Alas, nothing solid. Like yourself, I’ve found many different claims for country of origin (Germany, Netherlands, Flanders) and time (from late XVI century to the 1970’s). Unfortunately, nothing on historical records. Lacking written documentation, perhaps some musicologist out there could (has already?) analyze its structure and propose an historical dance form where it could fit. But seeing as many modern compositions mimic older structures, and many folk tunes seem to hop and leap all over Europe (Branle de l’official, La Tua Danza Si Leggiera), I’d say odds are we’ll be left in the dark.
Flatbush waltz, no introduction needed
Visa från Rättvik, from Jan Johansson jazz på svenska.
The theme from Godfather
Since I sold my keyed flute I’ll play them in different keys than original 
what a great collection! so the next question is: have you ever tried one of these at a session?
i awkwardly tried a few celtic tunes at a bluegrass session (we had a tv monitor with the music scanned in for those that didn’t have every tune memorized) and it kinda worked.
it’s always funny when you are in a room of people that have been doing only one form of music for 80% of their life.
Most of the Irish sessions I’ve attended appear to have an unwritten rule that everything must be Irish session tunes.
I worked out a couple sets of Scottish jigs and reels with a fiddler and a guitarist I know, but we only play them if we’re the only ones present.
Suddenly breaking into a Bulgarian tune, Classical piece, Jethro Tull tune, or what have you, wouldn’t go over well at all.
And that’s the joy of an English Music session - whilst they are predominantly English (in all that subject’s variety, from the various Morris traditions to Northumbrian to Lancashire 3/2 hornpipes to Sussex polkas and step-dances etc etc), but the occasional a Bulgarian tune, Classical piece, Jethro Tull tune, or what have you is very unlikely to get you ejected.
The Wallace & Gromit theme can often be slotted into the middle of a set of polkas without too many people even realising what it is they’re playing until it’s too late …
It’s funny, but I’ve found the exact opposite to be the case. Irish sessions, if they’re any good, in the UK, or just about any Irish trad session in Ireland, will tolerate more or less anything. It’s the English sessions that I’ve found to be a bit exclusive … not to say, excluding.
That’s a real shame - you’ve obviously been unfortunate in your choice of English sessions. Or I’ve been unfortunate in my choice of Irish sessions. Or, most likely, both …
It’s happened a few times. The worst was the occasion when I was at a social gathering - not something billed as a session at all. At some point, instruments were produced, and I happened to have my fiddle with me so took the thing out and waited for the fun to begin. I should have known there was something up when, before anybody had played a note, a woman said “No, what shall we play - English or French?” I didn’t think much of it though, and carried on. I played a few tunes with them and, because there was a really decent Irish whistle player in our number, I threw in a common Irish jig at the end of some 6/8-ey Morris things (probably also called ‘jigs’ 
). The rest just … stopped. Me and my whistle playing friend sort of stumbled to a halt, watching the tumbleweed roll by. At which point, the woman said “We don’t play Irish music” and they just carried on where they’d left off. They looked more than satisfied when me and me whistlin’ friend slunk off in a dejected sort of way.
That’s the worst example. I’m afraid it’s by no means the only one, in my experience. I’d love to come and experience a friendly English session, sfmans. It would be a refreshing change.
Anyway, I’m sure there are some ‘Irish’ sessions that are just as bad. I just haven’t come across them.
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Happy Birthday
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If I Only Had a Brain
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The theme from the original “Superman” movie
Funny you should say that. I’m suffering some mild tendonitis in my left hand, and have been messing with a Paddy-tuned harmonica of late, (since it doesn’t aggravate anything except my family).
‘If I Only Had a Brain’ is high on my list of “Good Paddy-Harp Tunes”.
Mike Oldfield’s “Ommadawn”, counts as Celtic?
Great list and comments so far.
Here’s mine.
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The Green Hills of West Virginia.
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She moved through the fair.
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Horses Braule
Ian
Thank you Ian. Thank you very much.
Wow, I never heard of that, and I’m from West Virginia!
Our state song is West Virginia Hills, written in the 1880s. Here’s a lovely version, used with deliberate irony, to accompany a slideshow of the horrible strip-mining which a number of years ago was ruining the beauty of our state. I just did quite a bit of driving about the state a couple months ago and I didn’t see any strip-mining, the hills restored to their ancient grandeur.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6quNN8_Em_4
The way our beloved hills look nowadays: my son at New River in 07
Hi again folks.
Thanks for your comments mutepointe and the amazing photograph posted by pancelticpiper.
You may know this piece under it’s full title. The Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia. There is a great rendition of this on Utube by Emmylou Harris and Mary Black, playing the fiddles are Jay Ungar and Ally Bain and a good whistle solo. This clip is taken from the Transatlantic Sessions recorded by the BBC.
Ian
Yep, good version all the way around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wp2cmL-gEM
Spillane sounds quite nice. Why he was relegated to the back row puzzles me.
Feadoggie
This is a very puzzling thread! The title says ‘non-Celtic’ and the op says
[quote=“dspmusik”]of course whistle is a great folk instrument, but what else do you like to play on it? here’s the first 3 that came to my mind when i’m not playing ‘trad’[quote]
- which seems to imply that trad = folk = Celtic - an equation at odds with reality. Yet quite a lot of the posts on the next 3 pages seem to accept this equation, listing favourite tunes that are not Celtic, but mostly are folk and are traditional.
It needs to be said that the vast majority of traditional folk music in the world is not Celtic, and an even bigger majority is not Irish. Irish tunes are fun, and the English sessions I go to will play some Irish for variety, just as they will play some French, Swedish, Scottish, Belgian etc to vary the core English music.
Any English session that refuses to play Irish is probably reacting against another local session that refuses to play anything else.
My own ‘non-folk’ tunes:
A heavily-disguised version of My Favourite Things
Paganini variations (played as a dotted Newcastle-style hornpipe)