Customer Reviews

Traditional Irish Music For The Bagpipe (Bagpipes)

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I was originally introduced to this book while living in the UK...the pipe band with which I played incorporated several of the tunes into its competition march medley. Being a long-time fan of the 'classic' trad Irish groups such as the Chieftains and the Bothy Band, I quickly realized these tunes to be ones played by them but set for the Highland pipes; yet still maintaining the framework to keep them instantly recognizable. If you're a Highland bagpiper and are looking for some great Irish tunes that you seldom hear in GHB piping circles, this is an excellent addition to your collection. If you're looking for some fresh material for building a pipe band competition medley (Gr III or higher) that no one else is playing, you'll find some gems in here. Note that this is NOT a beginner's tunebook...many of the tunes are quite challenging--not on the level of Saul or Duncan, but still enough to result in a disappointment (and discomfort) for the listener if attempted by a beginner or poor piper not up to the task.

I was somewhat dissappointed when I first received this book because I was expecting many tunes that I had heard of, but after I had played several of them I quickly saw that this collection is a trove of wonderful celtic melodies that I will enjoy learning. Many of these tunes are written in the old style and are quite satisfying to play. Enjoy!

This is a great little book of tunes. I've owned a copy for years and learned many tunes from it. It includes the classic "A Glass of Beer", a very Irish sounding "Johnny Cope" and several great slow airs and marches. But the person who compiled and arranged the tunes is Dave Rickard, not Susan MacQuaid.

I'm having a lot of fun trying to play these tunes at the proper pace! Most are jig and reel at 127bpm or above, some reaching 200bpm! This isn't a book I'd recommend for the total beginner, more likely intermediate level or above, but everything in it is fun to play and fun to hear. This is the kind of stuff you'll love to play if you have a St. Patrick's Day gig at a local bar, or just with some pals who want to play along with drum and guitar. I did notice a typo or two, but once you spot them, it's the addition of a gracenote or a strike and it's fixed. I'd say that this book is worth it just to have a good copy of "Glass of Beer" alone -since it makes a great transition tune when going from one reel to another- but here's a full list of tunes in case you're on the fence:

The Clare Jig
Bill Harte's Jig
Rakish Paddy
The Humors of Tulla
The First Slip
The Humors of Whiskey (1)
The Cook in the Kitchen
Tear the Calico
Kevin's Polka
Sweeny's
The Langstern Pony
The Glass of Beer
Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife
The Hare in the Corn
The Humours of Whiskey (2)
Fraher's Jig
Cis Ni Liathain
The Silver Spear
Johnny Mickey Barry's
Is maith le Nora
Where is the Cat
Pay the Reckoning
The Swallow's Tail
Johnnie Cope (Hornpipe)
The Flags of Dublin
Lord Ramsey's
The Three Little Drummers
The Blarney Pilgrim
O Dalaigh's
All the Way to Galway
The Lark in the Morning
The Back of the Haggard
Petrie's
Keeffe's Slide
O the Britches Full of Stiches
An Bhrosna
Maggie Shanley's
O Sullivan's March
Art O'Keefe's
Mo Ghile Mear
An Mhaighdean Mhara
Eibhli Geal Ciuin Ni Cearhail
O' Dubhshlane's Jig
The Eagle's Whistle
Mairseail Ri Laoise
The Boys of Malin
Tiocfaidh tu Abhaile liom
The Gravel Walk
Samhradh Samhradh
Aoibheas Eilis Ni Cheallaigh

Have Fun!

This books is very well laid out with some great original compositions. I highly recommend it.

This is a great collection of music and I highly recommend it to all of the pipers out there