Annotation:Fairy Reel (1) (The)
Tune properties and standard notation
FAIRY REEL [1], THE. AKA and see "Daunse ny Farishyn," "Fairey Reel," "Fairy Dance," "Fisher Laddie," "Haymakers," "Largo's Fairy Dance," "Jolly Banger (1) (The)," "Quick Scotch." Irish, Reel. D Major (Taylor, Tubridy): G Major (Taylor/Tweed). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Taylor, Tubridy): AABB (Taylor, Tweed). See note for "Largo's Fairy Dance." "The Fairy Reel" is the name by which the tune is commonly known in Ireland, however, it was originally composed by Nathaniel Gow and published as "Largo's Fairy Dance." The title appears in a list of tunes in his repertoire brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). The melody is associated with a specific dance in northeast County Donegal, a six-hand reel with four women and two men. See also the related "Spinner's Delight, the Shetland "Faery Dance" and the American Old-Time breakdown "Old Molly Hare."
Source for notated version: set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, late 1980's [Taylor]; Kevin Burke & Jacky Daly's recording "Eavesdropper" [Taylor/Tweed].
Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1986; No. 156. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 74. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 27. Taylor (Traditional Irish Music: Karen Tweed's Irish Choice), 1994; p. 26. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; p. 28. Treoir (II, 5, p. 11 and VII, 4). Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; p. 22.
Recorded sources: Cló Iar Chonnachta CICD 165, John Wynne & John McEvoy - "Pride of the West" (2007). Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen - "Telyn Berseiniol fy Ngwlad/Welsh Music on the Welsh Triple Harp" (1996. "From the playing of Nansi Richards 'Telynores Maldwyn', the person primarily responsible for the survival of the Triple Harp tradition to the present day"). Green Linnet GLCD 3002, Kevin Burke & Jackie Daly - "Eavesdropper" (1979).
See also listings at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]