ISBN 9781513459721. 8.75x11.75 inches.

Celtic Gems contains 103 of the most played and loved melodies from the Celtic tradition including 40 reels, 40 jigs, 10 slip jigs, 3 strathspeys, 2 Irish hornpipes and 8 airs and waltzes. Tunes of similar style are grouped with melodies that work well in sets, or medleys. Stylistic bowing and ornament ideas as well as suggested chord changes are included to give options in interpreting the tunes. The online audio recording of each tune includes the fiddle melody with guitar accompaniment. Includes access to online audio.

ISBN 9781609742232. Martin Hayes of County Clare is the most eloquent fiddler to come out of Ireland in many a year. The whole gamut of human emotions can be found in his playing, from gentle yearning to soul-filled longing, and from mischievous playfulness to fierce passion. The spirit of Irish music is captured here in approximately 25 tunes presented singly or in complementary pairs and medleys.

ISBN 9781609741426. Known as aThe Bible of Irish Music,a Mel Bayas facsimile edition contains the original 1903 collection of 1,850 melodies consisting of airs, jigs, reels, hornpipes, long songs, and marches for fiddle or practically any other melody instrument. Each of the bookas 360 pages presents 2 a 4 tunes in standard notation, together with stylistically appropriate ornamentation. Tune titles are given in Gaelic and in English with a few tunes appearing in two or three variations or asettings.a Intricate Celtic fonts similar to the cover illustration grace the main sections of this authoritative book. Famed Celtic harper, Turlough OaCarolan, is given his own segment entitled aOaCarolanas Compositions,a which includes many of his planxties or tribute songs. The book concludes with a comprehensive alphabetic listing of song titles.Piper, fiddler, flautist and twice selected Chief of the Chicago Police Department by two different mayors, Francis OaNeill (1848 a 1905), was born in Tralibane, near Bantry, County Cork Ireland and immigrated to the United States after being shipwrecked while serving as a cabin boy on an English merchant ship. Although he himself could not read or write music, he collected tunes from the burgeoning Irish community in Chicago as well as from many of the major performers of his era. He also recruited many Irish musicians to serve on the Chicago police force. OaNeill would learn tunes by ear on a tin whistle and later play them for his nephew, James, or one of his sergeants who were capable of writing them down. In this fashion, he saved some 3,500 Irish melodies for posterity.

ISBN 9781609746933. A collection of interviews of the top fiddlers in the Irish tradition, Handy with the Stick brings together previously published magazine pieces with new work to present a broad view of Irish fiddling. Interviewees include Tommy Peoples, Siobhan Peoples, Paddy Glackin, Matt Cranitch, John Carty, Brendan McGlinchey, Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and Sarah Blair. Historical pieces include Junior Crehan, Patrick Kelly and Sean Ryan. By looking at players from multiple eras and regional styles, Handy with the Stick deepens our understanding of the people involved in Irish traditional music. Each chapter is accompanied by transcriptions of representative fiddle tunes, some of which are previously unpublished originals.ICo A collection of interviews of the top fiddlers in the Irish traditionICo Includes contemporary and historical figures.ICo Includes fiddlers from the different regional styles of Irish fiddling.ICo Includes transcriptions of representative fiddle tunes.