X:1
T:Queen of the Fair
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 330
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
A/G/ | FEF DA,A, | DFA dAF | GdG FGA | BGE EFG |
FEF DA,A, | DF(3A/B/c/ dAF | GdG EFG | FDD D2 :|
|: (3b/a/g/ | fdf ece | dAG FED|DF(3A/B/c/ dAF | GBG EFG |
fda ece | dAG FED | DFd EFG | FDD D2 :|
|: A | (3d/d/d/dd fdd | add fdd | B/c/d/e/f g2e | fda ecA |
|1 Add fdd | add efg | EFG dAG | FDD D2 :|
|2 a/g/fa geg | Fda ecA | EFG dAG | FDD D2 ||
QUEEN OF THE FAIR ("Bainriogan an Aonaig", "Banríon an Aonaigh"). Irish, Double Jig (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC'. Composition of the tune is credited (in O'Neill's Irish Folk Music, pp. 395-396) to virtuoso Chicago fiddler John McFadden (c. 1847-c. 1913, born Carrowmore, Co. Mayo), a contemporary of Captain Francis O'Neill, and was first published in O’Neill’s Dance Music of Ireland (1907). The melody ("of uncommon excellence," according to O'Neill) achieved some important currency in Ireland in the latter half of the century after the 1931 recording by the old Ballinakill Céilí Band (Co. Galway) circulated.
Additional notes Source for notated version : - the playing partners of Chicago police Sergeant James Early and John McFadden, a piper and fiddler from adjoining counties in the province of Connaght [O’Neill]; Tommy Peoples and Paul Brady (Ireland) [Brody]; Brendan Mulvihill (Baltimore, Md.) [Mulvihill]; set dance music recorded live at Na Píobairí Uilleann, in the 1980’s [Taylor].
Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; p. 223. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 62, p. 78. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 330, p. 69. Taylor (At the Crossroads Dance), 1992; No. 48, p. 36. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 17.
Recorded sources : - Shanachie 29003, Tommy Peoples and Paul Brady "The High Part of the Road." Green Linnet 1012, Martin Mulvihill "Traditional Irish Fiddling From County Limerick." Shaskeen - "My Love is in America."
See also listing at : Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear the Ballinakill Céilí Band's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [3][4]
Hear accordion player Paddy Gavin's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [5]
Hear County Kerry fiddler Denis Murphy's 1950 recording at the Internet Archive [6]