Can anyone point me to the sheet music, or tabs, for this Véronique DUHEM recording? There appear to be several variations of Boolavogue.
It seems to be pretty much the version you can find at thesession.org
Thank you, but variations like the others. I’m not having much luck dodging a rewrite.
there isn’t really a known original to that tune–there’s no “official version.” Its based on an old melody to which lyrics were added, in I believe the 1890s, but I may be wrong about the decade.
in the Irish music tradition it’s extremely common to improvise variations on a tune, which is what she’s doing.
I know, and I could just cave and play other variations, but I like hers the best. I’ll eventually figure it out but it will be painful. 
Forget painful; make it an act of will and determination. You’ve already said that you’re going to saddle that thing and ride it, so isn’t it a done deal? Treat it that way. Doesn’t matter how long it takes if it’s worth it. In fact, I lay odds that it’ll come to you faster than you expected.
Okay, it will hurt so good.
That’s the spirit. 
I was about to say something about “teach a man to fish”, that you should do your own variations rather than slavishly copy variations done by somebody else…but in truth the best way to learn the art of doing traditional-style variation is to study the variations that good traditional players have done.
So you’re doing the right thing, more power to you.
EDIT: I just listened to that whole performance, I didn’t hear any variations, at least none that were evident.
Perhaps if I transcribed all three playings I might find a small thing or two, I don’t know.
In any case you can see her fingers. That’s my favourite way to pick up a tune: hearing, and seeing the fingers.
BTW she’s playing rather sharp at the start, then backs off on her pressure as she goes, bringing her pitch down. Stuff like that happens, say if sitting up there is warmer than wherever she tuned up.
Is that a brass Burke?
I just listened to that whole performance, I didn’t hear any variations, at least none that were evident.
It sounds pretty much like something learned from notation played verbatim a number of times.
Variation is at the heart of traditional playing. But perhaps mostly in the playing of dance music. Airs, slow or otherwise, like this one, should ideally follow the song/words set to the tune and vary the music to suit those, if needed. Best to take the words as your guide to playing the tune and play it like the singer would sing it.
I realised right after I posted that the topic wasn’t “variation” but “setting”.
I realised right after I posted that the topic wasn’t “variation” but “setting”.
Thaty was my initial interpretation as well but this:
in the Irish music tradition it’s extremely common to improvise variations on a tune, which is what she’s doing
had enough ambiguity to throw that into doubt.
Hopefully this isn’t going too far off topic but the post inspired me to listen to multiple versions of the tune. Is it my imagination or does this tune sound a lot like The auld Triangle? I know it’s a later song but just wondering if my ears are playing tricks on me.
Very nice Kenny, thanks for that link.
Boy he puts a lot of wind through that whistle.
Hello facet,
I found this video from the same lady in the video that you posted playing a tutorial of the song. I know it’s not sheet music or tabs like you were requesting but it is a closeup of her fingers playing slowly and it is the same lady so hopefully it’s close enough to the version you wanted.
Thank you, TxWhistler, I’ll check it out.
There’s this version by Tony Hinnigan (#4 on the list):
http://www.tonyhinnigan.com/whistles.php#