Annotation:Mason's Apron (The)

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MASON'S APRON (Práiscín an Mhásúin/Saorcloice). AKA and see "Braes of Glenorchy (1)," "Carton's Reel (1)," "Gallagher's Reel," "I Don't Like the Guidewife," "Isla Reel (The)," "Lady/Miss Carbury/Carberry," "Lowrie Tarrel," "Mason's Cap (The)," "Mason Laddie (The)," "Miss Hope’s Favorite," "Pig the Tore the Shirt (The)," "Práiscín an Saorcloc," "Reel de Bretelles," "'S' Coma Leam Do Shean Taighe" "Tablier Du Macon (Le)." See also related American tunes "Jack of Diamonds (1)" and "Wake Up Susan (1)." Irish, Scottish, English, Shetlands, Canadian, American; Reel. A Major (most versions): A Mixolydian (Roche):G Major (some Irish versions). Standard or AEae tunings (fiddle). AB (Athole, Breathnach, Gow, Hardie, O'Neill, Roche, Silberberg, Surenne, Sweet): AAB (Kerr): AABB (Brody, Cole, Jarman, Kennedy, Mallinson, Miller & Perron, Raven, Skye, Songer): AA'BB' (Phillips): AABBCCDDE (Gatherer): AABBCCDDEEFFGG' (Martin & Hughes). The melody is Scottish in origin, according to most sources, despite having been strongly associated with Irish fiddling tradition in the present day. Early Scots versions appear in Alexander McGlashan's (173?-1797) collections under the titles "Isla Reel (The)" and "Braes of Glenorchy (1)," while one called "The Mason Laddie" is in Robert Ross's 1780 volume A Choice Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances (Edinburgh). It quickly became a popular piece, with continued longevity; for example, a note in MacDonald's Skye Collection (1887), printed a century after Ross's volume, states: "One of the best tunes that can be played for a Country Dance." It was a particular favorite of William Hardie Jr. of Methlick (1856-1944), and was the usual encore of the Scottish fiddler Duncan McKerracher (1796-1873), the so-called "Dunkeld Paganini" (whom family history had it once danced on a table to the playing of Niel Gow), who it was said played the tune wearing his Masonic apron. Mason's Apron is also the name of a Scottish country dance, though uncommon in the repertoire.

The melody lends itself to innumerable variations, and many fiddlers, even those not particularly known for spontaneous expostulation, compose their own. Of the two variations printed by Gatherer (1987), the first was composed by him, while the second, "quite common amongst Scottish and Irish fiddlers, was claimed by both Bobby McLeod and Sean Maguire." The latter, a famous Irish fiddler, has been credited with taking (this) "rather common two-part reel," adding variations and creating a virtuostic piece which impressed other Irish musicians who either copied it or added their own variations, say the Boys of the Lough. Maguire added three parts to the two-part "Mason's Apron," requiring playing in positions and challenging to many fiddlers. Some fiddlers play pizzicato notes during the tune as a variation and some Irish versions have been rendered in the key of G major, including that by Paddy O'Brien (of Tipperary) and flute player Matt Molloy; the latter's is a much admired version on that instrument. Joyce printed the tune as "Lady Carbury" and uilleann piper O'Farrell included it in his 4th volume of his Pocket Companion (1804-16) under the title "Miss Hope’s Favorite--Scotch." Breathnach (1976) says the tune was sometimes played in AEae tuning by Irish fiddlers. "White Leaf" is a related Irish reel. Sligo master Paddy Killoran recorded "Mason's Apron" as a two-part reel in March, 1939.

Many fiddlers in a variety of traditions have used the tune as a vehicle to display their skill at theme and variations. The melody is, for example, widely played in the French-Canadian fiddling tradition of Québec (see "Tablier Du Macon (Le)"), and variants can frequently be found in several American regional styles. Alan Jabbour (1971), for example, sees associations with this tune and the "Hell On the Wabash"/"Wake Up Susan"/"Hell on the Potomac" complex of American tunes. The first sound recording appears to have been by New York accordion player John J. "Dutch" Kimmel in 1915.

Sources for notated versions: Boys of the Lough (Ireland/Scotland) [Brody]; fiddler Sean McGuire (Ireland) [Phillips]; fiddler Patrick Kelly, 1966 (Cree, Co. Clare, Ireland) [Breathnach]; Eddy Arsenault (b. 1921, St. Chrysostom, East Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Kevin Burke (Portland, Oregon) [Songer]; Cathie Whitesides [Silberberg].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 211, p. 110. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 185. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 485. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 50. Gatherer (Gatherer's Musical Museum), 1987; p. 10 (with variations). Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pp. 24-25. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1986; p. 27. Jarman (The Cornhuskers Book of Square Dance Tunes), 1944; p. 21. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), vol. 1, 1951; No. 50, p. 25. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 3, p. 23. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 2. Mallinson (100 Enduring), 1995; No. 22, p. 9. Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaigh), 1990; pp. 16-17. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler's Repertoire), 1983; No. 84. Moffat (Dance Music of the North), 1908; No. 9, p. 4. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 122. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1343, p. 251. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 598, p. 109. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 96. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; p. 36. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 174. Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 1), 1912; No. 1523, p. 61. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 77. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 97. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; p. 132. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 5. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; p. 22. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1965/1981; p. 64.

Recorded sources: Avoca 139, Sean Maguire--"Music of Ireland" (c. 1961. A definitive version of the tune). Beltona 78 RPM 2292, Jimmy Shand. Beltona BL1856 (78 RPM), Flower. Beltona BL2096 (78 RPM), Edinburgh Highland Reel and Strathspey Society (1936). Capelhouse Records, James Kelly - "Traditional Irish Music" (1996). Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 173, Brian Conway - "Consider the Source" (2008). Columbia A-1915 (78 RPM), John J. Kimmel (1915). Columbia IDB 499 (78 RPM), Paddy O'Brien (1953). Copley Records EP9-20 (45 RPM), Paddy O'Brien (195?). Decca 12201 (78 RPM), Paddy Killoran (1939). Fretless 103, "Clem Myers: Northeast Regional Old Time Fiddle Champion 1967 & 1970." Green Linnet GLCD 1081, The Tannahill Weavers - "Dancing Feet." Green Linnet 3082, Paddy O'Brien (Tipp.) - "The Banks of the Shannon" (set in the key of G). Legacy 120, Jean Carignan- "French Canadian Fiddle Songs." Green Linnet GLCD 3009/Mulligan LUN 021, Kevin Burke- "If the Cap Fits" (1978. A two-part settiing learned from a 78 RPM recording of Paddy Killoran, 1930's). Outlet 1031 and Outlet 1006, Sean McGuire- "Ireland's Champion Traditional Fiddler." RCA 09026-60916-2, The Chieftains - "An Irish Evening" (1991. Flute solo by Matt Molloy). Rounder 3006, Boys of the Lough- "Second Album" (1974). Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend- "Le Violin/ The Fiddle." Tara CD4011, Frankie Gavin - "Fierce Traditional" (2001. Learned from the late great Co. Clare whistle player Micho Russell, who had his version from a neighboring concertina player named Patrick Flanagan). "The Caledonian Companion" (1975). "Fiddlers Three Plus Two." BBC LP, Sean McGuire & Barney McKenna - "Ulster's Flowery Vale." Kieran Hanrahan - "Kieran Hanrahan Plays the Irish Tenor Banjo." Arthur Scott Robertson - "Champion's Choice" (Seán Maguire variations).

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 the tune played on the 78 RPM recording by Will Powrie at Rare Tunes [4] [5]
Hear the tune played by Frederick "Hiram" Hosie at Rare Tunes [6] [7] (Preceded by Devil Among the Tailors (1) (The), followed by Meg Merrilees)
Hear the tune played by harmonica player at Rare Tunes [8] [9] (preceded by "Marquis of Huntly's Highland Fling (1) (The)"
Hear Paddy Killoran's 1939 recording the Internet Archive [10] [11] (followed by "Langton's Favorite/Laington's Reel"

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