The Coming Of Spring jig

Besides being a great three-part jig, this tune offers some optimism for those of us living in northern climes. I like how the major chords of the B part counter balance the minory sounds of the A and C parts—spring is surely coming, but it’s not here yet.

This jig was composed by Paddy O’Brien, and the transcription here is from Kevin Rowsome (on pipes) and Lorraine Hickey (on fiddle) from the cd, The Rowsome Tradition. They play it in a set, after the Trip to Bantry (also a Paddy O’Brien composition), which is already in the database here.

There’s lots of opportunity for nyah in this tune (as in most of P.O’Brien’s tunes), smearing up to nearly any quarter note, and especially those high g’s in the third part. The c natural at the end of the first and third parts also lends a nice touch.

i’ll hold that thought while watching the snow fall here in washington, suppose montana looks the same. if we play this one a lot maybe it will speed up the spring process. does it go with the frost is all over? don

fun tune, by the way. paddy o’brien tunes are usually winners.

Here in Montana we also play a jig called Early Winter, written by a local (and sometimes Nashville-based) fiddler, Al Cantrell. And then there’s the Chinook Reel, and Dougie MacLean’s One Summer’s Morning….

J.D.C. Publications Ltd., 1992

Page 7: "The Coming of Spring"

It seems Paddy O’Brien paired this tune with another of his compositions, the Black Lough: https://thesession.org/tunes/5459 You can actually listen to his daughter Eileen O’Brien and fluter Deirdre McSherry play the two tunes together: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/story/1015109.html (Weds 18th August 2004, starts around 34:30) East Galway flute player Sean Moloney recorded them on the silver flute, but in reverse order.

By the way, this is a beautiful tune. And easy to learn and play too.

I accidentally found nice sound clips of the Sruleen Ceili Band of South Birmingham, the last year’s winner at the All Britain Fleadh. Here’s one of them: http://www.wibbleh.com/comhaltas/cd/04%20Track%2004.mp3 It was originally broadcasted on the RTE radio programme Ceili House last year. The first tune they play in the clip is the Coming of Spring.

Here’s the new link to the Sruleen Ceili Band’s playing of this jig: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/ceilihouse/rams/25june.smil
From Ceili House Archive 2005: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/ceilihouse/1034199.html

The Sruleen Ceili Band of South Birmingham is one of a few senior ceili bands which have been representing Britain in All-Ireland in recent years. The Leeds Ceili Band is still active though.

The jig set starts around 8:30. Yes, the first one.

Submitted on November 21st 2008 by JACKB.
~ /tunes/9106

X: 2
T: Coming of Spring, The
T: Paddy O’Brien’s (because there are so many, I haven’t added this in the alternate titles…)
C: Paddy O’Brien
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Edor
|: A |\
BEE B2 A | BdB BAG | FEF DFA | dfe dBA |
BEE B2 A | Bef gfe | dc/B/A FGA | BGE E2 :|
|: F |\
GEF G2 A | B2 A Bec | dAA BAG | F3 DEF |
G2 E FGA | Bef gfe | dc/B/A FGA | BEE E2 :|
|:e/f/ |\
g2 e eBe | geg bag | f2 d dcd | AFA def |
[1 g2 e eBe | geg bag | fed fg/a/f | ged e2 :|
[2 g2 e fed | Bec dfe | dc/B/A FGA | BGE E2 |]

This is the lovely jig Declan Masterson plays on his album "At the End of the Harvest".

# Posted on November 21st 2008 by JACKB
https://thesession.org/members/6451

NOTE: I really like the C-part variants as given here, JACKB’s transcription. JACKB had this as e minor, but following the version of this printed in Paddy O’Brien’s collection and as it lies I’ve change the K: to E Dorian, relative D Major, meaning this tune has two sharps, F# & C# throughout… But, I tend to play the descent JACKB gives in the penultimate bar for every part as ~ | d=c/B/A FGA | ~ …

From the playing of Declan Masterson and his CD At The End Of The Harvest. I couldn’t find this tune here as the tune under Declan’s recording comes up as a reel.

It’s The Coming of Spring and it’s already here. I can’t figure out how to copy and paste the link here iOS 8 for iPad.

Co. Clare musicians Dymphna O’Sullivan (concertina) and Joan Hanrahan (fiddle) play two jigs composed by Paddy O’Brien: “The Coming of Spring” and “The Fly in the Porter”.

https://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_288_6_clare_duet_with_two_jigs/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP5DqtFUeYs

play video

A few runs put onto the base melody.

Seána Davey & Stephen Doherty play it really well on their album "The Esdee Sessions", and Líosa (Murphy) plays an upbeat version on her album "Skylark".