Annotation:Ivy Leaf Reel (2)

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IVY LEAF [2], THE (Duille an t-aignean). AKA and see "Mind My Border," "Mind My Brother," "New Ivy Leaf (The)," "New Steamboat (The)," "New Steampacket (The)." Irish, Reel. A Dorian (Mitchell) or A Mixolydian (Flaherty, O'Neill/1001): E Dorian (Taylor). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (O'Neill/1001, Taylor): AA'B (Flaherty, O'Neill/1915 & 1850): AABB' (Alewine, O'Neill/Krassen): ABCD (Mitchell). The title appears in a list of tunes in his repertoire brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). Interestingly, the ivy leaf can, and is, played in Ireland in the same way that many of us learned to 'play' a blade of grass i.e. by securing it tightly between the palm and thumbs, then blowing on the back of the thumbs to make it vibrate. Tom Munnelly remembers a young man in the 1960's won a round of the television talent show "Opportunity Knocks" playing the ivy leaf. Munnelly says, "Much play was made of the fact that because he had to stay on in London for the next heat the following week he needed fresh ivy leafs and English leaves would not do. A man had to be sent over to the Phoenix Park in Dublin to gather some ivy and flown back in time for the next show. For some indication on how to play the ivy leaf go to Richard Henebry's A Handbook of Irish Music, p. 51." (posted to Irtrad-L). Perhaps the first sound recording of the reel was by uilleann piper Patsy Touhey [1] (1865–1923) in 1919. Tuohey had provided the music for a play called "The Ivy Leaf" in 1888, and provided the accompaniment for William Powers' Ivy Leaf company. Tom Ennis also recorded the Ivy Leaf in the 78 RPM era, calling it the "New Steamboat (The)."

Canon James Goodman (County Cork) included a version of "Ivy Leaf Reel (2)" in his large mid-19th century music manuscript collection (vol. 3, p. 70) under the title "Molly will You do it?." See also "Ivy Leaf Reel (3)," a member of the "Man of the House (The)" family of tunes which has a similar first strain to "Ivy Leaf (2)." The second strains differ.

Source for notated version: tenor banjo player Tommy Finn (b. 1964, Marlow, Ballymote, Co. Sligo) [Flaherty]; piper Willie Clancy (1918–1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, in the 1980's [Taylor]; fiddler Simon Doherty (County Donegal) [Feldman & O'Doherty].

Printed sources: Alewine (Maid that Cut Off the Chicken's Lips), 1987; p. 21. Feldman & O'Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 103. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 54. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 96, p. 84. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 136, p. 36 (appears as untitled reel). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 127. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 278, p. 141. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; Nos. 1370 & 1371, p. 255. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 622, p. 112. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 15.

Recorded sources: Coleman Center CD CC004, Gregory Daly & Ted McGowan – "The Mountain Road: A compilation of tunes popular in South Sligo" (1999. Various artists). Shanachie 79095, Arcady – "Many Happy Returns" (1995). Topic TSCD 602, The Flanagan Brothers – "Irish Dance Music" (1995. A reissue of the 1925 original). HMV IM528, Leo Rowsome (1944).

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Hear piper Leo Rowsome's 1944 recording at the Internet Archive [4]

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