Annotation:Flower of the Flock (1) (The)
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FLOWER OF THE FLOCK [1], THE ("Blat Na Treada" or "Scot an Pobuil"). AKA - "Flowers of the Flock." AKA and see "My Love is Such a Fair One." Irish, Reel. G Major (Mulvihill, O'Neill): A Major (Roche). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Taylor (1992) believes O'Neill's version and his, from the playing of the band Shaskeen, are, "strictly speaking," incompatible, but this statement is curious, for the two versions are clearly closely related. Other related tunes are "Rose in the Garden (The)" and "My Love is Such a Fair One," found in Breathnach's Ceol Rince na hÉireann, vol. 2, No. 150 and vol. IV, No. 176, respectively. Button accordion player Joe Derrane recorded the reel on a 78 RPM in the late 1940's (paired with his composition "Peter Feeney's Dream") for Boston-based Copley Records.
Source for notated version: Tony Smith (County Cavan & Dublin) [Mulvihill]; Francis O'Neill learned the tune from a young Limerick man named James Moore during the winter of 1875. Moore, a flute player without an instrument, lived in a cold boarding-house across the street from O'Neill and often availed himself of O'Neill's hospitality ensconcing himself on a "cozy seat on the woodbox back of our kitchen stove" while borrowing O'Neill's flute to play on. Moore, complained a frustrated O'Neill, often did not remember the names of the tunes he played ("a very common failing") and was lost track of when he moved to New York in the spring [O'Neill, Irish Folk Music].
Printed sources: Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 55, p. 14. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 260, p. 134. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 102. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1238, p. 233. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 512, p. 96. Roche (Collection of Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1913; No. 184, p. 71. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 30, p. 22.
Recorded sources: Shaskeen - "Atlantic Breeze." Great Meadow Music GMM 2018, Frank Ferrel & Joe Derrane - "Fiddledance" (2004). Green Linnet SIF3011, Bothy Band - "1975." Nimbus NI5415, Martin O'Connor - "Across the Waters." Philo FI 22018, "Jean Carignan Plays the Music of Coleman, Morrison & Skinner" (Carignan learned the tune from a recording by accordionist Joe Derrane).
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]