Trip to Cullenstown

[sbfluter]

So one day last year in a lull everybody turned to me at the session and asked me, So, what do you know? I couldn't think of anything but I had been trying to learn Trip to Cullenstown so I played that.

Well, now they turn to me every now and they and say, "What's that tune you know again?" and I have to play it. But I don't think I do it right.

I have only ever heard it played by concertinas. They kind of wail on that first D note, hold it the full 3 beats. Today I heard it on the radio by a different band (again concertinas!) and they sometimes played the D note as three even beats instead of just holding it for the full 3 beats.

Does anybody play Trip to Cullenstown on the flute? How do you handle that first D note? Do you have a clip you're willing to post? I would like to hear it if you do. I'm just not sure how to get the right sound.

[rama]

check pm's. sent clip. hope it helps. good luck!

[connie]

I play it in A has as thats the key I picked it up in at sessions I was attending. Is it D your playing it in ? I might try and play it in that key later (and record it if its sounds ok). I think I heard it on one of the newer Altan albums too (The Blue Idol possibly). Anyone know what key they play it in ?

[Flutered]

Ah Cullenstown! - not a million miles from where I live, though the beach would be a bit windswept at this time of year. You should try another of Phil Murphy's tunes, while your're at it - Phil Murphy's Polka - nice wee tune and goes well on flute. You'll find dots for it on thesession somewhere.

[sbfluter]

Key of G, and yesterday it was Atlan I heard. I have no idea what key they do it in. The recording I have is in Z flat or something by Seamus Creagh and Aidan Coffey. For some reason I'm always trying to learn their tunes, but darn the key they play 'em in!

Thanks for the clip, rama. That helps. You hold those long notes the full length but not every time. That's nice. I think those long notes are the quirk of that tune, what makes that tune what it is, and I guess I ought to learn how to slide, or whatever that is called. Bend into the note. I like the way the accordions honk a low note under it.

[Ronbo]

There oughta be a law against them publishing it in keys that are not flute friendly.

[awildman]

There's a version here that might help. Third tune in the Raheen set. I don't play the tune myself, but it is on my wish list(along with about 150 other tunes and counting).

[kenny]

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2996

[ImNotIrish]

sbfluter,
check your pm's.
arbo

[flutefry]

Those who play instruments that can roll the note could roll it (that's those three even notes you commented on), but this can't be done on the low D on the flute without keys for C or C#. One easy thing to do on a long note with a value of 3 beats is to turn it into a triplet (DED). June McCormack tends to cut the E (DcutED). Some flute players, but by no means all, play a cran on D ( a series of fast cuts with at least 2 and sometimes 3 fingers) in a rhythm that is 1 eighth note, 2 16th notes, 1 eighth note (dah di di dah).

Hugh

[Cathy Wilde]

Oh, cool, that's THAT tune! Somewhere I have a lovely version of it from a piper but I can't remember who, what, or where that somewhere is.

Anyway, I took the liberty of using Kenny's abc's (thank you, Kenny!) as a base and then edited it to match this piper's setting as I recall it -- I'm a bit hazy on the B part, though. I think there's one other trick to the first few bars. Anyway, the piping version does just hold the long Ds, but they're really nice and refreshing since the piper puts some rolls in other neat places. Me, I put a bit of a short shake on the fronts of them now and then partially if nothing else because I need the practice on those Ds.

X: 1
T: Trip To Cullenstown, The
D: Kenny + a lovely piping recording but can't remember who right now
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
d3 e dBGA | B2 AG A ~E3 | d3 e dBGB | dBAB ~G4 |
BABd e~g3 | dedB AGEG |1 B2 BG AGEG | DGGF GABc :|2 B2 BG ABGB | dBAB G3 A ||
Bd ~d2 ce ~e2 | d2 de dBGA | Bd ~d2 edef | gedB A4 |
BABd e ~g3 | dedB AGEG | B2 BG ABGB | dBAB G4 :|


Just stumbled through it in A ..... Cool! Nice and bright, and am I right there's maybe only one possible G sharp and that's possible to weasel out of? Now those are the kinds of A tunes I can deal with.

Flutered, thanks for the Phil Murphy's Polka. I'm in a polka and hornpipe mode for some reason, so joy.

It's a lovely tune; thanks for telling me what it is!

[Aanvil]

A good set by Altan from the Blue Idol album.

The last tune is what you want... but the others are pretty good too!



Gatehouse Maid, Ashplant, Trip to Cullenstown

http://tinyurl.com/ysscou

[SteveShaw]

It's also on the album of the same name made by the Murphys of Wexford. I think the late Pa Murphy wrote the tune. Great harmonica tune it is too! It's also on the live Patrick Street album as the middle tune in a great set of three they called the Raheen Reels.

[sbfluter]

Thanks everybody. I really like this tune a lot. I think I have internalized the "don't every hold a note very long always play rolls and stuff" message way too much. I think holding the note (at least some of the time) is what makes this tune. The D and the next one, too, the B.

People at my session like this tune but they never seem to learn it and I end up doing a solo, which I really don't like to do!

[kenny]

First I heard it was on Kevin Burke's "Up Close" recording - even before the Murphys recorded it themselves, I believe.
It seems you survived the Burns' Supper, Steve. How'd it go ?