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Dowd’s Favourite reel

Also known as Dowd’s, Dowd’s Favorite, O’Dowd’s, O’Dowd’s Favourite.

There are 70 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with The Star Of Munster (a few times), The Marquis Of Huntley (a few times), Miss Montgomery (a few times), The Morning Dew (a few times) and The Mouth Of The Tobique (a few times).

Dowd’s Favourite has been added to 11 tune sets.

Dowd's Favourite has been added to 406 tunebooks.

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Ten settings

X: 1
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
F|DGGA BABF|DFF2 DFCF|DGGA BABd|cAfA AGG:|!
A|B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|B2dB fBdB|cAFA BGGA|!
B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|BAGF Ggge|fdcA BGG|]!
z|gdd2 g2ag|fcc2 fcAc|gdd2 g2ag|fdcA BGG2|!
gdd2 g2ag|fcc2 fcAF|GABc dgge|fdcA BGG|]!
# Added by JD .
X: 2
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
|gd {d}dd gbag|fc {c}cc fgaf|gd {d}dd gbag|fdcA BGBd|!
gd {d}dd gbag|fc {c}cc fgaf|gafg efde|cAfc AGG|]!
X: 3
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
DGGA B2GB|A~F3 CFA,F|DGGA [D3B3]B|{c}BAGA {c}BA[DA]F |!
DGGA B2GB|A~F3 CFA,F|DGGA [D3B3]d|cA[Af]c [Ae]GG2 |!
X: 4
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
G|EAAB cBcG|EGG2 EGDG|EAAB cBce|dBgB BAA:|!
B|c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|c2ec gcec|dBGB cAAB|!
c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|cBAG Aaaf|gedB cAA|]!
z|aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBd|aee2 a2ba|gedB cAA2|!
aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBG|ABcd eaaf|gedB cAA|]!
X: 5
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amin
|: G | DAAB cBcG | EG ~G2 DGAG | EGAB cABc | dBgd BAAG |
DAAB cBcG | EG ~G2 DGAG | EGAB cABc | dBgd BA A :|
|: B | c2 ec Gcec | Gcec dBGB | c2 ec Gcec | dBGB cAAB |
c2 ec Gcec | Gcec dBGB | AcBd ceae | [1gedB cA A :| [2gedB cA A2 :|
|: ae ~e2 aeba | gdBd gabg | ae ~e2 aeba | gedB cA A2 |
ae ~e2 aeba | gdBd gabg | abga eage | dBgd BA A2 :|
X: 6
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
|B3 A B2AF|DFF2 CFAF|DGGA BABd|cAfA AGG|!
F|DGGA BABF|DFF2 DFCF|DGGA B3d|cAfA AGG|!
A|B2dB FBdB|B2dB cAFA|B2dB FBdB|cAFA BGGA|!
B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|DGGF Ggge|fdcA AGG|]!
z|gdd2 gbag|fcc2 fgaf|gdd2 gbag|fdcA BGG2|!
g2dg b2ag|f2cf a2AF|GABc dgge|fdcA ABAF|]!
X: 7
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
F|D3G BABF|CF{G}F{E}F CFAF|DGGA B3/2{c}B/2{A}Bd|
cAfA AGGF|DG .G/2.G/2.G BABF|CF{G}F{E}F CFAF|
DGGA B3/2{c}B/2{A}Bd|cAfA AG G z||
B2dB FBdB|DFBd cAFA|.B/2.B/2.B dB fB{c}B{A}B|
.B/2.B/2.B dB cAFA|GBAc Bage|fdcA BG G z||
g2df (g/2f/2g) bg|fdcA BG G z|g2df (g/2f/2g) bg|
fcce fgcA|GBAc Bage|fdcA B2AF|G8|]
X: 8
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
K: Gdor
DGGA BGAF|DFFD CFAF|DGGA ~B3d|cAfc AGGF|
DGGA BGAF|DFFD CFAF|DGGA ~B3d|1cAfc AGGF:|2cAfc AGGA|]!
B2dB FBdB|DBdB cAFA|B2dB FBdB|~c2Ac BGGA|!
B2dB FBdB|DBdB cAFA|GBAc Bdge|1fdcA BGGA:|2fdcA BGBd|]!
gd~d2 gbag|fc~c2 fgaf|gd~d2 gbag|fdcA BGBd|!
gd~d2 gbag|fc~c2 fga G|~B2BA Bdge|1fdcA BGBd:|2fdcA dBAF|]!
X: 9
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
DGGA B2GB|AFF2 CFA,F|DGGA B2Bd|BGAF DGGF|
DGGA BAGB|AFF2 CFA,F|DGGA BABd|(3cBA FA AGG2|
B2dB FBdB|FBdB cBAc|B2dB FBdB|cBAc BGGA|
BABd c3A|BABd cAFD|GBAc Bdfd|cAfA AGG2|
gdd2 g<bag|fcc2 fgaf|gdd2 g<bag|fdcA BGG2|
gdd2 g<bag|fcc2 fgaA|B2BA Bbag fdcA BGG2|
X: 10
T: Dowd's Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmin
|:DGGA BGAF|CFAF dFcF|DGGF GABg|[1fdcA BG{A}GF:|[2fdcB AFcA||
B2dB fBdB|FBdB GecA|B2dB bBdB|FdcA BGG2|
BABd cBcd|BABd cAFA|GFGB Abag|fdcA BGG^f|
gd(3ddd gdbg|fc(3ccc fga^f|gd(3ddd gdbg|fdcA BGGa|
g2(3ag^f gabg|f2(3gf=e fgab|B2(3cBA Bbag|fdcA BG{A}GF|

Twenty-one comments

This tune is also played by Tommy People’s on his Iron Man album.

Good version also by Kathleen Collins who uses an unexpected ornament in the third part. At first I thought she was putting in triplets on the ds and cs, but slowing it down I realized she was adding a d grace note before two d quavers (likewise on the c), with the bow really digging in triplet style for the grace note. Reproducing it changes the expected bowing direction so is initially tricky to do (especially if like me you’re all primed to put a triplet in at this spot). Here’s the last bar of her b part and all of her c part:

fdcA BGBd|]!
|gd {d}dd gbag|fc {c}cc fgaf|gd {d}dd gbag|fdcA BGBd|!
gd {d}dd gbag|fc {c}cc fgaf|gafg efde|cAfc AGG|]!

Using double stops

Peter Knight of Steeleye Span does a nice version with double stops on Ten Man Mop. The second note is usually higher or lower by a fifth, giving it a "fiddly" sound. Here’s the a part:

DGGA B2GB|A~F3 CFA,F|DGGA [D3B3]B|{c}BAGA {c}BA[DA]F |!
DGGA B2GB|A~F3 CFA,F|DGGA [D3B3]d|cA[Af]c [Ae]GG2 |!

Andy McGann’s 3rd part

Andy McGann’s setting of this is nice, too. Particularly the 3rd part. The 2nd part is also much more interesting than that posted here. You can hear it on the Tribute to Michael Coleman CD

https://thesession.org/recordings/display/47

or find a printed transcription in Miller and Perron’s Traditional Irish Fiddle Music. However, I’d advise ignoring the wierd 4th part there which was devised by Randy Miller.

Posted by .

haha dow…ds lol
sorry dow. we love you really. you are a legend

Into Am — is this cheating? For flute or concertina…

X: 1
T:Dowd’s Favourite
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K:Ador
G|EAAB cBcG|EGG2 EGDG|EAAB cBce|dBgB BAA:|!
B|c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|c2ec gcec|dBGB cAAB|!
c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|cBAG Aaaf|gedB cAA|]!
z|aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBd|aee2 a2ba|gedB cAA2|!
aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBG|ABcd eaaf|gedB cAA|]!

Dowd’s

And here’s another version as played by this young chap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esAhsMR0kVg


X: 1
T: Gan Ainm
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amin
|: G | DAAB cBcG | EG ~G2 DGAG | EGAB cABc | dBgd BAAG |
DAAB cBcG | EG ~G2 DGAG | EGAB cABc | dBgd BA A :|
|: B | c2 ec Gcec | Gcec dBGB | c2 ec Gcec | dBGB cAAB |
c2 ec Gcec | Gcec dBGB | AcBd ceae | [1gedB cA A :| [2gedB cA A2 :|
|: ae ~e2 aeba | gdBd gabg | ae ~e2 aeba | gedB cA A2 |
ae ~e2 aeba | gdBd gabg | abga eage | dBgd BA A2 :|

If I remember well, there is a track of a woman doing a bit of mouth music in "the Scottish Tradition Series vol 2 or 3" and one of her tunes sounds v similar to this reel’s 1st part.

Tommy and Siobhan Peoples

X: 1
T: Dowd’s Favourite
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gdor
|B3 A B2AF|DFF2 CFAF|DGGA BABd|cAfA AGG|!
F|DGGA BABF|DFF2 DFCF|DGGA B3d|cAfA AGG|!
A|B2dB FBdB|B2dB cAFA|B2dB FBdB|cAFA BGGA|!
B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|DGGF Ggge|fdcA AGG|]!
z|gdd2 gbag|fcc2 fgaf|gdd2 gbag|fdcA BGG2|!
g2dg b2ag|f2cf a2AF|GABc dgge|fdcA ABAF|]!

@McBris

Hmm, that last e doublestopped with that A sounds a bit odd

Any more variations on Dowd’s Favorite?

Hi, I’m still trying to come up with a setting that sounds more like the version played by Tommy and Siobhan Peoples in the Youtube link above. I guess I’m going to try and find a recording of them playing it, but in the meantime, can anybody help me figure out some of the more subtle variations other than the ones I already notated above?

Tommy and Siobhán Peoples

This is a rough transcription of the reel played the last time round. I can write it with a swing but it is a lot of work in abc, and can never capture the way these two play it.

X:1
T:Dowd’s Favourite
S:Tommy and Siobhán Peoples
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Reel
K:Gdor
F|D3G BABF|CF{G}F{E}F CFAF|DGGA B3/2{c}B/2{A}Bd|
cAfA AGGF|DG .G/2.G/2.G BABF|CF{G}F{E}F CFAF|
DGGA B3/2{c}B/2{A}Bd|cAfA AG G z||
B2dB FBdB|DFBd cAFA|.B/2.B/2.B dB fB{c}B{A}B|
(c/2=B/2c) Ac _BGGc|B3/2{c}B/2{A}Bd c3/2{d}c/2{B}cA|
.B/2.B/2.B dB cAFA|GBAc Bage|fdcA BG G z||
gd .d/2.d/2.d gbag|fc .c/2.c/2.c fgaf|
g2df (g/2f/2g) bg|fdcA BG G z|g2df (g/2f/2g) bg|
fcce fgcA|GBAc Bage|fdcA B2AF|G8|]

Hey thanks so much!

I haven’t even looked at this yet, but thanks for trying even if you can never "really" capture it. Swing is unnecessary to notate, I just can’t hear all the notes enough to reproduce them.

Solas Slow air before this tune elusive!

I’m trying to find info on the slow tune that Solas play before the Beauty spot. Despite it being listed as O’Dowd’s in many locations I can’t hear any resemblance to O Dowd’s! TunePal doesn’t recognise it either. I’m trying to credit the composer. Does anyone have any idea? Or anyone have the original sleeve notes for "the Words that remain" album?

Dowd’s Favourite reel

An ancestor of this tune is "The Braes of Bushbie (or Busby)" which was published in Joseph MacFadyen’s ‘Repository of Scots and Irish Airs’ in about 1795. Busby is a village south of Glasgow. The tune is said to have been a favourite of Niel Gow.

Tara Breen’s version of Dowd’s Reel

Here’s what I have for how Tara Breen frames the tune that fluther posted a YouTube for.

X: 1
T: Dowd’s Reel
S: Tara Breen
Z: Jack Gilder
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
DGGA BGAF|DFFD CFAF|DGGA ~B3d|cAfc AGGF|
DGGA BGAF|DFFD CFAF|DGGA ~B3d|1cAfc AGGF:|2cAfc AGGA|]!
B2dB FBdB|DBdB cAFA|B2dB FBdB|~c2Ac BGGA|!
B2dB FBdB|DBdB cAFA|GBAc Bdge|1fdcA BGGA:|2fdcA BGBd|]!
gd~d2 gbag|fc~c2 fgaf|gd~d2 gbag|fdcA BGBd|!
gd~d2 gbag|fc~c2 fga G|~B2BA Bdge|1fdcA BGBd:|2fdcA dBAF|]!

Dowd’s Favourite, X:9

This is the late Buddy MacMaster’s great version off "his album The Judique Flyer". Simple, but very powerful indeed.

Dowd’s Favourite, X:10

Another great setting from the playing of Winston Scotty Fitzgerald, transcribed from this wonderful video posted by Kenny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKR0ZvT8TnU&feature=youtu.be. Fitzgerald’s playing starts around 1:53. It’s a Cape Breton setting, but still rather different from Buddy MacMaster’s. Natalie MacMaster’s setting is somewhat more similar to Fitzgerald’s.