The Wren reel

I got this from Marie Bruno who got the tune from a contra dance band back east. (hope its ok to post) It has a Breton feel to it. I am trying to fit it to uillean pipes. We’ve played it with whistles and fiddles and it has a nice swing to it

yes, it resembles a breton an-dro.

It is a Breton An Dro,usually played in A minor.Here’s the version that they play in France and Belgium.

|:Ae e d/e/|f f/e/ d/c/B/c/|
dB e d/c/|1B/c/A/B/ cB:||
2B/A/B/c/ A2||:
AA B c/B/|AA B>c|dB e d/c/|
1B/c/A/B/ cB:
|2B/A/B/c/ A2||

I spent two and a half years looking for a transcription of this tune. Its a tune routinely played by the contra dance band Wild Asparagus. It appears on a festival compilation (can’t remember which one) as St. Stephen’s Day Parade March. I heard it again this past March during a dance festival in which another Dance band, Phantom Power, played it. I went up to the percussionist/flautist and asked him what it was called and where it came from and he told me all he knew is that it was a Breton Tune and that he learned it from a member of Wild Asparagus. I finally emailed Geroge Marshall from Wild Asparagus, who told me the name (The Wren) and was kind enough to send me a transcription. Then my jam buddy Fel was kind enough to compile it in abc and post it here. What made this tune so hot for me when I heard it two and a half years ago was the transition flautist David Cantienni makes from flute to bombard when playing it live. Please Fel, work on those Uillean. Thats exactly what it needs!!

Marie

Thanks for this; it’s a great tune and is just what I needed to complete a set I’ve been compiling for the band.

This is a fun tune, which I also first heard played by Wild Asparagus (and it does sound hot on the bombard!).
I’ve played it in this key and at reel speed for dances, but have also heard it dropped down a fifth and played at a slower, more deliberate (brooding?) pace.

Its also found on the Chieftains album a collection of a favorites. I don’t know if the tune is the same though.

M: 2/4 (you will also find these given in some collections in 2/2 or 4/4)
L: 1/8
R: an dro

K: b minor (the given transcript adjusted, which is not D Major)
|: Bf fe/f/ | ge e/d/c/d/ | e/A/c/e/ e/f/e/d/ |1 cc d/c/B/A/ :|2 cB B/A/F/A/ ||
|: B>A B/c/d/c/ | BB c>d | e/A/c/e/ e/f/e/d/ |1 cc d/c/B/A/ :|2 cB BA ||

K: b minor ~ a different take
|: Bf fe/f/ | g>f e/f/e/d/ | ce e/f/e/d/ |1 c>c d/c/B/^A/ :|2 c/B/^A/c/ B2 ||
|: B>A B/c/d/c/ | BB c>d | e/A/c/e/ e/f/e/d/ |1 c>c d/c/B/^A/ :|2 c/B/^A/c/ B2 ||

K: b minor ~ Dafydd’s transcription transposed up to b
|: Bf fe/f/ | gg/e/ e/d/c/d/ | ec fe/d/ |1 c/d/B/c/ dc :|2 c/B/c/d/ B2 ||
|: BB cd/c/ | BB c>d | ec fe/d/ |1 c/d/B/c/ dc :|2 c/B/c/d/ B2 ||

K: a minor ~ Dafydd’s transcription
|: Ae ed/e/ | ff/e/ d/c/B/c/ | dB ed/c/ |1 B/c/A/B/ cB :|2 B/A/B/c/ A2 ||
|: AA Bc/B/ | AA B>c | dB ed/c/ |1 B/c/A/B/ cB :|2 B/A/B/c/ A2 ||

There are several other versions of this An Dro knocking about… Hopefully some will find their way here for comparison… I haven’t yet found a ‘composer’ for it but have only just started looking after having stumbled across it here again.

M: 2/4
K: a minor
|: Ae ed/e/ | f>e d/c/B/c/ | dB ed/c/ |1 B/c/A/B/ c>B :|2 B/A/c/B/ A2 :|
AA Bc/B/ | A>A BB/c/ | dB ed/c/ |1 B/c/A/B/ c>B :|2 B/A/c/B/ A2 :|

Key signature: e minor
Submitted on January 15th 2007 by pb006.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6642

"Fourth tune from the Laurence Nugent recording ‘Two For Two’."
# Posted on January 15th 2007 by pb006

Here is that transcription without any change except to make it compact and with repeats. The first key is as ‘pb006’ gave it, then follows the same transcription in a & b minor, for comparison:

M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: an dro / en dro
K: e minor ~ as ‘pb006’ gave it
|: E2 B2 B2 AB | c3 B A2 FG | A2 A2 ABAG |1 FE F2 G2 F2 :|2 FE F2 E4 ||
|: E2 E2 F2 G2 | E2 E2 F2 G2 | A2 A2 ABAG |1 FE F2 G2 F2 :|2 FE F2 E4 ||

K: a minor
|: A2 e2 e2 de | f3 e d2 bc | d2 d2 dedc |1 BA B2 c2 B2 :|2 BA B2 A4 ||
|: A2 A2 B2 c2 | A2 A2 B2 c2 | d2 d2 dedc |1 BA B2 c2 B2 :|1 BA B2 A4 ||

K: b minor
B2 f2 f2 ef | g3 f e2 cd | e2 e2 efed |1 cB c2 d2 c2 :|2 cB c2 B4 ||
B2 B2 c2 d2 | B2 B2 c2 d2 | e2 e2 efed |1 cB c2 d2 c2 :|2 cB c2 B4 ||

K: b minor ~ ‘pb006’ (previously given in e minor)
|: B2 f2 f2 ef | g3 f e2 cd | e2 e2 efed |1 cB c2 d2 c2 :|2 cB c2 B4 ||
|: B2 B2 c2 d2 | B2 B2 c2 d2 | e2 e2 efed |1 cB c2 d2 c2 :|2 cB c2 B4 ||
K: b minor ~ ‘I_Fel’
|: B2 f2 f2 ef | g2 e2 edcd | eAce efed |1 c2 c2 dcBA :|2 c2 B2 BAFA ||
|: B3 A Bcdc | B2 B2 c3 d | eAce efed |1 c2 c2 dcBA :|2 c2 B2 B2 A2 ||
K: b minor ~ ceolachan (previously given in a minor)
|: B2 f2 f2 ef | g3 f edcd | e2 c2 f2 ed |1 cdBc d3 c :|2 cdBc B4 ||
|: B2 B2 c2 dc | B3 B c2 cd | e2 c2 f2 ed |1 cdBc d3 c :|2 cBdc B4 ||

Wow- I was trying to play this from memory and I couldn’t so I looked up my original post and found all the above comments. Thanks for the other transcriptions.

This tune is not the same as the Chieftains version. I do not believe that they have recorded this one (but I could be mistaken).

Does anyone know which track on Kornog’s Premiere this tune is on? I went through the whole album last night trying to figure it out and couldn’t.

I’m guessing the version is somewhat different.

Key signature: e minor
Submitted on March 12th 2007 by DonaldK.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6932

M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Breton An Dro
K: e minor
|: E2 B2 B2 AB | c3 B A2 FG | A2 A2 AB AG | FEFG G2 F2 |
E2 B2 B2 AB | c3 B A2 FG | A2 A2 ABAG | FEFG E4 :|
|: E2 E2 F2 G2 | E2 E2 F2 G2 | A2 A2 ABAG | FEFG G2 F2 |
E2 E2 F2 G2 | E2 E2 F2 G2 | A2 A2 ABAG | FEFG E4 :|

More usually played:

K: e minor
|: E2 B2 B2 AB | c3 B A2 FG | A2 A2 ABAG |[1 FEFG G2 F2 :|[2 FEFG E4 ||
|: E2 E2 F2 G2 | E2 E2 F2 G2 | A2 A2 ABAG |[1 FEFG G2 F2 :|[2 FEFG E4 ||

Does anybody have the sheet music for An Dro the way Carlos Nunez plays it?
ty O’Reilly

Key signature: e minor
Submitted on September 19th 2007 by swisspiper.
~ /tunes/7732

En Dro ~ another e minor take, with chords

X: 1134
T: Suite D’en Dro
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Emin
|: "Em" EB BA/B/ "D"cB AF/G/ | "C" AF BA/G/ "B7" FE FG |
"Em"EB BA/B/ "D"cB AF/G/ | "C" AF BA/G/ "B7" F/E/F/G/ E2 :|
|: "Em" EE/E/ "D" FF/F/ "Em" EE/E/ "D" F>G | AF "E" BA/G/ "D" FE/F/ "E" GF |
"Em" EE/E/ "D" FF/F/ "Em" EE/E/ "D" F>G | AF "E" BA/G/ "D" F/E/F/G/ "E" E2 :|

Key signature: e minor
Submitted on March 12th 2007 by DonaldK.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6932

The suite of two tunes is given in the ‘comments’, as contributed by hetty:

T: An Dro (with minor adjustments made)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Em

first tune ~ ("The Wren")
|: EB BA/B/ CB AF/G/ | AF BA/G/ F/G/E/F/ GF |
EB BA/B/ CB AF/G/ | AF BA/G/ F/E/F/G/ E2 :|
|: EE FG/F/ EE F_F/G/ | AF BA/G/ F/G/E/F/ GF |
EE FG/F/ EE F_F/G/ | AF BA/G/ F/E/F/G/ E2 :|

second tune ~
|: EB B_B/A/ GE E2 | AG FE DE/F GF/G/ |
EB B_B/A/ GE E2 | AG FE D/E/F/D/ E2 :|
|: E/F/G/F/ E/F/G/F/ E/F/G/A/ BB | D/E/F/E/ D_D/E/ FA GF/G/ |
E/F/G/F/ E/F/G/E/ E/F/G/A/ BB | D/E/F/G/ F_F/A/ GF E2 :|

Key signature: Aminor
Submitted on October 22nd 2007 by OsvaldoLaviosa.
~ /tunes/7893

X: 1
T: Sam & Natalie’s Trip To Doolin
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: en dro / an dro
K: Amin
Ae/A/ ed/e/ | fe d/c/B/c/ | dB ed/c/ | B/A/G/A/ cB |
Ae/A/ ed/e/ | fe d/c/B/c/ | dB ed/c/ | B/A/B/c/ A2 :|
|: AA Bc/B/ | AA B>c | dB ed/c/ | B/A/G/A/ cB |
AA Bc/B/ | AA B>c | dB ed/c/ | B/A/B/c/ A2 :|

Polka, reel or an dro? ~ I found this tune in "Mary Custy & Eoin O’Neill: The ways of the world", track 5. They signed it as a reel, but I know played and danced as a Breton An dro. Just to save the 2/4 time, I prefered to submit the tune as a polka.

# Posted on October 22nd 2007 by OsvaldoLaviosa

& another way with these notes ~

X: ~
T: An Dro / En Dro
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: en dro / an dro
K: a minor
|: A2 eA e2 de | f2 e2 dc Bc | d2 B2 e2 dc |[1 BA GA c2 B2 :|[2 BA Bc A4 ||
|: A2 A2 B2 cB | A2 A2 B3 c | d2 B2 e2 dc |[1 BA GA c2 B2 :|[2 BA Bc A4 |]

Is it possible for anyone to write the ABC on this version?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn9vbcZ0brg

play video

My husband is learning this new tune as played by Carlos Nunez in the video for an upcoming gig with a couple of pipers….It is not the "Wren An Dro". Here is the Chieftains’ version (the pipers we’ll be joining have played the tune with the Chieftains) they have played since the 1980s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqqjZonsqE

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ggbieD_QY

play video

https://thesession.org/tunes/2290 for the St-Patrick’s An Dro

Ah…a new one to do session nights! Like this a lot, and loved the flute playing.

On contradance session nights - (no dancers) we do a set: Chivalry/Carpathian tune/the Wren. It’s kind of a Kleizmer contra sounding set. Been sneaking it in the Irish sessions too. (Mainly cause I love the Wren!) And now of course I think St Patrick’s An Dro goes great into the Wren. If part B for the Wren last time is done the whole 8 measures with arpeggiated eighths, or 16th’s depending how it’s written out, it kicks it all up a notch for an exciting end. So many ways to put together satisfying tunes!