A Nice Reel

[groeswenphil]

There's a lovely line in the song, "Song for Ireland" that mentions the fiddler touching the bow and playing a reel.

 

Can't get teh song out of my head and it occurred to me that I don't actually know any reels.

 

Anybody suggest something nice but not too hard?

 

Phil

[Fiddlehead Fern]

I don't know what system you play, but I like the reels Speed the Plow, The Mason's Apron, Drowsy Maggie and Ms. McCleoud's Reel.

Just a warning, the first three I listed have some 5ths in them that require a little bit of fiddling around on the EC (what I'm learning) but after that it's not too hard. I haven't played Ms. McCleoud's a great deal on the concertina (just a few times) but no particularly difficult parts leap to mind.

Those seem to be pretty common, so I doubt you'll have a hard time finding music/recordings of them. Hope this helps!

[Fergus_fiddler]

I don't know what system you play, but I like the reels Speed the Plow, The Mason's Apron, Drowsy Maggie and Ms. McCleoud's Reel.

Just a warning, the first three I listed have some 5ths in them that require a little bit of fiddling around on the EC (what I'm learning) but after that it's not too hard. I haven't played Ms. McCleoud's a great deal on the concertina (just a few times) but no particularly difficult parts leap to mind.

Those seem to be pretty common, so I doubt you'll have a hard time finding music/recordings of them. Hope this helps!

 

I would say that the easiest for anglo would be Miss McLeod's, because is in the key of G. Speed the Plough is in D, Mason's Apron in A - more difficult - and Drowsy Maggie is one of those reels that are favourites on fiddle, but a nightmare of E Dorian on the anglo...

 

And Miss McLeod's has been, indeed, my first sucessful reel on concertina

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

[Fiddlehead Fern]

Drowsy Maggie is a little odd on the EC, but not too bad once you've got it. I actually learned it on concertina and then switched it over to the fiddle, and I find it's almost easier on my concertina! But I can add some slides on fiddle....that's fun. I like that in a set with Morrison's Jig, the change from jig to reel is lots of fun, it feels like an airplane taking off....to me at least...........

 

But I don't know what system Phil plays, so those were just the reels that I know I like and enjoy playing on either instrument.