Jim McGraw
Melodious Accord
Accordion, fiddle, flute,
piano, guitar
im McGrath (accordion) Jim is an excellent
accordion player and composer from County Fermanagh On this
CD we have 30 McGrath originals seamlessly arranged into 15
enjoyable medleys played by excellent musicians - - jigs,
reels, slides, hornpipes, flings, a strathspey, slow air and
-more. These tunes are well crafted wholes, many of which
will undoubtedly spread into the wider session
world. All of the tunes have been
transcribed into a single ABC file. Sound clips & midi
files will follow in weeks to come. Tune
listing and CD notes.
prices
CD
30 Tunes as an
ABC
file Bouncing Bellows. The Boys of
Bellanaleck. 2. (Strathspey) Monea Castle 3. (Jigs) Jitter the Bow Melodious
Accord 4. (Hornpipes) "Tween the Ditches" Raphoe
Rhapsody 5. (Foxtrot) The Fiddler Mick
Hoy 6. (Slow Jigs) Autumn's Golden Shades The Prince of
Distillers. 7.
(Flings) In the Lane to Carran 8. (Slides) Slithering 9. (Slow Air) An Fhidil ina
Thost.- The Silent Fiddle. 10. (Reels) The Knock's Session The Lettered
Cave - A cave situated high on the top of the
Knockmore mountain range about three miles outside the
village of Derrygonnelly. The Celtic designs and
indicating arrows were etched into the limestone rock
during the penal times in Ireland. The Rhythm Reel
- One of the first reels I composed with a view to
playing it for set dance sessions. 11. (Waltzes) The Two Lovers waltz Deery from Derry
- During a music session one night in Enniskillen a
member of the audience called Tony Deery requested some
O'Carolan music. He and I talked about how O'Carolan
visited all the big houses around Ireland and in return
for their hospitality he would compose a tune in honour
of his hosts. "Would it be possible to have a tune
composed in our name?" Asked Deery. "Surely I'll give it
a try" I replied. This tune was composed with an
O'Carolan type feel to it. 12. A piece in the style
of Breton march + reel Le Sel de Bretagne The Peake
Dancers - The Peake School of Dancing in Fermanagh
has produced some of the finest dancers who are
recognized all over Ireland and Europe for their stunning
dancing displays. Their performances have prompted many
standing ovations and encores wherever they
appear. 13. (Jigs) Ma na Bh Fianna (Monea) -
The Plain of the Deer Correl Glen - An
area of outstanding beauty which is part of the Ulster
Way outside Derrygonnelly. Raging waterfalls, scenic
hills are a most enjoyable and peaceful weekend retreat
for many. 14. (Barn
Dances) The Drop Dial House to Finish
- Musicians who play for set dancing know that each
figure in a particular set consists of so many bars of
music. So it looks more professional if musicians and
dancers can finish in time together. Sometimes the
musician can lose count and overshoot the runway so it is
safer to ask the caller or dance tutor to give the call
"House to Finish". 15. (Waltzes) Sunset on the Erne Memories of
Bielfield - This tune was written in the same year
after an enjoyable week-long trip organized by Fermanagh
District Council to Enniskillen's twin town in
Germany. Other
Recordings |
Music
Notation and abc samples
J
Gerry O'Donnell (flute)
Seamus Quinn (fiddle & piano)
Robert Watt (highland pipes)
Cathal Hayden, Charlie Woods & Pat McManus
(fiddles)
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$19.95
The Boys of Bellanaleck.Bouncing
Bellows
This tune was composed with a Cajun feel to it suitable
for fiddle and accordion.
I thought this was a good title for a tune as it rolls
easily off the tongue and what better boys than the world
famous McConnell brothers from Bellanaleck who have given
traditional music from Fermanagh its present elevated
status.Monea Castle
This plantation castle was built in 1618 by Rev. Malcolm
Hamilton on a site some six miles from Enniskillen.
Although it was burnt in the 18th century, it remains in
a reasonable state of preservation. This composition
tries to reflect its sad and somber history.
Melodious AccordJitter the
Bow
An olden phrase used for coaxing youngsters into making a
triplet on the fiddle.
This brings about agreement between the Melodeon and the
fiddle music.
Raphoe Rhapsody."Tween the
Ditches"
Many years ago people from Boho, Monea and Derrygonnelly
would gather in our house in Cullen to sing, dance and
joke the night away> My father who performed in many a
concert hall in Fermanagh would bid them farewell in the
early hours with the usual warning to drivers "keep her
tween the ditches"
I dedicate this hornpipe to fiddle player and teacher
Kathleen McGinley with whom I spent a full day some years
ago at her home in Raphoe. I left her house that evening
with a greater respect for the hornpipe, the barndances
and flings.The Fiddler
Mick Hoy
Mick Hoy was born in Monea, lived most of his life in
Blaney and played mainly in Derrygonnelly. His mother,
father and brothers were all musical but Mick had a huge
repertoire of tunes, songs and recitations which he
shared willingly with everyone. This composition is in
foxtrot time.
The Prince of Distillers.Autumn's
Golden Shades
Refers to the beautiful transition of colour from
green to brown to bare which is witnessed each October
from our kitchen window in Drumbeggan.
This was an honour conferred on the Knockmore poteen
maker, George Howden, by local poet Peter McGuinness. His
poteen, like his daring escapes from the gaugers are
still fondly remembered in recitations and
song.
The Fairy Fort
The Poet's HouseThese three
flings take their titles from the townland of Drumbeggan.
The mile-long concrete lane below our house leads In
the Lane to Carran passing a large circle of trees
known locally as The Fairy Fort and ending at
The Poet's House (Peadar Burns) overlooking the
lakes of Carran and Ross and the surrounding Boho
countryside. A truly inspirational part of
Fermanagh.
Sliding
Generally Colliding.Having enjoyed
playing for Sets Ceilis all over the North with fiddle
player, Charlie Woods, I composed these slides with
rather zany titles. One particular Set Dance, The
Ballyvourney Jig Set consists of five individual figures,
and when danced non-stop consists of 552 bars of music.
For any beginner, brave enough to undertake such a
challenge it generally ended in disaster, like a stray
sheep throwing the rest of the flock into
disarray.
An Fhidil ina
Thost.- The Silent Fiddle - A composition in honour
of one of the greatest fiddle players in the North, the
late John Joe Gordon from Belleek who died in 2002. I
still remember first hearing him play a lovely version of
" The Harvest Home" in Ballyshannon years ago. Always a
quiet genius.
The Lettered Cave
The Rhythm ReelThe Knock's
Session - Every Sunday night a great gathering of
musicians, singers, dancers and storytellers would while
away the night in the Knocks Community Hall which is
located about three miles from Lisnaskea. The session
invited everyone from beginner to professional to
entertain in this very friendly music circle
Deery from DerryThe Two Lovers
waltz - A tune I penned in 2001 as part of a music
project.
The Peake DancersLe Sel de
Bretagne - Set in the lovely landscape of Britanny
lies this lovely village home to great musicians, singers
and dancers who enjoy and share their musical lives to
the full.
Correl Glen.Ma na Bh
Fianna (Monea) - The Plain of the Deer - Saint
Faber's deer found a safe haven from the hounds of baron
O' Phelan and blessed Monea saying "Green Monea I pray
you may have fields and fountains fair. Twas where Saint
Faber's deer arrived alive and hurtless there".
House to FinishThe Drop
Dial - A very majestic and much loved wall clock,
mass produced in England and America during the mid
nineteenth century. It's pendulum, like a metronome,
recording and timing every second, every minute, every
day of our lives.
Memories of BielfieldSunset on the
Erne - Written in 1996 after a late evening ramble by
Carrickreagh viewpoint.
