The Humours Of Bandon jig

This tune was requested, so here’s the version I know—a single jig or a slide. I learned this off a dance cd, "The Complete Ceili Collection," featuring Christopher McGrory on accordion. I got over the cheesy ceili dance packaging (and not just on the cd cover), and got into this tune, hooked in part by that slide down from E to D sharp to D at the end of the first half. You can make this tune really swing if you slur across the bars—treat the last note in one bar as the pick up note for the next bar.

"The Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music, Volume II", 1912

Set Dances ~ pages 29 - 34

X: 272
T: Humors Of Bandon, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
|: D |\
DGG GFG | ABG FGA | BAG GFG | Ade f2 e |
d2 e c2 d | ABG FGA | BAG FEF | G3 G2 :|
| d |\
dgg gfg | a-a/b/a/g/ f2 a | g-g/a/g/f/ f d2 e | =f-f/g/e/d/ c2 e |
d-d/e/d/c/ A2 B | c-c/d/c/B/ G2 B | A-A/B/A/G/ F2 A | GFD EDC |
DGG GFG | ABG FGA | BAG GFG | Ade f2 e |
d2 e c2 d | ABG FGA | BAG FEF | G3 G2 :|

I play certain groupings above differently,
for example, the B-part, bar 2 ~ rather than as Roche suggests
~ | a-a/b/a/g/ f2 a | ~ I play it ~ | ab/a/g fga | ~

Also, as Roche suggests, and as the accompanying dance by the same name goes, both parts are repeated…

|: d |\
dgg gfg | a-a/b/a/g/ f2 a | g-g/a/g/f/ f d2 e | =f-f/g/e/d/ c2 e | ~

& I might as well add Roche’s few ornaments while I’m at it…

X: 272
T: Humors Of Bandon, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
|: D |\
DGG {A}GFG | ABG FGA | BAG {A}GFG | Ade f2 e |
d2 e c2 d | ABG FGA | BAG FEF | G3 G2 :|
|: d |\
dgg {a}gfg | a-a/b/a/g/ f2 a | g-g/a/g/f/ d2 e | =f-f/g/f/e/ c2 e |
d-d/e/d/c/ A2 B | c-c/d/c/B/ G2 B | A-A/B/A/G/ F2 A | GFD {F}EDC |
DGG {A}GFG | ABG FGA | BAG {A}GFG | Ade f2 e |
d2 e c2 d | ABG FGA | BAG FEF | G3 G2 :|

Here’s as I’ve played it ~

X: 3
T: Humorus Of Bandon, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
E |: D2 G GFG | A2 G FGA | B2 G GFG | A2 d f2 e |
d2 e c2 A | BB/A/G FGA | B^AB cAF |[1 G2 F E2 F :|[2 G3 G3 ||
|: d2 g gfg | ab/a/g f2 a | ga/g/f d2 e | =f2 d c2 e |
d2 c B2 d | c2 B A2 c | BGG GFG | A2 G F2 E |
DGG GFG | A2 G FF/G/A | BGG GFG | A2 d f2 e |
d2 e c2 A | BAG FGA | B^AB cAF |[1 G3 G3 :|[2 G3 G2 |]

~ penultimate bar A & B parts ~ correction!!! It figures I’d miss something…

X: 4
T: Humors of Bandon, The
S: "O’Neill’s Music of Ireland", 1903, page 146, tune #786
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: Set Dance
K: GMaj
|: D |\
D>GG {A/}GFG | {B/c/}BAG FGA | {A/}d2 G {A/}GFG | Bcd =fef |
{d/e/}d2 e c2 d | {d/}cAG FGA | BAG F<DF | G3 G2 :|
|: B |\
d>gg {g/f/}gfg | f<ag f2 a | {g/f/}g2 f d2 e | {f/g/}=f2 d c2 e |
{d/e/}d2 c A2 B | {c/d/}c2 A G2 B | {A/B/}A2 G F2 A | {A/}GFE {A/B/}A2 E |
D>GG {A/}GFG | {B/c/}BAG FGA | {A/}d2 G {A/}GFG | Bcd =fef |
{d/e/}d2 e c2 d | {d/}cAG FGA | BAG F<DF | G3 G2 :|

{~} - For O’Neill’s additions of trills (tr) and mordents in this transcription I’ve given them all as moredents, two notes, for example on a d2 - {d/e/}d2.

X: 5
T: Humors of Bandon, The
S: "O’Neill’s The Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems", 1907, page 168, tune #977
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: Set Dance
K: GMaj
F|\
DGG GFG | A/B/AG FGA | BGG GFG | A/B/de fef |
d2 e c2 A | BAG FGA | BGA FDF | G3 G2 :|
|: c |\
dgg gfg | g/b/ag f2 a | g/a/gf d2 e | f/g/fd c2 e |
d/e/dc B2 d | c/d/cB G2 A | B/c/BG F2 A | G/A/GF D2 C |
DGG GFG | A/B/AG FGA | BGG GFG | A/B/de fef |
d2 e c2 A | BAG FGA | BGA FDF | G3 G2 :|

|: F |\ ~ the lead-in for the A-part of X: 5… 😏

Submitted on November 20th 2002 by Trevor Jennings.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1149

Some ceili bands, such as Fodhla, have used this as another tune for this particular ceili band, in a set with "Pléaráca na Banndan" / "The Humours of Bandon"…

"The Humours of Bandon"

"Maggie Brown’s Favourite"
https://thesession.org/tunes/1149

"The Orange Rogue"
https://thesession.org/tunes/899

James "The Professor" Morrison - fiddle & Tom Ennis - uilleann pipes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te0H8qP-iYk

play video

With the classic 8-bar dance intro and a decent tempo,
roughly 116 bpm, but a half step sharp, after adjustment down from Eb to D - 110 bpm
A-AABB/AABB/AABB (the usual and official finish for the dance is AA)

Adding the links here is more for amusement and in no way is an endorsement for what follows ~ 😛

Uploaded on 11 Aug 2007 ~ by Jeff Hoffmann
Irish Dancing @ the Irish Fair, 8/10/07 ~ wrong tunes, jigs into reels, & too fast
Humors of Bandon, attempt 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ67Y6EYmrQ

play video

Humors of Bandon, attempt 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA9EdXYwD0U

play video

Published on 5 Mar 2012 ~ by MaguireNTIF
Maguire Academy of Irish Dance
2012 Humours of Bandon (Sunday)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI23FXPjMMU

play video

Published on 19 Mar 2013 ~ by ghiligirl
Adult students from the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance perform the Humors of
Bandon at the Women’s Club of Chevy Chase.
Humors of Bandon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdyYP9OZCHU

play video

Italians give it a go ~ (Oh my ears!)
Uploaded on 11 Jun 2009 ~ by Sol Accursio
saggio allievi Gens d’Ys 6-6-2009
Corso Ceili avanzato Milano
The Humours of Bandon - Saggio Gens d’Ys 2009
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrE5b-bDzQE

play video

Americans in the West step through it ~
Uploaded on 30 Jul 2009 ~ by fourwr
Voetburgs play while the Bisceglia sisters dance the Irish dance Humours of Bandon,
Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle, Washington?
Humours of Bandon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6rTFZK34Ss

play video

The Russians/Ukranians (?) take it two ways ~
Published on 15 Apr 2013 ~ by selfstarter
4 hand jig (Humours of Bandon)
ALL Women, recording ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcU0TyKrhLE

play video

Published on 2 May 2012 ~ by selfstarter
Humours of Bandon (male version)
ALL Men, live music ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Q_HeTj7Mc

play video

Romanians take a different slant:
Uploaded on 19 Mar 2010 ~ by Irish Way
The Irish Way group presenting a rather artistical version of the traditional ceili dance called
"Humors of Bandon", on Hevia’s song "Rubiercos". Location: Hard Rock Cafe, Bucharest.
Saint Patrick’s Day party, 2010
Irish Way’s version of Humors of Bandon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlCpUrHae8

play video

https://thesession.org/recordings/584

Track 8 ~ approximately 96 bpm

The first version was taught last week by Jill Elliott at a tune workshop near Bristol, with a view to playing it for dancers in the not too distant future.

I should also mention that Jill Elliott’s tune workshop was on 23 July 2014 (otherwise that specific date will be indeterminate here in a year or so!)

😀 Indeterminatism! It’s taking over the world!

Here’s Marla Fibish playing this with Jimmy Crowley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYYIsUf-vvU

play video

Brilliant! I love it! Thanks Jeremy…