Bunker Hill reel

This is a pretty common tune that has come in & out of favor. Although it seems like a new new tune it is in fact quite an old tune. No one really knows how it came to be known as “Bunker Hill” most likely it is a reference to the battle. This tune is a favorite with a lot of the old time ceili bands, but was sometimes played very differently. I think the reason for this was that certain melodeons & two row boxes had no C natural. Which is a a huge part of the tune.

Brad

This is a newish tune composed by Sean Ryan

I don’t think it was written by Sean Ryan as I have a recording of it from the 30’s. Form what I understand this is a very old piping standard. But I could be wrong.

I have heard this on Arty McGlynn’s “Lead the Knave” album - first track side 1 (vinyl) - hard to get on CD. Guitar (electric!)plays tune. Brilliant.

Zina taught me this tune back in August 03, a setting she developed based on how Shannon Heath taught it to her. I’ve gone and tinkered with it, and here’s one way it’s landing on my fiddle these days.

T: Bunker Hill
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmix
cA |: G~E3 D3 G | FGAB B-cBc | ABAG E~G3 | ABcA d2 cA|
GECE {G}EDDG | (3EFG AB c2 Bc | dBcA BGGB | (3AAB cA d2 cA:|
|:G~c3 e~c3 | GccB cBAG | Ad (3ddd fd (3ddd | Add^c d^cAG|
FGAB cAdB | cAdB c2 Bc | dB (3cBA B~G3 |1 ABcA d2 cA :|2 ABcA d2 ag||
|:fd (3ddd fdad | fadf a2 gf | ge (3eee gebe | gbeg b2 ag|
fd (3ddd dcAB | cAdB c2 Bc | (3dcB cA BGFG|1 ABcA d2 ag:|2 ABcA d2 cA||

Heaton -- Shannon Heaton. *grin* I see time is already playing tricks on that memory, Will…*snort*

Will? Will’s not here….

Y’know, I knew that was wrong when I typed it, but I couldn’t stop. Sigh. Let me crawl off now and practice Blunder Hill….

LOL Oddly enough, Heath is the last name of my last roommate before I got married. Jim Heath and I rented a house together for a good six years before Pete and I got married. So maybe you have a better memory than you thought… 🙂

Yep it was ol’ Tim, er Jim, I was thinking of….

I got this setting from my friend Marla. I think it’s based on the recording by Arty McGlynn. It’s a little more straight forward than the other sttings here I think.

X:1
T:Bunker Hill
S:Marla Fibish
Z:Jack Gilder
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K: Dmix
cA |: GE~E2 D2 ~D2 | E/F/G AB cABG | A2AG EFGE | ABce d2 cA :||
Gc~c2 ec~c2 | Gccd cBAG | Ad~d2 fd~d2 | Adde dcAG|
E/F/G AB cAdB | cAdB c2 Bc | dB cA BG~G2 |1 ABcA d2 cA :|2 ABcA d2 ag||
|:fd~d2 fdad | fadf a2 gf | ge~e2 gebe | gbeg b2 ag|
fdde dcAB | cAdB c2 Bc | dB cA BGFG|1 ABcA d2 ag:|2 ABcA d2 ||

some people think it’s weak, but i think it’s a ‘’massive head‘’ tune and the only one i actually play ‘chords’ to on electric bass

. . . i’m talking about a heavier mode projection of this simple tune that works every time for me ( _only my opinion)

. . . simple is best

. . . let the purest’s rant

It’s No 787 in O‘Neills 1001 Gems pub 1907. The setting in O’Neills is well-nigh the same as that transcribed here. I’m always impressed by how often the settings in O’Neills remain virtually unchanged.

http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPage.do?ToId=23192

Here it is played by the transatlantic sessions folk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKIEfSSEYmk&feature=related

play video

me dont like that 3rd part in there

is this not a hornpipe posing as a reel? I won’t be so easily fooled, y’know!

Nice reel, the rolls on Cnatural are not easy on the flute. Any tips?

It track 2 on the 1959 Recording by Paddy Canny, PJ Hayes et al followed by The Old Bush. Is there a Bunker Hill in Ireland as well as America or was it lifted by O’Nill from Ryan’s collection?

Learned this variant from Alan Kelly

bought the book “trip to Sligo” in Galway this year , found the tune “Bunker Hill” played on your site,really happy about that. nice to see Steve Cooney on guitar. now i have to learn it on the mandolin.
go raibh maith agat

Pipes version with loads of triplets.

Thanks for the video. When it first opened it without looking at the clip I thought it was Dervish playing.

Does anyone have it with chords?

This version isn’t that different from the first one: it’s a bit less ornamented and more bare-bones.

Put together a transcription here of Arty’s version: https://www.soundslice.com/slices/5T9Vc/

Quite strange tune, with beat on the 3/4 of the measures. Play a lot of time, will love it 🙂

My take on this great tune.

Kind of cool to play it like Dermot Byrne on the Altan album! BMix is a pretty fun key. Love the modulation between A and E too.