Annotation:Dr. Gilbert's
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DOCTOR GILBERT (An Dochtúir Gilibeart). AKA - "Dr. Gilbert's Fancy Concert Reel." AKA and see "Dispute at the Crossroads (The)," "Loughros Point Reel." Irish, Reel. E Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Famously recorded by Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman (1891-1945) in New York in 1929, and since associated with his name. John Maguire, producer of the LP compilation The Heyday of Michael Coleman, wrote in the sleeve notes that Coleman acquired the tune from a Canadian source (perhaps the eponymous "Dr. Gilbert"?), and that the original name was "The Bucking Bronco."
Seán Keane identifies it a "good reel from the north Midlands and Sligo areas," and something of a fiddle test-piece. Donegal fiddler John Doherty gave it to Breandán Breathnach as "The Dispute at the Crossroads." Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, an expert on Donegal fiddle music, thinks it most likely that the Dr. Gilbert referred to in the title was a scholar who in 1717 became Vice-Provost and Professor of Divinity at Trinity College, Dublin. His bust is still displayed in the Long room of the Library of the college that houses the Book of Kells. Mac Aoidh, however, was most likely unaware of Coleman's Canadian source.
Source for notated version: accordion player Sonny Brogan (County Sligo/Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach]; Sligo fiddler Michael Gorman [Kennedy, Miller & Perron].
Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 180, p. 71. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; p. 118. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 34, p. 10. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 52. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 63.
Recorded sources: Blarney Castle Records BC-509, "Best of Irish Dance Music." Claddagh CC17, Seán Keane - "Gusty's Frolics" (1975). Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 167, Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington - "The Merry Love to Play" (2007). CEF 153, Paddy Glackin - "In Full Spate." Comhaltas LP, John Doherty. FFS 002, Pete Cooper - "The Wounded Hussar." Folkways Records, Michael Gorman & Willie Clancy. Green Linnet SIF-104, Seamus Connolly - "The Celts Rise Again" (1990). Green Linnet SIF1035, Brian Conway & Tony De Marco - "The Apple in Winter" (1981). Green Linnet SIF-1098, Seamus Connolly - "Here & There" (1989). Green Linnet SIF 1163, Joe Derrane - "Return to Inis Mor." Green Linnet GLCD 1200, Lunasa - "Otherworld" (1999). Green Linnet SIF 3077, John Doherty - "Bundle and Go." IRC Records, Michael Coleman - "The Musical Glory of Old Sligo" (1967). Shanachie 29009, "Andy McGann & Paul Brady." Shanachie 79093, Paddy Glackin & Robbie Hannan - "The Whirlwind" (1995. Appears as "Dispute at the Crossroads"). Topic 12TS338, Vincent Griffin - "Traditional Fiddle Music from County Clare" (1977).
See also listings at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]