Annotation:Cup of Tea (1) (The)

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X:1 T:Cup of Tea, The M:C L:1/8 R:Reel B:Stephen Grier music manuscript collection (Book 2, c. 1883, No. 181) B: http://grier.itma.ie/book-two#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=37&z=283.4736%2C301.2192%2C2139.6415%2C925.9929 N:Stephen Grier (c. 1824-1894) was a piper and fiddler from N:Newpark, Bohey, Gortletteragh, south Co. Leitrim. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Emin BAGF GEEF|GEBE GEEc|BAGF GABc|dABG FD D2:| F|E2 eg fdec|dBAF BEED|E2 eg fdec|dBAG FDDF| D2 eg fdec|dBAF BE E2|gfef gfge|dBAG FD D2||

CUP OF TEA [1], THE (An Cupán Tae). AKA and see "Unfortunate Cup of Tea," "Green Cup of Tea (The)," "Mayobridge." Irish, Reel. E Dorian ('A' part) & D Major ('B' and 'C' parts). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB (Breathnach, Feldman & O'Doherty): ABC (O'Neill): ABBCC (Mitchell): AABBCC (Alewine, Mallinson, Miller & Perron): AABB'CC (Harker/Rafferty). "The Cup of Tea" has been a popular reel in Irish sessions for decades. As "Unfortunate Cup of Tea," a rather truncated version of the melody appears in P.M. Haverty's Three Hundred Irish Airs (New York, 1858–1859), although in modern times the title is usually simply "Cup of Tea" and the tune is greatly developed over the Haverty version. In northern Ireland parts of the tune are played AABBC.

Additional notes

Sources for notated versions: Belfast fiddler Seán McGuire (1927–2005) & accordion player Joe Burke [Miller & Perron]; piper Andy Conroy (Co. Roscommon, Ireland) [Breathnach]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; piper Willie Clancy (1918–1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; "from the playing of James Kennedy, one of the famous fiddlers of the Irish Music Club of Chicago"-Kennedy learned the tune from his father, a celebrated local fiddler from Ballinamore, County Leitrim [O'Neill]; fiddler Simon Doherty (County Donegal) [Feldman & O'Doherty]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources : - Alewine (Maid that Cut Off the Chicken's Lips), 1987; p. 14. Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 278, p. 142. Feldman & O'Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 104 (appears as "Untitled Reel"). Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 137, p. 41. Mallinson (100 Essential), 1995; No. 73, p. 31. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 1, No. 36. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 60. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 107, p. 92. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra), 1994; No. 68, p. 38. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 262, p. 135. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 792, p. 137. O'Neill (Irish Minstrels and Musicians), 1913; p. 135.

Recorded sources: -Alia Vox AVSA 9878, Jordi Savall - "The Celtic Viol. II" (2010). Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Starr 9567 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}.

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