How do you play The Frieze Britches?

[Key_of_D]

I think the 1st jig Liam plays in that clip is actually "I Buried My Wife an Danced on Her Grave".


SteveB

You're right! I can't believe I missed that!

heh?? The difference between the two are? Mise confused...

Anyways, I guess I've finally decided to go with how Planxty did it, the 5 parter.

[Bill Reeder]

I think the 1st jig Liam plays in that clip is actually "I Buried My Wife an Danced on Her Grave".


SteveB

You're right! I can't believe I missed that!

heh?? :-? The difference between the two are? Mise confused...

Anyways, I guess I've finally decided to go with how Planxty did it, the 5 parter.

Here's a couple of abc files of the tunes in question.

X:293
T:Frieze Breeches, The
R:jig
N:Parts 1 and 2 are the melody and chorus for the song "Cunla" on the Planxty recording.
D:Planxty
Z:Bill Reeder
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Dmix
FDE F2G|A2d cAG|A2A BAG|FEF GED|!
FDE F2G|A2d cAG|FEF GEA|~D3 D3:||!
d2e fed|e2d cAG|A2A BAG|FEF GED|!
d2e fed|e2d cAG|FEF GEA|~D3 D3:||!
D2D c3|AdB cAG|ABc ded|ded cAF|!
~D3 c3|AdB cAG|FEF GEA|~D3 D3:||!
d2e fdd|Add fed|^c2d eAA|fed e^cA|!
d2e fdd|Add fde|faf gfe|dfe d2A:||!
fed ed^c|ded ^cAG|A2A BAG|FEF GED|!
fed ed^c|ded ^cAG|FEF GEA|~D3 D3:||

X:104
T:I Buried My Wife and Danced on Top of Her
R:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Dmix
DED F2G|AdB cAF|~G3 BAG|~F3 GEA|!
DED F2G|AdB cAF|~G3 BAG|AFD D3:||!
d2e fed|faf gfe|d2e fed|dcA dcA|!
d2e fed|faf gfe|dcA GEA|~D3 D3:||

[Key_of_D]

The A part on the latter is quite similar to that of Frieze Britches, and the B part is still reminiscent of Frieze Britches, how are they two different tunes?

Thanks Bill

-Eric

[Bill Reeder]

Colomon and SteveB have already suggested that "I Buried My Wife ..." is a 2 part version of "Frieze Britches". Or, perhaps, Frieze Britches is a 5 part variation of "I Buried My Wife - I don't know. I don't think anyone's doubting that the tunes are related.

[Kevin L. Rietmann]

#11 in the Dance Music of Willie Clancy is I Buried My Wife, but in the index it's simply called the Frieze Britches. There are three other settings in there, including a very ornate one from Garret Barry. Gallagher's Frolics is another title used for the tune, usually in an E minor setting. In 4/4 it's called the Collier's reel.

Here's some more scratchy old recordings: Tom Ennis, The Maid in the Meadow, The Frieze Breeches, Pay the Reckoning; Liam Walsh, The Frieze Britches.

[pancelticpiper]

An interesting thing about the Liam O Flynn/Planxty version is that, as I recall, Liam leaves out a beat at one point, in effect sticking a bar of 3/8 time into the otherwise 6/8 tune.

[Key_of_D]

An interesting thing about the Liam O Flynn/Planxty version is that, as I recall, Liam leaves out a beat at one point, in effect sticking a bar of 3/8 time into the otherwise 6/8 tune.

Hmm, I'll have to study the sheet music I have, cause I haven't noticed this, and I play along with Planxty's version on the cd. Although in the D part, I mix it up with a phrase I picked up from a Seamus Ennis recording, as well as the notated version. I can provide, (if I didn't already in this thread) the ABC for the notated version I play by if need be.

-Eric

[Roger O'Keeffe]

Colomon and SteveB have already suggested that "I Buried My Wife ..." is a 2 part version of "Frieze Britches". Or, perhaps, Frieze Britches is a 5 part variation of "I Buried My Wife - I don't know. I don't think anyone's doubting that the tunes are related.

The Frieze Breeches is a whole clothes-shop full of style-coordinated garments, and the line is generally considered to include "I Buried my Wife...".

It also includes a two-part single and a longer double jig (must be about 5 or 6 parts, as I recall it) which Pat Mitchell plays together as a set on his seminal album (the effect is almost like playing a tune the dance way and the piece way).

The Connaught Heifers is also generally regarded as a reel version.