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X:1
T:Tobin's Favorite
M:6/8
L:1/8
B:O'Neill's Music of Ireland. 1850 Melodies, 1903, p. 144, no. 775
Z:François-Emmanuel de Wasseige
K:D
A/F/|DFA dcd|ecA cde|fdf {a}gfg|ecA GFE|
DFA dcd|ecA cde|(f/g/a)f gec |edc d2:|
|:d|dfa agf|(e/f/g)e efg|fdf {a}gfg|ecA GFE|
DFA dcd|ecA efg|(f/g/a)f gec|edc d2:|]
TOBIN'S FAVORITE (Roga Sant-Aubin). AKA - "Tobin's Jig (2)," "Tobin's Fancy." AKA and see "Follow Me around the Garden." Irish, Double Jig (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The title refers to one Adam Tobin, a native of Kilkenny, by way of Chicago fiddler James Kennedy, who gave the tune to O’Neill. O'Neill remarks on him in Irish Folk Music: A Fascinating Hobby (1910, p. 44):
Not by any means the least distinguished of our number was Adam Tobin, a Kilkenny man,
equally proficient as a piper or fiddler. Ordinarily genial and accommodating, he was
easily aroused by opposition; yet he was universally popular, and year after year he has
been engaged by one of the Scotch societies to play at their picnics. His repertory of
tunes was both choice and extensive, and I am inclined to believe that a few of them
escaped the vigilance of our scribe, Sergeant O'Neill.
“Tobin’s Favorite” is the most common title for the jig nowadays. Jackie Small, editor of Breathnach’s Ceol Rince na hÉireann vol. V (1999), says the titles “Pretty Young Girls for Sale” and “Girls for Sale—the Old Way” are associated with the tune. "Girls for Sale" is an alternate title for "Jackson's Morning Breeze," and the first strain of the latter is quite similar to "Tobin's Favorite."
The tune, as "Tobin's Fancy," was recorded in New York by renowned County Sligo fiddler wikipedia:Michael_Coleman_(Irish_fiddler) (1891-1945) in 1927.
Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Adam Tobin [O'Neill]; Michael Coleman (County Sligo, Ire./New York) [Brody]; Fennig’s All Stars (N.Y.) [Spadaro]; set dance music recorded live at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980’s [Taylor]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926, who had it from Aggie Whyte [Harker].
Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; p. 277. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 51. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 219, p. 67. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 6: Jigs), 1982 (revised 1989, 2001); p. 8. Mallinson (100 Enduring), 1995; No. 31, p. 13 (appears as “Tobin’s Favourite”). O'Brien (Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor), Boston, 1949 (as "Tobin's Fancy"). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 22. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 775, p. 144. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 52, p. 25 (appears as "Tobin's Favorite"). Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 382. Spadaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; p. 23. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; p. 38. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 25.
Recorded sources : - Coleman Heritage Centre CHC 008, Michael Coleman - "The Enduring Magic" (2004). Columbia 33202-F (78 RPM), Patrick Doran, Joseph Sullivan, Joe Owens (1927. Appears as "Follow Me around the Garden). Front Hall 05, Fennigs All Stars "Saturday Night in the Provinces." GN1, Joe Thoma "Up the Track: Traditional Music from Kenmare." Kicking Mule 216, Strathspey "New England Contra Dance Music." Shanachie 33002, Michael Coleman - "The Legend of Michael Coleman." Front Hall 05, Fennigs All Stars "Saturday Night in the Provinces." GN1, Joe Thoma "Up the Track: Traditional Music from Kenmare." Kicking Mule 216, Strathspey "New England Contra Dance Music." Shanachie 33002, Michael Coleman "The Legend of Michael Coleman." Victor 20916 (78 RPM), Michael Coleman (1927).
See also listing at :
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [2]
Hear Michael Coleman's 1927 recording at youtube.com [3] ("Tobin's Fancy" follows the reel "Trim the Velvet").
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