I’m in the middle of learning the Fox Chase and having lots of fun with it. It has given me the taste for learning more descriptive piping pieces. Can anyone suggest some others?
The Morning Thrush - Seamus Ennis’s fathers tune.
Lark in the morning (especially the third and forth parts), and also Rolling Wave.
I Buried My Wife and Danced on Her Grave. OK, maybe not that one.
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I’ve found a few others:
- The Dogs amongst the Bushes (supposedly derived from a Strathspey)
- The Kid on the Mountain
The Maid (Hag) at the Spinning Wheel maybe? I don’t know if it’s descriptive, but it’s at least a finger breaker…
Gander in the pratie hole
If your just talking single tunes, I always thought ‘My love is in America’
sounds a lot like singing that phrase.
As to descriptive pieces The Brenden voyage springs to mind..
If you can rope in a full Orchestra 
Djimbo.
What is the definition of a descriptive tune ?
RORY
I never understood what “Gander” meant. The dictionary refers to a male goose, I considered it to mean to “look into” something. I like the tune, just curious about the title.
I’m seeing two sorts of tunes suggested; some where the title suggests a theme or event – such as the “Fox Chase,” or another good example is the way Liam O’Flynn plays the “Drunken Gauger.” Its a set dance where the dance might suggest the Gauger staggering about in a drunken fashion (at least that was the way Junior Creehan described it to Liam O’Flynn).
The other sort seems to be tunes that sound like the title phrase – like the “Leg of the Duck.”
Both fun to play in their own way.
JVF
I never understood what “Gander” meant. The dictionary refers to a male goose, I considered it to mean to “look into” something. I like the tune, just curious about the title
I was once told the title means you have a goose in your potato hole
What I’m looking for are tunes or pieces where the sounds made by the chanter mimic or resemble the sounds made by the subjects of the tune. If properly played, the Fox Chase should allow the listener to hear the barking fo the dogs, the dying fox and the trotting, cantering and galloping hunters. In the Kid on the Mountain, the piper is supposed to try bring out the plaintive bleating of the lonely young goat lost on the mountain (particularly in the 3rd part).
When I play most tunes sound like the plaintive bleating of the lonely young goat lost on the mountain.
The Fries Britches played “the piece way” is a great jig.
I don´t know exactly if this tune is “descriptive” or not but I also play it as a long tune with two diferent parts or movements. You can learn it from Liam O´Flynn´s Cd “Out to another side”, I think. I also belive that it´s a composition from Turlough O´Carolan, the blind harper.
In answer to Rorys query…
Purely instrumental music is represented by a mere handful of tunes called ‘pieces’,all of which are derived from double or single jigs .These pieces were devised simply by filling in intervals in the original tunes with elaborate runs and embellishments. They were played rather deliberately,somewhat at waltz tempo,for which dance,in fact,they could easily be adapted.Settings of these pieces are quite commonly met with in the Munster manuscripts of a century or more ago.They are usually associated with the parent tune,the one described as ‘the jigg way’,the other as ‘the piece way’.Pipers played some long descriptive pieces,the most well known being Máirseáil Alasdrum which commemorated the battle fought at Cnoc na nDos in 1647,and The battle of Aughrim,commemorating the defeat of the jacobite forces in 1691.In these pieces,the assembly of the troops and the march into battle,the noise and frenzy of the fight,and the cries of the women lamenting over the slain were imitated.In another of these pieces,Fiach an Mhada Rua or The Fox Chase,the sounds of the hounds,horns,and horses are imitated
Page33/34.Folk Music and Dances of Ireland.Breandán Breathnach.Ossian
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
hi,
I like very much this piece in three parts: slow air, set dance and reel.
whatever turns ye on..tho its not quite what we are discussing but then what are we discussing ?seeing that most o the contributions have got naff all to do wi descriptive pieces as defined. 
Slán Agat
Uilliam
Back in the 1970’s in a conversation with Seamus Ennis, concerning music that was on the edge of tradition and popularity, I asked Seamus what was his opinion of the music of O’Carolin, Seamus said " A bit silly…don’t you think."
I have always liked the “Fox Chase” when played by a good piper. I then asked Seamus what he thought of the more common “Fox Chase” with the imitations of the Hunting Horns; the dogs barking and the poor Fox being torn to shreds; made popular by Leo Rowsome.
His comment was " 'tis nothing but barn yard antics…boy." Very amusing
indeed.
All the best,
Patrick Sky
I always fancied writing a descriptive piece for the pipes. I would call it something like "The LA (or Bay Area) Freeway, or , os Gaeilge, Ag Taisteal go California ". It would feature some lively theme as you are setting out in your car, full of optimism that you might actually move through traffic and landscape at a good clip and arrive at your destination on time. Then this piece would get slower and slower until it worked into some plodding march - complete with car horns (you know what I mean!). This melody would have a stop-and-go feel to it. Eventually, as your radiator boils over, there would be a plaintive lament for the poor dead cooling system. Ultimately, a tow would arrive and the music would pick up again with a refrain of the opening, lively tune.
Something like that.
t