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The Minstrel’s Fancy hornpipe

Also known as Billy Caples’s, Buck From The Mountain, The Buck From The Mountain, The Buck On The Mountain, The Hanover, McElligott’s Fancy, McGelligot’s Fancy, Minstrel’s Favourite, The Minstrel’s Favourite, The Minstrels’ Favourite.

There are 28 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Minstrel’s Fancy has been added to 4 tune sets.

The Minstrel's Fancy has been added to 128 tunebooks.

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Six settings

1
X: 1
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:FG|AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ed|cegf edcd|(3efe (3dcB A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ed|cegf edce|d2dc d2:|
|:ef|gfge cABc|dcde f2ef|gfge cABc|(3dfe (3dcB A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ed|cegf edce|d2dc d2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
FG|AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|dAfd A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|d2f2d2:|
|:ef|gfed cABc|dcde f2ef|gfed cABc|dAfd A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|d2f2d2:|
3
X: 3
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|dBAF EFD2|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|1 defe d2dB:|2 defe d2ef||
gfge cABc|dcde f2ef|gfge cABc|dBAF EFD2|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|1 defe d2ef:|2 defe d2dB||
4
X: 4
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:dB|AFAd BGdB|AFAd f2 fe|dfgf edBc|dBAG FEDF|
AFAd BGdB|AFAd f2 fe|dfgf edBc|dgfe d2:|
|:ef|g2 ge cabc|dcde f2 ef|g2 ge cabc|dBAG FEDF|
AFAd BGdB|AFAd f2 fe|dfgf edBc|dgfe d2:|
5
X: 5
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
dB|Ac Ad GB Gd|AB Ad ~f3 e|df gf ed Bc|dB AG FE DF|
AD (3D/D/D/ cD (3D/D/D/|(3ABA AA f2 fe|df gf ed Bc|dg fe d2:|
|:ef|~g3e cA Bc|dc de fd ef|~g3e cA Bc|dB AG FE DF|
Ac Ad GB Gd|AF Ad f2 fe|df gf ed Bc|dA fe d2:|
6
X: 6
T: The Minstrel's Fancy
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:FG|(3ABA FA (3BdB GB|AFAd f2ed|ceag edcd|(3efe (3dcB (3ABA FG|
(3ABA FA (3BdB GB|AFAd (3fgf ed|ceag edcd|fedc d2:|
|:ef|gfge cdec|de (3fed A3f|gf (3efg fe (3def|(3efe (3dcB (3ABA (3GFE|
AGFA BAGB|AFAd f2ed|ceag edcd|(3efe dc d2:|

Eleven comments

Minstrel’s Fancy

This isn’t an uncommon tune, but I’m afraid I don’t know that much about it, only how to play it. Any comments welcome.

Minstrel’s Fancy

Recorded by Frankie Gavin on his flute album, which I’m surprised to see isn’t in the Recordings listings - but it will be soon. A nice, simple hornpipe, especially on flute or whistle.

Posted by .

Buck Minstrel

Frankie Gavin has it as “Buck From The Mountain”.

Posted by .

Hanover Hornpipe

This tune is almost identical to a standard American Fife and Drum tune which we call “Hanover Hornpipe”:
X:5
T:Hanover Hornpipe
M:C
L:1/8
R:hornpipe
K:D
FG|AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|dAfd A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|d2f2d2::
ef|gfed cABc|dcde f2ef|gfed cABc|dAfd A2FG|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2ef|gfed cABc|d2f2d2:|

The Buck from the Mountain

It seems this hornpipe was popularised through the recording of Leitrim flute player John McKenna. Here’s the version based on Marcas O’Murchu’s playing:

K: Dmaj
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|dBAF EFD2|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|1 defe d2dB:|2 defe d2ef||
gfge cABc|dcde f2ef|gfge cABc|dBAF EFD2|
AFAd BGBd|AFAd f2fe|dfgf edBc|1 defe d2ef:|2 defe d2dB||

My brother got this tune from Kieran Hanrahan recently and Kieran called it “The Sunshine Hornpipe”. I know there is another hornpipe by the same name but that’s not uncommon so I stuck it under the alternate names.

Buck from the Mountain

I also know it as the Buck from the Mountain and I play it like this

|: dB | AFAd BGdB | AFAd f2 fe | dfgf edBc | dBAG FEDF |
AFAd BGdB | AFAd f2 fe | dfgf edBc | dgfe d2 :|
|: ef | g2 ge cabc | dcde f2 ef | g2 ge cabc | dBAG FEDF |
AFAd BGdB | AFAd f2 fe | dfgf edBc | dgfe d2 :|

The Burt from the Mountain

as learned from Tommy Keane Milltown Malbay 1991

dB|Ac Ad GB Gd|AB Ad ~f3 e|df gf ed Bc|dB AG FE DF|
AD (3D/D/D/ cD (3D/D/D/|(3ABA AA f2 fe|df gf ed Bc|dg fe d2:|
|:ef|~g3e cA Bc|dc de fd ef|~g3e cA Bc|dB AG FE DF|
Ac Ad GB Gd|AF Ad f2 fe|df gf ed Bc|dA fe d2:|

Incorrect album

I’m listening to the first track of Solas’ “Waiting for an Echo” album and am not hearing this tune. So I think this tune has been incorrectly listed on this site as being on the aforementioned album.

Re: The Minstrel’s Fancy

This is in O’Neil’s Music of Ireland as McElligott’s Fancy No. 1778