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…

I learnt this from the playing of Liam O’Sulivan