I'm a bit befuddled about differences between a 6/8 jig and a 6/8 march. Is there a way to tell one from the other (other than the name)? Is there a difference in playing techniques/style between the two? For example, is the Butcher's March/Butcher's Fancy a jig or a march—and does it matter?

Thanks and best wishes for the holidays.

Steve

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"Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege."

I would say that The Butcher's March is an ordinary jig. That's how it's usually played, it seems to me. There are 6/8 marches - Parnell's March springs to mind (although somewhere I've heard that it's more properly a "military two-step").

There are definitely differences between the sound of a jig and the sound of a 6/8 march. A march, to me, has a more insistent strong beat on each half bar rather than the 6 in a bar with accents feel of a jig. Trying to write it makes it sound like a pretty subtle difference, and I suppose it probably is. It still sounds different though.

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https://youtu.be/ezbWVysJAOY
https://tapm.bandcamp.com/

While there are many tunes that are clearly one or the other, there's always going to be a grey area. A lot of tunes from the old 6/8 marches have been recycled into jigs. The Butcher's March would be one of them. It's played as a jig and perfectly fine that way, whatever it was before. There are many examples of the practice, I would be able to name a few more but it's early and the coffee is only just sinking in. Later. Tunes like Hunt the Squirrel or the Drocketty (see the Bakerswell recording), March of the King of Laois are all firmly in marching territory.

The Butcher's March really shone on Ciarán MacMathúna's famous recording after the Miltown Fleadh of 1958 of Séamus Ennis playing in Doolin. Most pipers will still play Tá'n Coileach ag fógairt an Lae after it, as Ennis did on the recording. Another coupling you hear often is with the Clare jig, after Tom Ennis and James Morrison's 78rpm.

FWIW, I have seen Parnell's march convincingly written in 12/8.

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My brain hurts

Not having the recording, does the Clare Jig also go by a different name. Didn't find it on the mustard pages.

Thanks and best wishes.

Steve

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"Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege."

it's this one eAA fAA faf gfe dBG GFG BAG B.....

I'll send a link for both clips later.

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My brain hurts

I'd say the Butcher's March, Alexander's/Alistraum's March (both or all of them), O'Sullivan's March, and others can be used as jigs or as marches, and I don't think there's any structural difference, but there would be a played difference. Like Ben, played as march would be slower and with a stronger / more insistent strong beat, and maybe a bit straighter.