Annotation:Chanter's Tune

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CHANTER'S TUNE, THE (Fonn an Ceolraide). AKA - "Song of the Chanter." Irish, Slow Air (2/4 time) or March. D Mixolydian (Vallely): G Mixolydian (Johnson, O'Neill): G Minor (O'Sullivan/Bunting). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Neill, O'Sullivan/Bunting): AABB (Johnson, Vallely). Probably a piper's piece, from the title. It is often given as a beginner's tune for pipers, as it may be rendered entirely without having to 'overblow' into the next octave.

Source for notated version: the melody was given to the Irish collector Edward Bunting by one "E. Shannon, Esq." in 1839, though no words have been found [O'Sullivan/Bunting]. Clare piper Willie Clancy (Miltown Malbay) [Bulmer & Sharpley].

Printed sources: Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, vol. 2, No. 79. Bunting (Ancient Music of Ireland), 1840; No. 147, p. 107. Bunting (The Ancient Music of Ireland), 1840. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 5: Mostly Irish Airs), 1985 (revised 2000); p. 7. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 143, p. 25. O'Sullivan/Bunting (Ancient Music of Ireland), 1983; No. 147, pp. 204-205. Vallely (Learn to Play the Fiddle with Armagh Pipers Club), 197?; p. 19.

Recorded sources: Front Hall FHR-08, Alistair Anderson - "Traditional Tunes" (1976. Learned from a recording by Irish piper Willy Clancy).

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]