Eighteen comments
The Humours of Castlefin
Mary Macnamara - Traditional music from East Clare
Good tune, and GREAT album.
Should this one be in the key signature of Edorian (2 sharps)?
The only C is sharpened, in the lead-in to the first bar…it looks like a definite Edorian for the rest of the tune, as well. Beautiful tune!
The Humours of Castlefin (reel)
This great reel was first recorded by Paddy Canny, who called it Egan’s. It was followed by Sean Ryan’s composition "The Glen of Aherlow," which was renamed after the piano accompanist Bridie Lafferty at the time of recording. Then Mary MacNamara took up the set and recorded it together with P.J. and Martin Hayes, adding the single version of "The Killarney Boys of Pleasure" at the end. Here’s a short but sweet sound clip of their trio playing: http://www.claddaghrecords.com/www/music/real_audio/cc60/cc60trk15.ram (from Claddagh Records Catalogue: http://www.claddaghrecords.com/www/product.asp?cID=18&pID=42&c=2758)
The Humours of Castlefin
I think this is a version of "The Game of Love" or vice versa. "The Game of Love" has many different versions, but I want to know what others think about these two tunes.
The Humours of Castlefin on YouTube
Egan’s Reel
X: 1
T: Canny Egan’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Emin
|:A|BE E2 BAFB|ADFD EFAd|BE E2 B2 AF|GBAF E2 FA|
BE E2 BE E2| ADFD EF A2| BE E2 B2 FA|GBAF E3A ||
|:B2 ed egfe|defg afed|B2 ed efgb|agfa ge e2|
B2 ed egfe|defg afdf|efga bagf|egfd edBA|
Mary MacNamara version
I was happy to see that geoffwright cited Mary MacNamara, but I think his transcription is from another source. My buddy Mike Gregory and I made some changes, and think this versionj is much closer to hers.
X: 1
T: Humours Of Castlefin, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Emin
|BE EE BEFB|AD DD FGAd|BE EE BE AF|GBAF EFGA|
BE EE BEFB|AD DD FGAd|BE EE BE AF|GBAF EFGA|
B2 eB egfe|defg afed|!B2 eB egfe|agfa geed|
B2 eB egfe|defg afdf|efga bagf|e2fd e2|]
The other versions are nice, but we like hers best.
I GCnoc Na Grai
There is a supreme version of this tune on Track 1 of Tony MacMahon and Noel Hill’s album "I GCnoc Na Grai". It comes before The Templehouse. Brilliant driving set!
The Fiddler’s Companion
links it to a tune in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (bottom of page 57) called "Paddy Miles Fricassee", a great title but a very tenuous connection in my opinion, though I can just about understand it!
David
Another video
Great video of PJ and Martin Hayes with Geraldine and Eamon Cotter playing this, followed by Glen of Aherlow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFmk-2Krjyg
This one works…
Lovely version…
Single or double?
The Tony MacMahon & Noel Hill setting is the one I was familiar with for years, and they seem to play it double, but every other transcription and setting I can find now seems to be single. It’s not one I’ve heard pop up often at sessions, so I’m curious - is it normally played single and Tony and Noel just play it double to suit a particular dance?
Single or double?
Q: Is it single or double?
A: yes
Kilfenora Ceilli Band Play it as First Reel in set here
The Humours Of Castlefin, X:4
Here’s the version Martin and PJ Hayes play in the video with Eamon Cotter.
The Humours Of Castlefin, X:5
This is the version Noel Hill and Tony McMahon recorded. It’s double and the differences from Martin’s version are subtle.