Annotation:Fiddler's Contest (The)

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X:1 T:Fiddler's Contest, The M:C| L:1/8 R:Hornpipe S:O'Neill - Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 901 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:A cd|edef ecAc|defg agaf|eagf ecAc|BABc B2 cd| edef ecAc|defg agaf|eagf edcB|A2a2A2:| |:cB|ABAG FGAB|cBce defg|afge fdec|dcde dcBc| dcBd cBAc|BAGF GABc|dgfe dcBA|G2G2G2:||

FIDDLER'S CONTEST, THE ("Comortus na fidileiride" or "Coim-seasam na beidleadoir"). AKA and see "Crooked Leg Reel." Irish, American; Hornpipe. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Frank Claudy remarks the tune was a favorite of influential Bronx accordion player Sean McGlynn. Galway-born Bronx resident and fluter Jack Coen recorded it with his brother, cleric Charlie Coen on their 1977 album.

Despite the tune's circulation among Irish and Irish-American musicians, the provenance is American. Researcher Fr. John Quinn finds "The Fiddler's Contest" to be the first and third strains of American minstrel and variety performer wikipedia:George H. Coes' (1828-1897) composition "Crooked Leg Reel," printed in his Coes Album of Jigs and Reels (New York, 1876, p. 38).

Additional notes
Source for notated version : - "Cronin" [O'Neill]. Chicago fiddler Edward Cronin, born in Limerick Junction, County Tipperary, in the 1840's, was the source for many tunes in the O'Neill collections. He was a superb fiddler, although a somewhat difficult personality.

Printed sources : - O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 200. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1711, p. 318. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 901, p. 154.

Recorded sources : - Green Linnet SIF 3067, Jack and Charlie Coen - "The Branch Line" (1992. Reissue of Topic 12TS337). Topic 12TS337, Jack and Charlie Coen - "The Branch Line" (1977. Learned from Paddy O'Brien).

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

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