The Sweet Flowers Of Milltown barndance

I learned this schottische from a lovely flute duet playing of Harry Bradley and John Blake. Well, I don’t have much to say about this tune. It’s just fun to play.

This tune was recorded as a reel by Morrison on an early recording. Kevin Burke also recorded it that way and called it, “Morrisons.” It wasn’t until I read the liner notes on the “Fluters of Old Erin” recording that I found out it was originally a schottishe and the title. I also heard it called, “The Mouse in the Cupboard” and I think the “Mouse in the Mug” on Kevin Crawford’s “In Good Company” might be the jig version of this tune.

Here’s the jig: https://thesession.org/tunes/362

When you said Morrison, I immediately presumed you meant James, but, isn’t it called “Tom Morrison’s” played as a reel (which goes into the Beare Island) from off of the Kevin Burke / M

Yes Jamie, it’s Tom Morrison, and that’s the track I’m referring to.

Tom Morrison recorded this with tambourine player John Reynolds in the 20s, on the flip side of his 78 with the medley of reels that introduced the “Dunmore Lassies” to the world. You’ll note that it’s simply the well known hornpipe Off to California. It is transcribed in Grey Larsen’s flute tutor, also.

Tom Morrison’s playing of it is transcribed in Larsen’s book, I mean.

Does anyone have an abc transcription of this tune (also called the Sweet Flowers of Milltown?

The first part is nonotherthan
‘Off to California’ (Hornpipe) https://thesession.org/tunes/30
listed in O’Neills, etc

…well… or at least very similar (w v same first bar)

Like the Kevin Burke and Micheal O Domhnaill version on Portland:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eszJQB3bbUQ

play video

TOM MORRISON’S REEL. Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard. AABB’. The tune was recorded as a schottische on a 78 RPM in 1927 by Tom Morrison as “Sweet Flowers of Milltown,” and is a variant of the “Off to California” family of tunes. Morrison (1889-1958), the ‘Dunmore Flash’, was a flute player from near Glenamaddy, in the Dunmore area of County Galway. Morrison sometimes partnered with renowned fiddler Michael Coleman for duet recordings. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 196. Green Linnett GLCD Kevin Burke - “Portland.”

SWEET FLOWERS OF MILLTOWN. AKA – “Tom Morrison’s Reel.” Irish, Schottische. D Major. Standard tuning. AA’B. Recorded in New York in 1927 by White Park, near Glanmaddy, Co. Galway, flute player Tom Morrison (born c. 1888) for Columbia Records. Morrison, writes Reg Hall (1995), was the son of a blacksmith and emigrated to the United States in 1909, where he became an associate of fiddler Michael Coleman and accordion player Peter Conlon. The melody is a variant of the “Off/Going to California [1]” family of tunes. It was recorded by Kevin Burke as a reel on “Portland” (appears as “Tom Morrison’s”). Topic TSCD602, (Ed. by Reg Hall) Tom Morrison – “Irish Dance Music” (1995. A reissue of the 1927 original). Conal O’Grada – “The Top of Coom.”
X:1
T:Sweet Flowers of Milltown, The
M:C|
L:1/8
D:Conal O’Grada:The Top of Coom
S:Sean Ryan, Minstrel’s Fancy
R:Schottische
K:D
~G3B AGEF|GFGB d3d|edge dBAG|GAFG EFDE|
G2GB AGEF|GFGB dGBd|e2ge dBAG|AGFA GDEF:|2 AGFA G2Bd||
~g3z abaf|gage d2Bd|edge dBAG|GAFG EFD2|
~g3z ~a3f|~g3e dGBd|e2ge dBAG|AGFA G2Bd|
~g3z abaf|gage dGBd|edge dBAG|GAFG EFD2|
~G3B AGEF|GFGB d3d|edge dBAG|A2F2 G2z2|

From the flute playing of Tom Morrison, whence this tune comes from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj9j4Pq57KI This is just taken from the highlights of Morrison’s brilliant music, which Grey Larsen transcribed in full in his whistle/flute tutor.

play video

It seems like the second one here is closest to the version Kevin Burke plays, but he doesn’t play all the eighth notes. I wish I could find more exact versions of his tunes.

This variation is close to that played by fiddler Kevin Burke on his album, “Portland.” He follows it immediately with The Beare Island Reel. It’s long been one of my favourite KB tracks to listen to, so I finally determined to learn the tunes for myself!

This tune is in the book Smoke In Your Eyes- A Compilation of Irish Tunes played at Seattle Sessions by Caoimhin Gaimh. It is not like any other Morrison’s Reel that I’ve heard. It may be mis-named. If it is, I would like to know.

Looks like a version of Off to California or the Fireman’s Reel https://thesession.org/tunes/30 Or https://thesession.org/tunes/1115

We know it as Tom Morrison’s Hornpipe.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TaXFeVSzq10

play video

Recorded by Kevin Burke and Michael O’Donnell on “Portland” in 1982.
Posted here a mere 17 years ago :
https://thesession.org/tunes/2997