Irish Flute Tunes

Here's a reel composed by Edward V Reavy.  I hope I haven't decomposed it too much here.

Here's a version of a popular reel from South West Donegal.  There's at least one other version of this tune and once I've got over the trauma of trying to remember this one I'll try to remember it too. I've put 2 tunes on today as it being the twelfth of July, there are lots of other flute players and their friends clogging the streets of Belfast and causing businesses and places of entertainment...

I was asked to play this reel and here's my attempt to oblige. Séamus Ennis's father wrote the tune and there's a great rendition of Séamus playing available on a CD. I think youtube even has a video of the same performance. My attempt at picking through the tune is far from what the real thing is but at least it's in 'D'. (I had to find some good point to refer to).

This is a fairly common tune. I'm sorry if it appears hurried in places but I was getting withering looks from a baby while I played it and that put me off a bit.

Here's a very popular jig which I was asked to play.  It's especially popular among people who are learning to play the flute or the tin whistle.  Stair carpets have a lesser regard for it.

I've been asked to play this one so here it is.  There are lots of versions of it and I'm never sure which one is closest to a standard one.  I'll not guarantee than this effort will make people any the wiser as to the answer to that question.

As with a lot of apparently simple tunes, there are lots of variations of this reel.  This is in danger of not being any of them.

Here's a very common hornpipe. I'm sorry about the sound. I listened back to it (I normally don't) and it sounds as if I recorded it in a particularly cavernous public lavatory. May it was the same one in which some 1970s record companies used to record their traditional music LPs.

I've been asked to try this one.  Well, at least I tried.  I sort of learned it once off a Michael Coleman record but I don't have that record any more so I'm relying on memory; never a wise move in my case.

Maybe safer with the twig if time is an issue.

Here's yet another reel. It differs from the others which I've posted in that it is called "The Antrim Rose" while they are not. I am currently sitting in said county with a thorny, fragrant flower of the genus rosa within 8 feet of me. I don't think that has anything to do with this choice of tune though. There are plenty of other things even closer to hand than roses but I'm not about to play "T...

I'm sorry about the clicky G# key in this one.  I think my fingers may need a drop oil too.

Here's a slightly dry-mouthed and dry-fluted go at "The Tempest".  My mouth is now so dry after playing it that I can't even type any more nonsense about it.

Here's one I was asked for.  For some reason (maybe because I almost never go out playing) I haven't heard this tune for a while so this version mightn't be very up to date.  It may have a chance of being recognised as at least a relative of the "Flowing Bowl" which does get played by people who do go out.

I've recently been reminded of this one.  I never knew its name until about ten minutes ago.  Maybe in another ten minutes' time I'll know the notes as well. I think Paddy O'Brien wrote it.  It was probably a lovely tune when it left his fingers first ... like they say in Belfast about the Titanic - "it was all right when it left here".

I don't know that I've ever played this tune before but I've been asked for it so here is an attempt. I'm more of a terra firma person myself but I hope this maritime melody has survived my mal de mer. I've put the apostrophe before the last "s" thinking that this tune was the property of a single salt.

I know there is a name out there somewhere for this reel so I'll not write a whole pile on nonsense just now about the lack of one as I'll probably only have to change it soon anyway.

Here's a tune which I think is named after a bridge.  Talking of bridges, I think I learned this on the fiddle in B flat.  My fingers seem unwilling to coax this tune out of a 2 keyed flute in that key so here it is in C.  I'm not sure whether C belongs to it but that's how it came out this time.

Here's one I've been asked to record.  I had to look it up and I'm a bit uncertain of ho it goes.  This version is probably sufficiently washed-up to at least have some shore connections anyway.

Here's one for flutes with flats.  It's a bit vague here as per usual but it's a nice wee tune.

This is one I was asked to play.  I don't know whether the version of the first part that goes up to a high 'C' is the normal one or whether the more land-based one rules the waves or waves at those who rule the land.  I think I heard this tune from a recording of Leo Rowsome who as Rí na bPíobairí ruled over something himself. If anyone listening is fussy about tune versions then this particular...

As usual the playing here is a bit vague.  The tune just occurred to me so I thought I'd play it while the sausages were cooking.  They're done now - probably about as half-baked as this recording.

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)...

I've been asked to play this.  Having tried to play it I think I know why it I never did before now (I think it might be awkward on the flute).  I couldn't even work out what the first note ought to be.  I don't think I have enough of a bunker mentality. 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 o...

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 finis...