Annotation:Contradiction Reel (1) (The)

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CONTRADICTION (REEL) [1], THE ("An Friotraideacd," "An Frithrá" or "Cor an Breagnugad"). AKA and see "Miss Gunning's Delight," "Miss Gunning's Fancy Reel," "Miss Gunning's Reel." Scottish (originally), Canadian, Irish; Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major (most versions): G Major (Breathnach/CRÉ V). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABCD (O'Neill): ABCCD (Cranford): AA'BB'CC (Breathnach). Paul Cranford (1994) suggests "The Contradiction" is a 19th century Irish-American title for an older tune by the Scottish composer William Marshall (1748-1833), who published it as a three-part setting (O'Neill's 'A', 'B' & 'D'). The fourth part was added in the 1884 Boston publication Ryan's Mamouth Collection and repeated by O'Neill at the beginning of the 20th century. Cranford states that the four-part version was preferred in Cape Breton by influential early-to-mid-20th century fiddlers Angus Chisholm, Dan R. MacDonald, and Winston Fitzgerald, and thus to modern Cape Breton musicians. O'Neill (1922) calls the reel a variation of "Miss Gunning's Delight," also called "Miss Gunning's Fancy" and "Miss Gunning's Reel," {itself attributed by Brendan Breathnach to Marshall; there is a fascinating story about the Gunning sisters (see "Annotation:Miss Gunning's Reel")}. The great Sligo-born fiddler Michael Coleman recorded a three-part version of the reel, communicates Philippe Varlet, with fiddler Tom Gannon in 1922 for the New Republic label (it appears as part of a medley, and only the first tune, "The Prohibition," is mentioned on the record label). Varlet also has a couple of private recordings of it made by Philadelphia/County Cavan fiddler Ed Reavy with his friend Neil Dougherty during the 1950's. Editor Jackie Small (CRÉ V) states: "In almost all settings the tune has a very wide range, far beyond the first position on the fiddle. The version here is simpler by far, within the first position, and almost within the range attainable on the whistle or pipes-there is only the odd extra note for those wind instruments and musicians are long accustomed to overcome small problems like that. The version here is quite close to the first setting in O'Neill/Waifs, the basic setting of the tune, which O'Neill got in Aird's Selection."

Sources for notated versions: manuscripts in the possession of Chicago Police Sergeant James O'Neill, originally from County Down-many from the playing of his father [O'Neill]; Aird's Selection [O'Neill/Wiafs].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 135, p. 73 (appears as "Gan ainm/No title"). Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 161, p. 79. Cranford (Brenda Stubbert's), 1994; No. 12, p. 5. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1503, p. 278. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 724, p. 127. O'Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922; No. 215. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 54.

Recorded sources: New Republic 2330 (78 RPM), Michael Coleman & Tom Gannon (1922. Second tune in "The Prohibition" medley). Shanachie 79064, Matt Molloy - "Heathery Breeze" (1999).

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings Index [3]
Hear Coleman & Gannon's recording at the Internet Archive [4] (2nd tune in medley).

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