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.

I think this is the tune you are looking for Tall, Dark & Mysterious.
Obviously not a reel, probably played about 120 quarter note per minute.

Yes, that’s it! Thank you so much! I was remembering the B part - not surprising, as I heard this one at an out-of-town session and managed to pick up a few fragments of it, but the first two bars of the B part were the only ones I could remember the next morning. It was played at around the speed of the midi, maybe a shade slower. A regal, melancholy tune.

Thanks again and wow, that was quick! - this tune has been bothering me for a MONTH.

I’m pretty sure this An Dro is already on site… I will check,m but it may take time…

If it is, it’s been well disguised; I did a pretty exhaustive search before requesting this tune. I couldn’t find it anywhere else, either in the tunes database or elsewhere on the ‘net…

[five minutes later]

https://thesession.org/tunes/2828

Oh, for the love of crikey. Figures that the only part I’d remembered was also the only part that differs between the two versions. DonaldK’s is the one I heard, though, and I like his transcription better.

[saving the abc before this one’s axed…]

Also known as An Dro, An-Dro, Andro, Dans En Dro, St. Stephen’s Day Parade March.
Key signature: b minor
Submitted on April 16th 2004 by I_Fel.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2828

There’s one, as I suspected, but there is another take on it also on site I haven’t found yet. They are ‘family’, very close family too. There are quite a few subtle variations on this particular melody in Brittany and beyond.

There is enough difference, aside from the key, that this one will also probably survive. I’ll see if I can find the other one. I think it was notated as 2/4, if my questionable memory is actually working today… ;-)

Damn, I guess we were both at it… ;-)

Don’t worry about it being axed. Jeremy is fairly forgiving unless it is note for note, and even then he lets tunes survive that only differ in the key signature… :-/

Good thing duplicate *comments* aren’t axed…

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 ||

I don’t know… In case this does go la-la I’ve added the notes to the ‘comments’ for the other tune. But if it does survive, here is a bit more with regards to this tune ~

More usually played, using your transcription, note-for-note:

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 ||

It’s quite possible that "Danse Breton" is a simplified version of "An Dro" used for teaching purposes. I’ve certainly heard it taught at beginners’ workshops before. I did look for it on thesession using the advanced search but forgot to factor in key changes (as usual).

You’re innocent, you were doing someone else a favour, always a good thing…

I heard this tune played on Mouth organ & guitar some 31 years ago at a folk-camp in Brittany during an evening when members of the local Breton community were invited to our evening dances.
My take is slightly different in bars 3 & 4 of both parts. It was also played with a second tune in such a way that I always associate them together as if they were really the same tune anyway.

I write them in 2/4 as I am convinced that is the better time siganature for the tune and for the tradition anyway. There are 2 beats to the bar. 4/4 gives it 4 beats to the bar.

T: An Dro
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Em
EB BA/B/ | CB AF/G/ | AF BA/G/ | F/G/E/F/ GF | EB BA/B/ | 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 :||

I play first tune twice before changing to 2nd tune. repeat ad lib and as you please.

I think I have that wrong because I remember the music went into harmony in the second tune so the chances are that the instruments would have been mouthorgan and bombarde/whistle.

Interesting input, Hetty. I agree about the two beats to the bar. I always write reels and marches in cut time (that is, 2/2) rather than common time (4/4), which I reserve for strathspeys. Iprefer 2/2 to 2/4 because there is less clutter in the score and I therefore find it easier to read.

By the way, Hetty, the A part of your An Dro is only seven bars long. I think there is a CB AF/G/ missing. And do you really mean to have those F flats in the B part?

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: e minor
Submitted on September 22nd 2007 by spindizzy.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7746

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 |]

Well, it’s obviously an An Dro, but The Session has no possibility to submit this kind of tune, so you have to choose if to accept the reel form or, why not, the polka one. I suggest this latter one because nearer to 2/4 time.
I found a "reel" recording by Mary Custy & Eoin O’Neill in "The ways of the world" album (track 5) titled "Sam and Natalie’s trip to Doolin". But Tri Yann recorded a song titled "Kerfank 1870" sounding on the same tune.
I prefer this other transcription:
X:1
T:Sam and Natalie’s trip to Doolin
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:Am
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:|

Also known as "Kerfank 1870"
Key signature: a minor
Submitted on October 24th 2007 by OsvaldoLaviosa.
~ /tunes/7900

Adjustments to those previous notes to aid comparison ~

X: 4
T: Sam And Natalie’s Trip To Doolin
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: a minor
A2 eA e2 de | f2 e2 dcBc | d2 B2 e2 dc |[1 BAGA c2 B2 |[2 BABc A4 ||
|: A2 A2 B2 cB | A2 A2 B3 c | d2 B2 e2 dc | BAGA c2 B2 :|[2 BABc A4 |]

& from the ‘Comments’:

Polka, reel or an dro?

I knew this tune before as a no name Breton "An Dro", I submitted it as a polka just to save the 2/4 meter, although Mary Custy & Eoin O’Neill in "The ways of the world" album (track 5), signed it as a reel

# Posted on October 24th 2007 by OsvaldoLaviosa

"Kerfank 1870" by Tri Yann

I prefer to consider this tune an An Dro. I soon discovered another version by Tri Yann titled "Kerfank 1870". It’s a song title and I suspect another original Breton title for the single tune.

# Posted on October 25th 2007 by OsvaldoLaviosa

Listen:
http://www.youtube.com/swf/cps.swf?video_id=jEunPF0Vqhw&eurl

General, ma General d’ar ger,
D’ar ger ma General,
D’ar ger n’eo ket d’ar brezel,

General, ma General d’ar ger,
D’ar ger ma General,
Ma Kaer de Marivault.

En habit et jabyot dore,
Tu nous vois d’en haut,
Vive la Prusse et la France;
Le cul nu, tout depenailles,
On te voit d’en bas,
A bas Guillaume et Chanzy.

‘Poleon, tue nous avais dit:
- Jamais les Prussiens
Ne verront la capitale.
‘Poleon nous en a menti:
Les Prussiens l’ont pris,
Guillaume est devant Paris.

Ventre rond, le gilet brode,
Tu nous vois d’en haut,
Vive la Prusse et la France;
Varioleux, le ventre affame,
On te voit d’en bas
A bas Guillaume et Chanzy.

Freycinet, tu nous avais dit:
- Oubliez d’être bretons,
Vous servez le Republique,

Freycinet, tu nous avais dit:
- Oubliez d’être bretons,
Battez-vous pour la Nation.

Bien au chaud, en souliers cires,
Tu nous vois d’en haut,
Vive la Prusse et la France;
Dans la neige, en sabots crottes,
On te voit d’en bas,
A bas Guillaume et Chanzy.

Keratry, tu nous a donne
Des biscuits sales,
De la goutte et des cartouches,
Keratry, tu nous a donné
Des biscuits moisis,
De la goutte et des fusils.

Des cartouches qui nous pètent au nez,
Des fusils rouilles,
Vive la Prusse et la France;
Les cartouches elles nous pètent au nez,
La goutte est mouillée,
A bas Guillaume et Chanzy.

# Posted on October 25th 2007 by swisspiper

Oops! It seems I missed a few bits in my haste, but it should have been clear anyway, however, here it goes again, with the endings completed and another missing bit added ~

X: 4
T: Sam And Natalie’s Trip To Doolin ~ etc…
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: En Dro / An Dro
K: a minor
A2 eA e2 de | f2 e2 dcBc | d2 B2 e2 dc |[1 BAGA c2 B2 |[2 BABc A4 ||
|: A2 A2 B2 cB | A2 A2 B3 c | d2 B2 e2 dc |[1 BAGA c2 B2 :|[2 BABc A4 |]

Eluveitie (a swiss metal band) have played this tune in an album called "Evocation I: The arcane domion" in the song "arcane dominion".
it is a great version of this breton tune.

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!