Over the years many composers have become household names within the Irish musical tradition.  Tunes by the likes of Ed Reavy, Finbarr Dwyer, Seán Ryan and Paddy O’Brien have become assimilated into sessions and recorded output across the world and, in this living tradition, we are constantly adding more newly composed tunes by those writing them today. Of course, as a tune enters the mainstream tradition it will, inevitably, meander from the composers’ original melody line as it is adjusted slightly to fit varying instruments and different individual styles of playing. In some cases, the tune will remain close to the original source but, in many cases, several versions can end
up developing as players experiment with other keys and melodic approachs. Or, by simply having
learnt it incorrectly from source material!

“From the horses mouth”, as the expression goes, is the preferred way of learning somebody’s composition, whether directly or via a recording but in many cases, we don’t always have access to the root. Trawling through Don Meade’s collection sprang up some great opportunities to hear tunes played in their originally-intended manner by the composer. We’ll hear Billy McComiskey play favourites like The Commodore Reel and The Controversial Reel. In that set you can dine in on his own favoured types of variation which abound in subtle form which phrasing changes as well as some slightly more elaborate melodic variation. I’ll feature famous composers like Martin Wynne and Martin Mulhaire as well as some tunes from John Nolan and Denis Galvin that have not entered the wider repertoire as of yet. In some cases, the composers have been joined by other musicians who did their due diligence in learning the tunes.

Mike Rafferty’s tune Feeding the Birds is an interesting one on the title front as, although this is the title that seems to have fallen into general use over time, Mike himself has introduced it with alternative titles over the years such as Rafferty’s Moustache or, simply, Mike Rafferty’s Reel. Speaking from personal experience and from having seen this occur occassionally elsewhere, tune titles can tend to go through a few drafts before the writer lands on one they’re satisfied with. Regardless, it’s a fine rendition played after Paddy O’Brien’s Swallow’s Nest. Andy McGann plays a jig he composed that is often titled Andy McGann’s but which, in fact, he introduces at one concert as The Gander having been inspired by his inclination to pair it with The Old Grey Goose. His air Rosemary, written for his wife, is also amongst the selection along with reels from Patrick Ourceau and Bill Black. Bill composed tonnes of tunes which are available to view on his website and one of his best known is the belter of a reel called Granny Quinn’s as recorded by Solas. Here it is played by Willie Kelly on fiddle with Bill himself providing bouzouki accompaniment. Finally, you will hear Siobhán Egan, of Cherish the Ladies fame, play her jig The Galloping Hound.