I’m looking for an ABC of Finbarr Dywer’s Cnoc 16 in a flute friendly key.
It’s a great tune on Marcas O Murchu’s CD. 
Marcas plays it in Dmaj with a Cnat twist going on in it, Steampacket. That’s pretty flute-friendly, and probably my favorite in his CD, too!
EDIT: Oops. If I recall correctly, that’s played on an Eb stick. D fingerings, anyway…I guess I’ve been less than helpful. I just got the tune by listening, anyway. 
A scale with the 7th note flat is the Mixilothen (sp) mode. This mode is common in celtic music, in fact, the highland bag pipers say they are playing in the key of A when the notes are those of the key of D major. If you are in the key of D major and use Cnat, this is the mixilothen mode. So on the highland pipes, with only one octive available, you can play in D starting in the middle. So on the D flute, you can start on D and flat C#, or start on A and use the holes and get the mixilothen mode. So the song refered to above might be played in D on the flute with a Cnat for an old classic celtic song?
It’s always a grey area for me, especially when the tune has both C#s and Cnats going on (just as in Cnoc 16; that’s why I used the term “twists”). In such cases I call it D Mixellaneous (props to L. Nugent for that one!)
Thanks anyway, I have Marcas’ CD so I’ll work it out by ear then.
This was posted to IRTRAD-L a bit ago. Nice enough tune.
X:1
T:Hill 16 (Cnoc 16)
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:222
C:composer: Finbarr Dwyer
S:source: Marcas Ó Murchú: “Ó Bhéal go Béal”
R:reel
Z:Gregor Griegoleit <GregorGriego@AOL.COM>
K:D
de|{a}fd ~d2 Ad {a}fd|{g}e=cG=c ef{b}ge|{f}dA{a}fe dA{B}AB|c2ed (3cBA ge|
{c}df{b}af {a}gfed|{d}=c2{g}e=c {b}g2fg|a2{b}ge fa{b}ag|ea{b}ag fd {c}de|
fd ~d2 Ad {a}fd|{g}e=cG=c Ef{b}ge|df{a}ed ~A3B|c2ed (3cBA ge|
{c}df{b}af {a}gfed|{d}=c2{g}e=c {b}g2fg|a2{b}ge fa{b}ag|ea{b}ag fde2||
D3F GE{A}FD|E2{B}AG {A}FD{A}EF|D4 D2{A}FD|EA{B}AF D3E|
~F2DA FAEF|D3F G2FG|(3ABA GE {A}FD{A}FD|EA{B}AG FDE2|
D3F GE{A}ED|E2{B}AG {A}FD{A}EF|D4 D2{A}FD|EA{B}AF D3E|
F2DA FAEF|D3F G2FG|A2GE F{A}FDF|EA{B}AG FAde||
Mixolydian mode… True about the Highland bagpipe though 99.9% of GHB pipers would not know any of that. I only know it because a friend of mine who plays and builds pipe organs figured it out.
Cheers,
Aaron
This mode is in the sole of all the Celts, the simple Irish flute players, when playing in the key of G, use a Cnat of oxxooo. oxoooo is closer to a Cnat. But Celts usually choose the former. On a keyed flute, play a proper Cnat, then try oxoooo and oxxooo and hear which one comes closer to Cnat.
Nelson
I’m sorry, I ment, in the D scale, the simple flute player often plays oxoooo, a wee high Cnat instead of the ooooxx or oooooo C#.
Nelson
I’m not sure how far back the Mixolydian mode goes in “Celtic” music. Irish and Scottish music are not untouched by other influences. And trying to apply musical convention to traditional music isn’t always so clear, especially with the relatively new well tempered scale.
I’ve never heard oxoooo as considered closer to true Cnat. That fingering style has been described as closer to uilleann Cnat. If there is no Cnat key, half-holing or playing oxoxxx are usually closer. I don’t know that oxxoooo has anymore prominent use than other methods. Are those alternate C# fingerings for the higher octaves?
My guess is that there are other influences at work and that it’s not just a “Celtic” phenomenon. Perhaps some others can offer some other sources to support your statements.
Cheers,
Aaron
You are probably right Aaron, I play the HBPipes a lot with only one low drone because I play solo. More than one drone is too much distraction from the melody when I am by myself. People like it though. So I am often playing the flute with the flattened 7th not on purpose and think others do it too. Off Topic, I could have earned a lot of money busking in Washington DC (I live close by in West Virginia) this week at the hero washoping stuff for Ronald Ragen. I could have painted a long stick white, get sun glasses, my old well behaved sheep dog, and sit on a bench outside the Smithsonian and played tear jerker songs using one drone on the HBPiipe. The rich people are Ragenites with money to burn, or rather put in my hat. One time I was doing that and a kid started to get money from out my hat and I whacked him with my white stick. His mother said, “You’er not blind, I’m going to get the police.”
Funny how people get offended when you play on their sentiments under false pretenses. I bet security was pretty tight throughout the city last week. Busking may have been a categorical improbability.
You should really get your other drones going. You can get some awesome harmonics with all three drones. You’ll find the added harmonics enhance the melody whether in a major or minor key.
Cheers,
Aaron
Hello
Hill 16 (the place) has special significance for GAA fans especially those from Dublin. It was part of the terracing in Croke Park. Legend has it that it was built from the rubble from the 1916 rising.
Unfortunately Hill 16 is now being made into a much more refined seated area.
It was always a fantastic sight to see the ‘Hill’ awash with blue when the ‘Dubs’ were playing.
Regards
John