The Hunter’s Purse reel

I think I learned this off a Kevin Burke recording a few years back. It’s a common sessio tune, and lends itself to Kevin’s particular style of shuffle bowing, plus lots of rolls and triplets. Or just play it simply as written and enjoy the tune’s sinuositude ;-)

We do this in a set starting with Charlie Lennon’s, then Hunter’s Purse, and bursting into D major with the Cameronian.

Will

"Sinuositude"? :-P

Just checking to see if anyone actually ever reads the comments….

But I also don’t mind calling attention to this tune’s undulating, wandering melody line, a trait I like in a tune (vis a vis the Scholar, Maudabawn Chapel, the Morning Star, Dispute at t he Crossroads, etc). As opposed to tunes that glom onto one or two notes per chord and saw back and forth—Dinky’s, the Concertina Reel, Pinch of Snuff, etc. I like those tunes too, but for different reasons, and when it comes down to it, I gravitate toward tunes with sinuositudity. :-)
Will

I play this one often after ‘Bunker Hill’

Bd|eA~A2 AGEF|G2AF GEDB|cBcd e2ed|^cdeg gedg|
|eA~A2 AGEF|G2AF GEDB|cBcd eged|(3cBA BG A2:|
ea~a2 agef|gbaf gedB|c3d e2ed|^cdeg gedg|
ea~a2 agef|gbaf gedB|cBcd eged|(3cBA BG A2:|

Will, I’m going to do a Michael Gill here and say that I disagree with the way you play the 2nd bar of the B-part. The way you have it sounds too much like the Swallowtail to me. I’d say anything like |g2af gedB| or |gfaf gedB| or |g2fa gedB| or |gafa gedB| or |~g3a gedB| or |gbaf gedB| would do, but not |cdef gedB| - I think it changes the whole idea of the tune too much.

Will’s way is the way I’ve always more or less heard the tune…and it IS too much like the Swallowtail, and the Congress, and …

Well you’re playing it wrong as well then Zina dear ;-)

I think I have to agree… |~g3a gedB| in the second bar does just fine. The c in the next bar really changes the modality when it comes in (but not sooner surely?). Do people then also shift to c# to start the run up in bar 4 etc? That’s how I hear it.

I heard this on a CD (Tunes from the Emerald Isle)
in a set with "The Jolly Beggerman"
This is the third version I have of it.

This tune is in the Gunn Book (Fermanagh 1865) as Hetty’s Wishes

Here’s this tune played by Kevin Glackin, Gay McKeown & Paul McGrattan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCG-ky8uCto&playnext_from=TL&videos=hZUqRZh4MtE

play video

With all that sinuositude going on, I would have called this a hornpipe, and with more than a hint of Rodney’s Glory if you natural the occasional F.

Kevin Burke has a series of wonderful teaching videos on www.fiddle videos.com He teaches Hunters Purse and it is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it as well as the series.