Annotation:Captain Sudley

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X:1 T:Planxty Sudley M:C L:1/8 R:Air B:Mulholland - Collection of Ancient Irish Airs (Belfast, 1810, p. 49) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D D2D2 DEFG|A4 A3c|d2c2d2e2|f4 A2 z2| f2g2a2f2|e2f2g2e2|f2d2e2c2|d4 d2z2| D2D2 DEFG|A4 A3A|d3c d2e2|(f3g) a2 z2| A2F2G2 (FG)|A2F2G2 FG|{B}A2 GF (AG)(FE)|D4-D2 z2:| |:f3e f2g2|[f4a4] [d2f2]z2|e3d (cd)(ef)|g4 e2z2| f2fg a2f2|{f}edef g2e2|f2d2e2c2|[F4d4][F2d2]z2| D2D2 DEFG|A4 A3c|d2c2 defd|e2c2A2z2| A4 G2F2|G3A B2G2|F2[D2A2] [FA][EG][DF][CE]|D4 D2z2||

CAPTAIN SUDLEY (Pleraca Sudloid). AKA and see "Planxty Sudley," "Carolan's Dowry,” “Spré Uí Chearbhúlláin.” Irish, Air. D Major (O’Sullivan): C Major (Heymann). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). O'Sullivan (1958) writes that "Captain Sudley" may have served as dowry for the marriage of Carolan's daughter Siobhán to an English army captain named Sudley who was stationed in Ireland. The harper Patrick Lynch preserved the words which were collected by Edward Bunting and appear in his manuscripts at Queens University, Belfast. There is some indication from Lynch's notes, written in Irish, that the marriage took place "against his/her will", although the statement is ambiguous and it is not known which of the parties (including Carolan) might have been dissatisfied at the union. The second verse contains the passage "Well did you play your card," addressed to the daughter, leading some to believe that it was not Siobhán who might have been unhappy. There were apparently religious differences as well--Sudley is a Protestant name, and Carolan was Catholic. Carolan biographer Donal O'Sullivan (1958) could find no recorded information about Sudley.

The air was adapted by Thomas Moore for his song "Oh! The Sight Entrancing."

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - John Mulholland's Collection of Ancient irish Airs (Belfast, 1810) [O'Sullivan].

Printed sources : - Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 163, p. 110-111. Haverty (One Hundred Irish Airs vol. 3), 1859; No. 279, p. 139. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 237. Heymann (Off the Record), 1990; pp. 8-9. Mulholland (Collection of Ancient Irish Airs), Belfast, 1810; p. 49. O'Neill (Music of Ireland; 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 670, p. 121. O’Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 163, pp. 188-189.

Recorded sources: - Clairseach Records 2381, Ann Heymann - "Ann's Harp" (1981).

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