Annotation:Kate Kearney

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 KATE KEARNEY. AKA and see "When the cock crows it is day (3)," "Big Bow Wow," "Beardless Boy (The)," "Dissipated Youth (1) (The)," "Giolla na Scriob," "Seanbhean Chrion an Drantain," "Ta an Coileach ag Fogairt an Lae (2)." Irish, Air or Waltz. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Roche, O'Neill): AABC (Ford), ABC (O'Neill): AABBCCDD (O'Farrell). The song "Kate Kearney" was written by Lady Morgan, however, the melody previously appeared as "Beardless Boy (The)" in Bunting (1796) and again in Bunting (1809) as "Dissipated Youth (1) (The)". Murphy's Irish Airs and Jigs (1809) gave the title as "Kate Martin." O'Farrell (c. 1810) set the tune in 6/8 time. O'Neill writes in Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922): ''Long before Lady Morgan wrote the words of "Kate Kearney", the melody was known. As "The Beardless Boy" it was printed in'' Bunting's General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music (1796) and again as "The Disipated Youth" in '' A General Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland published in 1809. In the latter year it appeared also as "Kate Martin" in Murphy's Irish Airs and Jigs. As a waltz tune Kate Kearney lacked a sufficiently distinct second part, which some'' ''orchestra leader eventually supplied. This though serviceable for the purpose intended is devoid of any trace of Irish feeling.'' The Lady Morgan O'Neill refers to is an Irish writer, born Sydney Owerson (*c. 1776-1859), who wrote verses to Irish airs that she collected.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 138. O'Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. IV), c. 1810; p. 132. O'Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 263, p. 46. Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 3), 1927; No. 166, p. 58.  Recorded sources:

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