Annotation:Hardiman the Fiddler (1)

Back to Hardiman the Fiddler (1)

X:1 T:Hardiman the Fiddler [1] M:9/8 L:1/8 R:Slip Jig K:Dmix A2G FDE F2G|A3 AGA cAG|A2G FDE F2G| Add ded cAG:||Add d2e f3|Add ded cAG| Add d2e f2g|agf ged cAG|Add d2e f3| Add ded cAG|dcA B/c/de f2g|agf ged cAG||

HARDIMAN THE FIDDLER [1] (Fear-Tailce an fidileir). AKA - "Hardy Man the Fiddler." Irish, Slip Jig (9/8 time). D Major (O'Neill/1850 & 1001): D Mixolydian (Cranitch, Mallinson, Mitchell, O'Neill/Krassen, Tubridy): D Mixolydian ('A' part) & D Major ('B' part) {Feldman & O'Doherty}: D Minor (Tolman). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part (Mitchell): AAB (Cranitch, O'Neill, Taylor, Tolman, Tubridy): ABB (Feldman & O'Doherty): AABB (Mallinson). David Taylor (1992) suggests that these several tunes with the name "Hardiman" (of which "Hardiman the Fiddler" is probably the most famous) honor the historian James Hardiman, author of Irish Minstrelsy (1831).

Researcher Connor Ward finds cognate slip jigs in local musicians' manuscript copybooks from Leitrim and Longford that predate O'Neill's "Hardiman" tune. Stephen Grier (c. 1883, Gortletteragh, Co. Leitrim) entitled a version "Pottien Whiskey" (Poitín Whiskey) while Francis Reynolds (c. 1885, Gaigue, Ballinamuck, Co. Longford) entitled his cognate version "Heart of a Loaf (The)", writes Conor, who also finds the second strain of "Campbells are Coming (3) (The)" (Tá na Caimbéalaigh ag Teacht) to be shared with the Grier and Reynolds tunes, and nearly parallel to that of "Hardiman," albeit one step higher (so that it is in 'E' minor/dorian rather than 'D' mixolydian).

Additional notes

Sources for notated versions: - piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, late 1980's [Taylor]; fiddlers Francie and Mickey Byrne (County Donegal) [Feldman & O'Doherty].

Printed sources : - Breathnach (Folk Music and Dances of Ireland), 1971; 9. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 31, p. 137. Cranitch (Irish Session Tunes: Red Book), 2000; 31. Feldman & O'Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 160 (appears as 2nd "Untitled Slip Jig"). Mallinson (100 Enduring), 1995; No. 87, p. 37. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 127, p. 102. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p 79. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1117, p. 211 (appears as "Hardy Man the Fiddler"). O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 412, p. 82 (appears as "Hardy Man the Fiddler"). Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; p. 19. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1980; p. 4 (appears as "Hardy Man the Fiddler"). Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; p. 37.

Recorded sources: -Claddagh CC7, "Chieftains 2" (1969). Drumlin Records BMNCD2, Brian McNamara - "Fort of the Jewels" (2004).

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

Back to Hardiman the Fiddler (1)