Hello. This site contains recordings I have made as a source of tunes for people who play the flute, or other instruments for that matter. They are just versions of tunes as I remember them. My memory isn’t the best so some of the versions and the titles might be a bit astray but hopefully they’ll be of some use. I’ve tried to play the tunes slowly first and then at a quicker pace so that they can be of use to a variety of players. I’ll keep recording more tunes whenever I get a chance. If there are days without new posts, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve given up. I’ll always get back in a while.

I usually play the tunes once through slowly to make them easier to learn, then I have a bit of a run at them to give another view of them. I hope this approach is OK. If anyone has any comments, or tune suggestions, please get in touch (iflute@googlemail.com). Thanks,

Michael.

(The tunes are split over a number of pages to stop the pages being too slow to load. To go to the next page, please click on Previous Entries at the bottom of the page, otherwise use the index on the left of the screen to navigate to a specific tune).

If anyone listening is fussy about tune versions then this particular one will probably send them straight to www.vexed.com.  Hopefully most other people will either like or ignore as they prefer.

Here’s a reel which I was asked to play. I’m not writing a disclaimer with the “Iwas asked to play” bit. It’s just that I’m so glad to have been asked that I can’t help but mention the asking in the posting.

I used to think this was a new fangled sort of a tune but the likes of Willie Clancy played it and Francis O’Neill has it in his collection from 1907 (I missed the centenary balloons anuraidh).

Here’s my Friday evening go at it anyway. (The name makes me think of taking leaves intravenously. I’ve (y) more chance of taking leave of my ….).

Anyway, here’s a sort of run at it.  I hope there are only 3 parts in the tune.  That’s certainly all there are here.

Maybe this rendition will offend someone out there into learning the tune properly.  I’m away out now to get wet and educated.

Here’s another tune I was asked to post. Posting ponies; is that like Pony Express are are they just post ponies?

Anyway, I’m never too sure of the first part but that wasn’t the focus of the query to which I’m trying to respond here. I hope I haven’t forgotten about any parts either. It’s a good job that the latter bits (another equine apparatus related term) hadn’t too many low notes as on finishing the tune I noticed that my foot joint (hoof?) had fallen off.

I hope that the tune is OK, though, and promise that no animals were hurt in the recording of it.

I vaguely remember being in a group once, many years ago, and “Mooncoin” was the polite one of the two names it had.  That’s my only connection with Mooncoins.

Here’s a reel I was asked to play. My postings of late have been about as frequent as my blacksmith sightings, merry or otherwise, but being reminded of this tune at least stirred me into a brief flurry of activity. This particular tune is very suitable for the flute and provides ample opportunity for anvilesque hammering sounds on the D notes. On this occasion I seem to have let most of these opportunities slip by but at least it’s nice to know that they will still be there the next time I try the tune.

I hope this version is OK.  My recall facility for tunes has been a bit vague lately.

I had to look this one up on the internet as I didn’t know it.  I hope my dot to note transfer has allowed the tune to arrive without being too scathed.

I think this tune is in B minor.  My bad spelling allows me to think of digging in the ground for stripy, stingy things (stingy as in needle-arsed rather than tight arsed) but that’s neither here nor there in the context of this tune.

(Sorry for using the ‘a’ word).

I played a three part version at the end of this recording.  I’ve heard three parts from a few people, one being Paddy Canny.  My problem regerding part 3 may be that in fact Paddy can whereas I canny play it but I thought I’d try anyway.

I have another reel which I’ve been asked to play but I think I’ll need to excavate a particular tape recording before I can chance the second half of it.  I’m off now to look for a shovel.

I think this is the number two variety of Martin Wynne reel.  I’ll have to get round to recording at least one other so as to bring about a Wynne Wynne situation.

(This tune had a helium fit earlier. If it is still all Pinky and Perky tomorrow I’ll record it again. In the meantime I’d recommend slowdown software).

(26/01/2008 - I’ve rerecorded the tune now.  The only problem may be that I’ve forgotten some of it in the meantime).

I think this one is close to the version that John Doherty used to call “Mooney’s Reel”.

I know a different version of this tune which I’ll maybe try once this one I’ve woken up from this one

 I’m not sure about the two names this reel gets called by.  I suppose when someone wasn’t able to remember one of them then the other sprang to their mind as an obvious alternative.

It was recorded by Michael Coleman around 80 years ago. I don’t think he had a name for it. I’m not sure where this name came out of but it conjures up some interesting images though I can’t quite tell what they are of.

I don’t know what the “Rio” in question is. Maybe its just that the name sounds better that “The Reel of Lagan”.

I seem to have run out of names of tunes to post so I’m going to have to start ganning ainms for the next while.

I learned this jig from a piper who has an ainm - Robbie Hannan - but whose ainm for this jig escapes me just now. I was never sure just how the two parts of the tune got on with each other but sometimes I can sense an uneasy peace between them.

I’ll try the reel version soon.