The Old Wheel Of Fortune reel

Bars 1 and 5 of the B-Part can be played cAeA fAeA instead of the triplet.

This transcription is from the playing of James Byrne, Donegal fiddler…

"The Old Wheel Of Fortune"
Key signature: D & A Major
Submitted on June 2nd 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7297

So, you posted it yesterday, and forgot already?

Smart arse! ~ this is the reel, and like with a lot of ‘Scottish’ tunes, there is a companion strathspey (highland fling), so I’m just being ‘considerate’ and giving the links between the two tunes, for the posterity of this website, and for you entertainment pleasure… ;-)

What fantastic posts. I love how they both link up now, and how the other one’s been reunited with its proper name. God love ya, ‘c’!

Yeah, these are nice. I like especially the strathspey. Makes me want to buy those collections.

Thanks "c" for this lovely reel. You can listen to James Byrne himself playing this reel on this page: http://www.cdworld.ie/product-detail/31217/VINCENT+CAMPBELL++CON+CASSIDY++JAMES+BYRNE++FRANCIS+BYRNE/THE+BRASS+FIDDLE And of course you can buy the recording too.

https://thesession.org/tunes/3268

Maybe not twins, but brothers at least….

Great catch Swiss, I had done a search but didn’t check all the bars, they are definitely of the same fabric… While there is some difference, I would call them one-and-the-same tune. Excellent! I like the variations between the two as well. I have most of the Altan recordings, but nothing post Kennedy, so I haven’t got "Another Sky". Do they give any notes as to where they sourced the tune and title?

"The Old Wheel Of Fortune Strathspey"
Key signature: D & A Major
Submitted on June 2nd 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7297

"The Old Wheel Of Fortune Reel"
Key signature: D & A Major
Submitted on June 3rd 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7306

I do not have this Altan CD either, I play it with my band on request of our fiddler. I have heard Altan’s version once or twice, it is better and faster than ours….

Meenasillagh is a townland of Glencolumbkille (Co. Donegal). If I remember correctely it’s a nice walk over the hill north of ‘downtown’ to another small harbour with a few inhabitants still.

My suspicion is that it might refer to a fiddler from the area…

J.B.?

On The Brass Fiddle, James Byrne plays the Old Wheel of Fortune (this tune) and Ri Mhin na Salach (The King of Meenasillagh). They are not the same tune at all and on this basis the alternative title for this tune and https://thesession.org/tunes/3268 are quite wrong.

The turn of King of Meenasillagh doesn’t go into A. If you want to hear it, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUv3SL3Cio4

play video

The name according to the LP liner notes refers to a local stepdance who frequently asked for the tune to dance to. (Not this tune!)

… but the Old Wheel of Fortune. See my comments under https://thesession.org/tunes/7306

stepdanceR

Seeing as there is some confusion as to what tune is really the King of Meenasillagh, here is a rough-and-ready ABC of it. I originally learned it from "The Brass Fiddle". Of course, the flute can’t recreate all the great droning effects. That video of James Byrne from 1988 is marvellous stuff.
K:Dmaj
|G|:FGEF D2EF|GEFD EDEG|FGEF D2Dg|fdec dBAG|
|FGEF D2EF|GEFD EDEG|FGEF ~D3g|fdec dBAg|
|:fddc dfaf|eAAE Aceg|fddc dfaf|eABc dcdg|
|fddc dfaf|eAAE Aceg|fdfa gfed|cABc d2d|

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjZ3ML23NxQ

play video

Submitted on April 4th 2012 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11884

Submitted on April 4th 2012 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11884

Listen to Derek McGinley & Tara Connaghan play the tune: https://soundcloud.com/farsideoftheglen/gealach-an-fh-mhair-the-old