Annotation:Pat Tuohey’s Reel
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PAT TUOH(E)Y'S REEL ("Seisd Padraic Ui Toicig," "Cor Padraig Ui Tuata" or "Rogha Phádraig Uí Thuathaigh"). AKA - "Patsy Twohey's/Tuoh(e)y's Favourite." AKA and see “Coillte Críona (An),” “Gleanntán Reel (5) (The).” Irish, Reel. E Dorian (Miller & Perron, Mulvihill, O'Neill/1850): E Minor (Breathnach, O'Neill/Krassen). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Breathnach): AA'B (Mulvihill, O'Neill): AA’BB’ (Miller & Perron). The title "Patsy Tuohy's" is also used for another tune, a jig. Breathnach (1963) states that O’Neill prints two settings, and that the one given in Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922, No. 309) is a special setting taken from a manuscript of Patrick J. Tuohey’s (1865-1923, also spelled Touhey) who was a gifted Irish piper living in Chicago. Captain Francis O’Neill called him “the genial wizard of the Irish (uilleann) pipes.” Oddly enough, says Breathnach, the first part is faulty and the second belongs with “Jenny's Wedding.” Tuohey emigrated from County Galway at the age of four and was raised in South Boston before making a name for himself on the vaudeville stage and touring all over the United States. The piper became a star of vaudeville theatres in New York and other cities with large Irish immigrant populations, and he combined authentic Irish music with stage burlesques and some American tunes thrown in as well. During one appearance, at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, he happened to be seen by the famous Irish tenor, John McCormack, who also performed at the fair. McCormack, however, became so incensed over Tuohey’s and other Irish vaudeville antics that he left in a “well-publicized huff” and did not return to the United States for another five years (Ó hAllmhuráin, 1998). Tuohey again shared the bill with McCormack at the New Orleans fair of 1911, and once more the two star performers clashed over Tuohey's insistence on doing his famed paddywhackery routine called 'Mike and Pat', and, while the routine was popular with audiences it was offensive caricature in McCormack's eyes.
In addition to being a virtuoso piper, Tuohey had other talents: at a Gaelic League Function of 1901 in Springfield, Massachusetts, he regaled the dancers with what was probably the turn of the century equivalent of Riverdance, replete with theatrical flourishes and crowd-pleasing decoration. Tuohey was one of the first Irish musicians to recognize the potential of the new recording technology, and waxed the reels “Miss MacLeod's Reel” and “Flogging Reel (The)” on a cylinder around the turn of the century. Continuing to experiment with the commercial possibilities of wax cylinder recordings, by 1901 he was selling tunes at a dozen for $10. See also the related “Kiltycreen” and “Turnisky Lasses.”
Sources for notated versions: piper Seán Potts (1871-1956, Ireland) [Breathnach]; Tommy Potts (1912-1988, Dublin, Ireland) [Miller & Perron]; the Bridge Ceili Band (New York) [Mulvihill].
Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 178, p. 70. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music, vol. 3), 1977; No. 36 (appears as “Waltham Flute Tune”). Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 96. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 14, p. 4. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1340, p. 250. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 122. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 595, p. 109.
Recorded sources: Drumlin Records BMNCD2, Brian McNamara – “Fort of the Jewels” (2004). Gael-Linn CEF060, “Paddy Glackin.” Shanachie 34014, James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien & Daithi Sproule – “Traditional Music of Ireland” (1995).
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources []
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info []