Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
Tune ID# 1185 (Maid in the Cherry Tree)

RhythmBars8-bar phrase structureMode
Reel32AABBA Dorian
Transcription of first 2 bars of Maid in the Cherry Tree
 about these two bars

These two bars are the start of my transcription of how this tune was played – the first time through – on the recording JD 4 (details in the Discography below).

Where do you get the tune titles?
Titles given to this tune in the sources listed below (plus notes of mine about this tune):
Maid in the Cherry Tree / An Gearrchaile sa gCrann Silíní / The Curragh Races / The Hare in the Corn / The Humors of Old Knockaney / The Humours of Old Knockaney / Humours of Old Knockaney / Coleman's Fancy / Mick Flaherty's (also in D or E) (compare The Jolly Seven #2671)
What do the "track#tune" codes mean?

cd Discography

Here are all recordings of this tune considering only the indexed recordings. I have discovered by careful listening that these sources are in fact musically the same tune, regardless of the tune titles they use, key changes, retuning, etc. They are listed in order of when they were recorded.

Year
Recorded		 Track
#Tune		 [Album code] Artist. Title. Primary musicians (instruments). Album details
and contents
19779#1[JD 4] John Doherty. Bundle and Go. John Doherty (fiddle).View album details
~19813#2[BMc] Billy McComiskey. Makin' the Rounds. Irish Traditional Music. Billy McComiskey (accordion).View album details
~19862.1#2[RtH] various. Round the House. Music for the Sets - Vol. 1. Séamus Meehan (piano accordion), Paul O'Shaughnessy (fiddle), Neillidh Mulligan (pipes), Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich (accordion), Gerry Bevan (fiddle).View album details
~19931#2[JKn 2] James Keane. That's the Spirit. James Keane (accordion).View album details
~199312#1[SnugBl] Paddy O'Brien, Jamie Gans, Daithi Sproule. Snug in the Blanket. Paddy O'Brien (accordion), Jamie Gans (fiddle), Daithi Sproule (guitar).View album details
19982[1] various. Alan's personal session tapes.
~20031.15#1[WFO 2] various. Wooden Flute Obsession 2. View album details

Bibliography

Here are all transcriptions of this tune under any title whatsoever – considering only the indexed books – listed in chronological order. I have discovered by careful comparison that these are very similar to this tune as played on the recordings listed above.

As tune #1276 in [1850] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. [available]
As tune #544 in [1001] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. The Dance Music of Ireland. 1001 Gems. [available]
As tune #83 in volume 3 of [R] Francis Roche. The Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music. 3 vols. [available]
As tune #103 in [CRE 1] Breandán Breathnach. Ceol Rince na hÉireann 1.
On page 110 of [Krsn] Miles Krassen. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. New and Revised. [available]
As reel #15 in [MM] Martin Mulvihill. First Collection of Traditional Irish Music.
On page 40 of [M] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. 3rd Edition.
On page 64 of [M2] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. Millennium Edition.
As tune #212 in [FT] Randy Miller. The Fiddler's Throne. [available]
As tune #4 in [DM 4] Dave Mallinson. 100 Vital Irish Session Tunes. [available]

If you are considering using the above transcriptions to help you learn this tune, I invite you to check these practical Tips for Learning Irish Traditional Music. See also: So why do you bother indexing books and abc?

Year of the oldest source for this tune, considering the recordings and transcriptions listed above (note that I concentrate on sources after 1900): 1903
Please cite your source when you use information from this document.
© 2000–2008 Alan Ng, agng@facstaff.wisc.edu. Questions? Comments? Please use the easy Feedback Form. Thank you!
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