) and had such a great time that he handed Billy a piece of paper upon leaving and on it was this tune. Billy also recorded it with me on my CD along with Donna Long on piano, who I believe also may have met Josie on that visit to Baltimore. It’s since become one of our local favorites!

Played nicely here with Coal Miner’s and Kilmaley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_y3Sb4UtII

play video

and here by Annette Owens,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xBdo2uYTaI

play video

the mighty version from Deanta, they call it "The Lansdowne Lass"

https://youtu.be/y-ZkQpyTf7c?t=1m20s

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBGkWs-Jm1E

play video

This is Mary Bergin’s version. I wrote out both A section because the second pass is just a bit difference. The B sections are almost identical.