Annotation:Maiden (The)

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MAIDEN, THE (An Maigdean). AKA and see "Dark Maiden of the Valley (The)." Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The air is a simpler version, writes O'Neill (Irish Folk Music), of "Bean Dubh a' Ghleanna (1) (An)" (The Dark Woman of the Glen), which O'Neill obtained from fiddler Daniel Sullivan of Boston, a native of Millstreet, County Cork. However, Paul de Grae remarks "the resemblance is not readily apparent." The tune is derived from O'Daly's Poets and Poetry of Munster, albeit O'Daly's tune is without accidentals, although the 'C' note is sharped several times in O'Daly's volume.

Source for notated version: "O'Neill" [O'Neill]. Chicago Police Sergeant and fiddler James O'Neill was originally from County Down. He was musically literate and served as Francis O'Neill's transcriber for his early works.

Printed sources: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 174, p. 31.

Recorded sources:

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