Annotation:Contentment is Wealth (1)

Back to Contentment is Wealth (1)

---

CONTENTMENT IS WEALTH [1] ("Is Ionmus an Sagarlacd" or "Is Saidbreas an Sastacd). AKA and see "Golden Keyboard (2)." Irish, Double Jig. A Dorian (O'Neill): E Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. "Contentment is Wealth" is a title applied to several jigs that share the first strain; second strains differ. Samuel Bayard identified this tune as an offshoot of the old jig "Lumps of Pudding (2)/Lumps of Puddings (2)." As to the title, the Scots national poet Robert Burns wrote a song to the air called "Contented Wi' Little," which expresses a similar sentiment, although the title is probably taken from an old adage. Bruce Olson believes it may have derived from a line in the second verso of the song "(Come) haste to the wedding (ye friends and ye neighbors)," which goes:

We boast of no wealth but contentment and health,

The melody has been a favorite jig at Irish sessions in New York (where it is played in E Minor) and was recorded by fiddler Hugh Gillespie in the 1930's.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 729, p. 136. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 28, p. 21.

Recorded sources: Edison 51041 (78 RPM), John J. Kimmel (accordionist from N.Y.C.), 1922. Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40481, Brian Conway - "First Through the Gate" (2002. Learned from an old tape of Andy McGann playing solo at an informal New York house session).

See also listing at:
Hear Hugh Gillespie's 78 RPM recording at Capeirish.com [1]

---