Irish Flute Tunes

Miss Ramsey's (highland)

This tune is also played as a reel with an extra bit thrown in. I'm sorry about the mess up at the end. I suddenly realised that I had seven minutes to finish the tune, upload it, write a comment, digest my dinner (I suspect that may actually take days) and catch the start of the film which appears to be the only thing on TV tonight. I'll try the reel version soon.

The Humours of Glendart (jig)

Here's my attempted response to a request for this tune.  Like most old and popular tunes it has lots of versions.  I hope that this is at least in some way related to some of them.  The Christmas to New Year period is left my memory more muddled than usual.  I hope to be more organised in 2008.

The New Custom House (reel)

I never knew much about customs, new, knew, known or none in particular but here's a tune relating to them which I hope isn't too taxing.

Gan Ainm (jig)

Here's a nameless wonder.  I don't suppose it would be very sociable of me to spend time posting tunes on the internet tomorrow, even ones with names,  so here's my Happy Christmas effort.  I hope Santa is kind to everyone and the tunes make it down the chimney without too much incident. 

The Heathery Breeze (reel)

Here's a reel from my holidays.  I don't play this very often so I hope my version has survived the years of neglect I've so lovingly administered to it. 

Smash the Windows (jig)

Here's a jig which I think is actually a single jig.  I don't really understand all these different jig types so I'll just play the notes and leave the counting to those better qualified than I am.  I think I first learned this tune from a book of the same name by Francie McPeake.  This version is probably a bit different but as I can't find the book I can't be sure.

Christmas Eve (reel)

I'm better at knowing what time it is than knowing what day or year may be around about me.  As it is cold and often dark quite early, I suspect this tune to be fairly seasonal about now.  My version of this tune becomes less reliable as the day approaches but people who really know the tune will hopefully still recognise this approximation. I'll try to think of something else to play between now and the Santa season's epicentre.

The Golden Keyboard (reel)

I can't really see what particular use could be made of a golden keyboard apart from for naming a tune after.  It's a while since I either heard or played this tune (apart from about 3 minutes ago) so I can't guarantee that some keys on this particular board may be a bit more pig ironish than golden.

The Green Mountain (reel)

Sorry it's been so long since I posted a tune.  The last thing I can remember is thinking that I was getting seasonal amnesia  (I don't rightly know whether Santa will be able to fit it down the chimney, though).  This tends to reduce the regularity of tune postings. Here's one anyway.  I'm not sure whether the title refers to the said mountain's hue or to its being made of recycled hills.  It certainly can seem on occasions to be a fairly recyclable reel.  It's a nice one all the same and helps flute players to believe that tunes aren't all that hard after all.

The Top of Cork Road (jig)

Here's a jig I nicked off a record of Johnny Cronin and Joe Burke (that's Burke with a beard and banjo rather than a beard and box).  The name is sometimes given to Father O'Flynn's jig as well.

The Cottage in the Grove (reel)

(Thanks Bernie for telling me the name of this tune). Here's a reel which is as un-ainm-ated as I feel today having been at an over-crowded, over-priced and over-cooked Christmas (it's barely even December) dinner last night. At least now it's just an over dinner without a hyphen in pursuit. Whatever about the name, I know enough about this tune to be able to say that I'm playing it in the key above its normal one. The present key is much easier on the flute than its G minor neighbour. I have to go out into the rain now and listen to the shouts of the man who drinks beside the bus stop. He appears very placid in good weather but anticyclones seem to upset him. Hopefully the bus won't be too long in arriving.

The Knights of Saint Patrick (jig)

Here's my very belated response to a request to post this tune.  I hope late turns out to be better than never.

Smith's Favourite (hornpipe)

This is the name this hornpipe is given in Alan's Irish Fiddler. I think I've heard other names, and none, for it too. It's a good tune for exercising the G# key. I've included instances of both hitting and missing it throughout the tune.

Francis John McGovern's Reel

Here's a reel which I think has Fermanagh connections.  If I knew about FJMcG I'd be more sure of this. I played the tune in a big, empty room so each note probably repeats itself about ten times.  Just like my cooking.