The Lass O’ Corrie Mill strathspey

This is the second of a set of three on Oisin McAuley’s ‘Far From the Hills of Donegal’. I possibly wouldn’t have posted them, except that I’ve inadvertently learnt them and now I can’t get them out of my head.

This tune is not remotely the same as other ’Neil gow’s Wife tunes in this database. I think it’s fantastic - it’s got such a lovely bounce to it.

The start of the second part (and also where that phrase comes back in the 5th bar of the second part) could be played as | ABcB A<c c2 |

… or you could use that as a harmony line, as Oisin does on the CD.

Either way, a great tune.

This is a strathspey called “Lass o’ Corrie Mill”, also found as “Carlisle Lasses”. A nice version of it can be heard on Jigs To The Moon by Dordan.

I find myself back to this old ‘what’s the difference between a strathspey, a highland, a barndance etc’ question. Oisin McAuley plays it as part of a set of highlands - so I guess that’s how I think of it.

One of our very first guest’s here at our B&B was a (maybe great) grand son of Neil Gow. Nice lad - was delighted when I asked about his name as the only other Gow I’d heard of was THE Neil Gow. I played the tune but it was different to this. I think - coz I can’t (won’t) read ABC form which I call alphabetti Spagetti.
Anyway ’twas nice to meet him.

Peter

As this tune appears to not be Neil Gow’s wife - possibly misidentified by Oisin (I am sure Neil will be raging at losing out on the royalties) is it possible to change the name of the tune (and maybe even its listing on Oisin’s album?

This one has been bothering me for the last few days. I should have thought of you.

As said previously Ben, and often, there is a cross over of melodies and uses between strathspeys and Highland Flings… In a sense the only difference is the dance they are used to accompany, which does direct the way they are played and the tempo, and there is also the influence of place and musician(s)… Melodies often do dual duty, and sometimes even more than dual…

~ are the classic build of those that made good defining accompaniment for dancing a ‘highland schottische’ or ‘highland fling’…

You can find the strathspey version at http://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=www.lesession.co.uk/music/woodenflute/0182 it is the version Natalie MacMaster plays in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36tQHm1yf30

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From the playing of Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald, who used the Corrie’s Mill title.

“From the playing of Winston ”Scotty“ Fitzgerald, who used the Corrie’s Mill title.”
Because it’s the correct title, perchance?

This is how I’ve been playing this strathspey, based on Cape Breton settings, especially Colin Grant’s.
A friend plays it in D but I think it works better in F.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-TwvDF8gj_M first tune in this set,

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I particularly like Iain Fraser’s setting of this tune, so I tend to play it as he does.

Cheers,
Dick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R10ZihERFtw

play video