Annotation:London Lasses (1)

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LONDON LASSES [1] ("Cailinide/Cailíní Lungduin" or "Cailíní Londan"). AKA - "London Lassies." AKA and see "Bird in the Cage," "Gardiner's Favourite (2)," "John McKenna's (1)," "Maid in the Rushes (The)," "Streams in the Valley," "Turnpike Gate (2) (The)." Irish, Canadian; Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Dunlay & Reich, O'Neill): AABB (Dunlay & Greenberg, Tubridy): AA'BB' (Cranford, Harker/Rafferty). A popular reel in among both Irish and Cape Breton musicians, frequently recorded. In the 78 RPM era it was recorded by piper Patsy Tuohy, and flute player Joe McKenna (the latter called it "Streams in the Valley"). The reel was issued under the title "Cavan Lasses" by Johnny McGreevy and Pat McGovern in November, 1935. It was recorded twice under the title "Maid in the Cherry Tree (The)" (a title usually given to another tune); first by piper Mullaney with fiddler Paddy Stack (1920's), and some two decades later by fluter Frank Neylon & fiddler Paddy Cronin in 1950.

The Cape Breton setting was popularized by the late Donald Angus Beaton, however it is clear from the transcriptions of his settings that he played the tune with parts in reverse order from those printed in O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1903). Dunlay and Greenberg (1996) note that Cape Breton fiddler John Campbell also played the tune with parts reversed from O'Neill's. There is another setting in Breathnach's CRÉ II, No. 170. "London Lasses" is often paired in a medley with "Galway Rambler (The)," perhaps in imitation of the 1937 recording by the Aughrim Slopes Ceili Band in Dublin. The "Flying Column (2) (The)" tune family has similarities to this melody. Collector Frank Roche included incorporated "London Lasses (1)" in his long dance "Walls of Limerick (3) (The), where it is the opening melody.

Source for notated version: Donald Angus Beaton (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) [Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay and Reich]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker]; Belfast fiddler Sean McGuire (1927-2005) with the Four Star Quartet [Miller & Perron]; fiddler Kevin Burke & accordion player Jackie Daly (Ireland) [Breathnach].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1975; No. 170. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1986; No. 106. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 63. Cranford (Jerry Holland's Collection), 1995; No. 171, p. 48. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton), 1996; 95. Dunlay and Reich (Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; p. 61. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 29, p. 10. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 6. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 82. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 110. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1278, p. 240. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 546, p. 101. Shears (The Cape Breton Collection of Bagpipe Music), 1995. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 6, p. 6. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; p. 21.

Recorded sources: Blarney Castle Records BC-509, "Best of Irish Dance Music." Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 167, Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington - "The Merry Love to Play" (2007). Copley 9-196, Frank Neylon & Paddy Cronin (2nd tune in set, called "Maid in the Cherry Tree" on label). DAB4-1985, Donald Angus Beaton- "A Musical Legacy" (1985. Appears as "Traditional Reel"). Decca 12059 (78 RPM), Johnny McGreevy and Pat McGovern (1935. Appears on the label as "Cavan Lasses"). Fiddlesticks cass. ACC-49397, Jerry Holland - "Fathers and Sons" (1992). Green Linnet SIF 1058, Matt Molloy & Seane Keane - "Contentment is Wealth" (1985). Irish I-3011, Charley Higgins & Jack Dolan (1955. Appears as "Streams in the Valley"). JC 127, John Campbell- "Cape Breton Violinist" (1983. Appears as "Traditional Reel"). SA93130, Donny LeBlanc - "Rosining Up the Bow" (1993). Shaskeen - "The Joys of Life." STEPH 1-94, Stephanie Wills - "Tradition Continued" (1994).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Hear a 1969 recording of the tune by famed piper Felix Doran at the Comhaltas Archive [4]
Hear Johnny McGreevy and Pat McGovern's 1935 recording at the Internet Archive [5] (2nd in set, following "Bank of Ireland (1) (The)")
Hear a 1959 recording by flute players Charley Higgins and Jack Dolan at the Internet Archive [6] {2nd tune, following "Galway Rambler (The)"}
Hear the 1950's recording by Frank Neylon and Paddy Cronin [7]

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