Colonel Fraser

COLONEL FRASER (An Ardtaoiseac Fraser). AKA - "Colonel Frazer." AKA and see "Donaghmore (The)," "Malloy's Favorite," "Molloy's Favourite (2)," "Green Fields of Ireland." Irish, Reel. G Major ('B' and 'D' parts) and G Mixolydian ('A' and 'C' parts) [O'Neill/Krassen & 1915]: G Major ('A', 'B' & 'D' parts) & G Major/Mixolydian ('C' part) [Miller]: G Major (Mitchell, O'Neill/1850 & 1001). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABCD (Miller): ABCDE (Mitchell): ABCC'DE (O'Neill/Krassen): AA'BCD (O'Neill/1915, 1001 & 1850): AABBCCDDEE (Taylor). The tune is a favorite of uilleann pipers, and is known as one of the 'big' piping tunes. Versions vary from all-major tonality to one or more parts in the Mixolydian mode. It was first recorded on a wax cylinder by Irish-American piper Patsy Touhey (1865-1923), whom Francis O'Neill said was a "genial, obliging and unaffected wizard of the Irish pipes." Seán Keane identifies it a reel from the north Midlands and Sligo areas. The title appears in a list of tunes in the repertoire of Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, made at the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). A two-part version "Colonel Fraser" is also to be found in the c. 1880's County Leitrim collection of fiddler and piper Stephen Grier of Farnaght. Petrie published a four-part setting under the title "Green Fields of Ireland," and Breathnach (1985) finds "Colonel Fraser" related to "Malloy's Favourite." See also the related "Duke of Leinster's Wife."

Flute player Seamus Tansey relates that Colonel Fraser was an English landlord in Leinster, a man of good temperament who was kind to his tenantry and to travelling pipers. He bought one piper a set of new pipes and had this tune composed for him in gratitude. Tansey said the piper was inspired by the sight of the Colonel galloping on his horse to the hunt, "It's like the 'Fox Chase', but different." In 1959 Kerry fiddler Denis Murphy (1910-1974) recorded it in Dublin in a medley with "Steampacket (The)" and "Kerry Reel (1) (The)."

Sources for notated versions: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, late 1980's [Taylor]; "Based on the playing of (Kerry fiddler) Paddy Cronin" [Miller].

Printed sources: Lyth (Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing), vol. 1, 1981; 78. Miller (Fiddler's Throne), 2004; No. 137, p. 90. Mitchell (The Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 87, pp. 78-79. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 104. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1246, p. 234. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 520, p. 98. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 243, p. 128. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; p. 28. Vallely (Play Tin Whistle with the Armagh Pipers Club), vol. 3; 21.

Recorded sources: Claddagh Records CC17, Seán Keane - "Gusty's Frolics" (1975). Drumlin Records, Brian McNamara - "A Piper's Dream." Gael-Linn CEF 045, "Paddy Keenan" (1975). Green Linnet GLCD 1074, Jerry O'Sullivan - "The Invasion" (1987). Rounder CD 1087, Denis Murphy - "From Galway to Dublin" (1992). Shaskeen Records OS-360, Joe Burke, Andy McGann, Felix Dolan - "A Tribute to Michael Coleman" (c. 1965). Conal O'Grada - "The Top of Coom." Tara CD3034, Liam O'Flynn - "The Given Note" (learned from Leo Rowsome). Viva W103, Sean McGuire - "Irish Jigs and Reels" (c. 1960's, a reissue of "Sean Maguire Plays," the first recording of McGuire that Josephine Keegan accompanied on piano).

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]

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X:1
T:Colonel Fraser
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Reel
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (1907), No. 520
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
R:Reel
K:G
dc|:BGAF D>G {A}(3GFG|AFcF dFcF|BGAF DGGg|1 fdcA d2 cA:||2 (3fed cA BG G2||
dggf g2 bg|fdcB ABcA|Gg{a}gf gbag|fdcA BG G2|
gfge d2 dc|(3Bcd BG ABcA|GBAc (3Bcd eg|fdcA BG G2||
B>d (3ddd BGdG|AFcF (3ABc AF|B>c (3ddd BGdG|cAFG AG G2|
B>d (3ddd BGdG|AFcF (3ABc AF|(3GAB (3ABc (3Bcd eg|fdcA BG G2||
(3BcB GB (3BdB GB|(3ABA FA (3AcA FA|(3BcB GB (3BdB  GB|{d}cAFG AG G2|
(3BcB GB GBGB|(3ABA FA FAFA|GBAc (3Bcd eg|fdcA D2 cA||

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