Hello all - I’m in the market for a book of session tunes. Anyone have a favorite? Best, Joe
‘Session tunes’ is one of those words that I never understand. There are tunes, tunes get played but there isn’t a specific enclosure where specific ‘session tunes’ are rounded up.
Anyhow, hobby horse ridden, it depends a bit what your aim is, what your level is and what your current repertoire is. The cheap option is to download a few good collections from the interwebs: Henrik Norbeck’s collections have enough material to keep you going for years and on Bill Black’s site there are ABCs for many collections that are available as books (slightly dubious copyright wise but they’re there for the picking).
In general, quick fix terms (what I suspect you’re looking for) The Fonn seisiún books are very popular with some, if you’re into that sort of thing and Dave Mallinson’s are mentioned on internet forums often as well. Brid Cranitch’s session books (the colour coded ones) and Geraldine Cotter’s ones ( the Green one, another colour coded or Rogha among them)are definitely good stuff and if I had to pick I’d go with either of them before going Mallinson or Fonn Seisiún, but that may just be me.
There are many collections of newly composed tunes : Paddy Donoghue’s collection is full of lovely tunes, Conny Connell’s is free for download, Peadar O’ Riada’s compositions can be downloaded, an in bookform Vincent Broderick’s Turoe stone, Seán Ryan’s Hidden Ireland and Paddy O’Brien’s collection all have excellent tunes. perhaps once youi have a basic repertoire sorted.
The Breathnach collections, Tunes of the Munster Pipers, Ceol an Phiobaire, Tommy Peoples’ book are all brilliant but perhaps too wide ranging for your needs right now but they should get a mention anyway.Plenty more ofcourse but I am not completely sure what’s in print right now : Donncha O Briain’s collection was great for example, but I doubt you can find it nowadays.
I like Irish Session Tunes Blue Book. More of a Cork/Kerry book as far as tunes and settings. Arranged in sets. Some fine fiddling on the cd by Sheila Garry.There are 3 or 4 books in the series. Pick your favorite.
Irish Session Tunes Blue Book. More of a Cork/Kerry book as far as tunes and settings.
That’s one of Bríd Cranitch’s.
If you want to go Sliabh Luachra ‘Irish Fiddle Music from counties Cork and Kerry’ by Drew Beiswenger and Connie O Connell is very nice. And Connie Connell’s own collection. And the Johnny Leary collection by Terry Moylan.
If you want Kerry but not Sliabh Luachra, there’s a series of books with music from North Kerry, compiled by Seán Abeyta, Paul de Grae and others. Drawing from the Well is one of them but there are several others I can’t immediately think of.
Hey thanks. By “session tune book” I simply meant a book of jigs, reels et al. I suppose “tune book” would have done the job.
Nonetheless, I got the suggestions I sought. Thanks much.
Best,
Joe
Joe,
I have O’Neill’s Music of Ireland over 1000 Fiddle Tunes.
Just the music notation, no ABC or chords so you have to read music.
I would part with it if you or anyone else were interested.
Mack
One of my definite favourites is Bernard Flaherty’s Trip To Sligo. As you might guess, it’s all about Sligo. 
Although Irish music seems to be the most popular type for the tinwhistle, I’ve been practicing/playing US Civil War era tunes. In looking for something a little different, has anyone used “Dansons la Morvandelle, Second Edition”? It is a collection of traditional French dance tunes. Just looking to see if anyone has any comments they’d like to share if they’ve played these tunes.
v/r
Joe
152 tunes from Morvan, a ‘parc régional’ in south Burgundy, presented in keys suitable for British players
None of your European keys for the british!
I have vol. 1., and the tunes are primarily in G, which of course makes them eminemtly suitable for whistle; the originals are quite possibly in C as that’s a common French key (a C/G two-row accordion is much more common than a G/D for example).
Presumably the OP was indeed looking for Irish tunes, but there’s a whole world beyond the Irish of brilliant whistle music from England, Scotland, and hopefully even after Brexit we’ll still have access to the fantastic range of musics from Europe that sit very well on the whistle …
What key of whistle should I buy, to play Mexican Whooping Lama music?
play Mexican Whooping Lama music?
You asked for it:
Can’t be 100% sure he’s whooping, though.
Sorry joeryan for hijacking your thread. The people responsible have all been sacked, and the thread will be re-done at the last minute, at great expense and in a completely different style. 
I’m a book-oriented person, but frankly, so much is now available online that I can’t see much point in buying collections of trad tunes. Anything you can thing of is easily found. Google any tune name you can think of plus .abc
You can find a lot on-line but to suggest any tune can be found somewhere is maybe a few steps to far yet. Still enough reasons to buy collections in bookform.
Thanks Mr. Gumby!
Will go ahead and buy “Dansons la Morvandelle” just on the recommendation of your emojis doing the wave!
v/r
Joe Cole
You should, not perhaps because I put up a few emoticons (someone was talking to me about Amsterdam Pride week yesterday and I ended up with rainbow wave emoticons, funny how the mind works) but because French music can be very pleasant. And Bals in France are lovely sociable affairs (and I leave it at that, my mind is in rambling mood and could take a post just about anywhere right now).
