Annotation:Pipe on the Hob (1)

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PIPE ON THE HOB [1], THE ("An Píopa Air/Ar,” “An Cluid/Iarta" or "An Píopa ar an mBaic"). AKA - "Píobaire na Gríosaí," "Piper of the Embers." Irish, Double Jig. A Dorian (Brody, Mallinson, Mitchell, O'Neill). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC (Brody, Mallinson, Mulvihill, O'Neill, Taylor): AA’BBCC (Mitchell). A favorite of Irish pipers. A hob is originally a raised surface in a fireplace directly aside where the cooking fire is built, and was a place to rest a kettle or pot while it heated. In modern times a hob can also refer to a hotplate for boiling water for tea. Uilleann piper Séamus Ennis maintained one of the tune’s Irish names was properly translated as “Piper on the Hob” or “Piper of the Embers,” a poetic nickname for the 'musical' insect the cricket. Ennis recorded it under the latter title on his "Forty Years of Irish Piping" album. See also O'Neill's related “Hollyford Jig (The).”

Sources for notated versions: biography:John Carey, a native of Limerick [O’Neill. There is a hornpipe called "John Carey's Daughter" in O'Niell's Dance Music of Ireland (1907)]; The Bothy Band (Ireland) [Brody]; piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, West Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded live at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980’s [Taylor].

Printed sources: Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; p. 218. Mallinson (100 Enduring), 1995; No. 47, p. 20. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 5, p. 31. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 50, pg. 75 (learned from a recording of uilleann piper Leo Rowsome). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 18. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 705, p. 131. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 9, p. 18. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 27. Vallely (Learn to Play the Tin Whistle with the Armagh Pipers Club, vol. 3); 1.

Recorded sources: Columbia CAL503-1, Paddy O’Brien (195?). Front Hall 018, How To Change a Flat Tire - "Traditional Music of Ireland and Shetland." Mulligan 030, The Bothy Band - "Afterhours." Mulligan 013, The Bothy Band - "Out of the Wind into the Sun” (1977). Outlet 3002, Paddy Cronin - "Kerry's Own Paddy Cronin" (1977). Shaskeen Records OS-360, Andy McGann, Felix Dolan & Joe Burke - "A Tribute ot Michael Coleman" (c. 1965). Seamus Ennis – “Return to Fingal.”

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear Séamus Ennis's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [3]

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