Annotation:Maude Millar (2)
X:1 T:Maude Millar [2] S:James Keane R:reel E:7 M:C| I:speed 350 Z:Gary Chapin K:G gf|edBA GEDE|G2BG dG (3Bcd|eBdB ABGA|Beed e2gf| edBA GEDE|G2BG dG (3Bcd|eBdB ABGA|Beed e2:|* ge|dega bg ~g2|agef gage|dega bg~g2|agef ~g3e| dega bg~g2|agef gfga|b2af gfed|Beed e2:|**
MAUD(E) MILLAR [2]. AKA and see "Donegal Boys," "Eileen Curran's (2)," "I Wish I Never Saw You," "Killoran's Reel (1)," "Magic Slipper (1) (The)," "Montua (The)," "Morrison's Reel (2)," "Mrs. Smullen's," "My Love is Fair and Handsome (1)," "Old French Reel (2)," "Paddy McFadden's (1)." Irish, Reel. G Major (most versions): F Major (McGuire & Keegan). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Breathnach): AAB (Mallinson, Taylor): AABB (McGuire & Keegan, Miller). Editor David Taylor (1992) says "evidently a very old tune," though does not say why; perhaps it is because of the variety of titles. It is sometimes found in older manuscripts in the key of F Major, and occasionally is heard played in that key in modern times (James Morrison and Andy McGann both recorded it in 'F'). However, the title "Maude Millar" for this tune on printed sheet music seems to have been fairly recent, dating to O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1903). O'Neill spelled the first name of the title with an 'e', but there are many instances of 'Maud Miller' as well, as in the Alex Sutherland (1873-1967) manuscript of County Leitrim, and the 20th century manuscript of Michael Reilly and his daughter Marie.
Both Breathnach and Bulmer & Sharpley printed the reel in 1976 as an untitled tune. The reel was popularized by James Morrision, who recorded the tune as "Maud Millar" for Columbia records in New York in 1935 in a medley with his own composition, “Skylark (The).” The alternate titles "Killoran's Reel (1)" and "Morrison's Reel (2)" come from Sligo-style fiddlers John Vesey and Andy McGann, respectively, while the "Mrs. Smullen's" title is from Packie Duigan and Seamus Horan. Mrs. Smullen--Theresa Smullen--is an accordion player originally from Drumshambo, now living with her husband Paddy (who sings and plays the spoons) in County Galway. See also the related "Strawberry Beds (1) (The)," "Donegal Boys" and "My Love is Fair and Handsome (1)." The note for "Annotation:I Wish I Never Saw You" has more on this large tune family.
Nova Scotia/Boston fiddler Tom Doucet played a version of "Maude Millar [2]" as "Old French Reel (2)."
