12 Jan 01 - 11:58 AM (#373365) Subject: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Alice I am trying to find information on the author/composer of THE FAIRY TREE. All night around the thorn tree The little people play And men and women passing Will turn their heads away.
I have the music and lyrics as done by Mary O'Hara, but she does not say in her book, and it is not on the CD, who wrote the song, how old it is; although in her book she gives interesting background on the thorn tree, history, mythology, etc., realting to the lyrics.
I have four verses in all. Alice |
12 Jan 01 - 12:02 PM (#373368) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: MMario This fairy tree? |
12 Jan 01 - 12:07 PM (#373372) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Alice Yes, that's it! I have an additional verse as O'Hara sings it. If McCormack recorded it,... still looking for date. I'll add the song for the DT with all the verses when I have a minute. Thanks. Alice Flynn |
12 Jan 01 - 12:20 PM (#373378) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: MMario He recorded it 3 dec 1930 |
12 Jan 01 - 12:31 PM (#373384) Subject: ADD: The Fairy Tree From: Alice THE FAIRY TREE (Isabel Leslie, alias Temple Lane, Clogheen, Ireland)
All night around the thorn tree,
They'll tell you dead men hung there,
But Katie Ryan who saw there
From moonrise round the thorn tree
-source, Mary O'Hara, Songs Of Ireland - you can get this book from used book websites.
I see it wasn't an extra verse, just some extra lines in the first verse left out on the other website. Thanks, MM. Alice |
12 Jan 01 - 12:39 PM (#373388) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: MMario Music by Vincent O'Brien: but I still can't find a date |
12 Jan 01 - 12:51 PM (#373393) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Peg I would love to know of a recording of this or other way I could get the tune? Great lyrics.
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12 Jan 01 - 12:53 PM (#373394) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: MMario Peg - a search of "The fairy Tree" shows quite a few recordings. One site also says they have sheet music. |
12 Jan 01 - 12:56 PM (#373396) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Alice Peg, order Mary O'Hara's CD through the Mudcat link to CDNow, help support the forum. |
12 Jan 01 - 12:57 PM (#373398) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Alice MM, can you give us a link to the site that has sheet music? |
12 Jan 01 - 01:15 PM (#373409) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: MMario Sorry - read through more thoroughly and it's a list of holdings rather then a catalog of items for sale. sorry. url=http://www.jump.net/~pwworth/sheetmusic.html but they have it at the John J. Burns Library at boston College, Peg. |
12 Jan 01 - 03:47 PM (#373507) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Peg thanks all! Is her CD really great and/or have great songs on it? I might do that. |
12 Jan 01 - 04:41 PM (#373534) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: Alice Peg - I guarantee you will love any of her recordings. |
31 Mar 05 - 10:23 AM (#1447902) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: GUEST,MMario Anyone happen to have the tune for this? |
31 Mar 05 - 01:27 PM (#1448088) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: GUEST,leeneia Thanks for returning this interesting poem to the forum, Mario. I like it. As for a tune, why not make up your own? I plan to try it. |
31 Mar 05 - 03:25 PM (#1448195) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: ard mhacha Alice away back in the 1920s John McCormack recorded this song. |
01 Apr 05 - 01:10 AM (#1448618) Subject: RE: The Fairy (Thorn) Tree From: GUEST,TAFFY r-jones@shaw.ca I heard this song once, a long time ago, sung by John McCormack The only info I have on it is the following extract from somewhere or other: The Fairy Tree Music by Vincent O'Brien Words by Temple Lane (real name M. Isabel Leslie) This song was also written in 1930 – by Doctor Vincent O'Brien, who had been choirmaster to John McCormack when the singer was still an unknown student. O'Brien dedicated the song to the tenor's wife. It reads: 'To Lily. Countess McCormack. In kind remembrance'. This captivating piece contains traits of paganism and Christianity – a duality often found in the Celtic tradition. Apparently the name Temple Lane was used as a pen-name because that's where Isabel Leslie lived - on Temple lane, near her father's rectory. The fairy tree is actually a solitary hawthorn tree. |
27 May 11 - 09:41 AM (#3161269) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: GUEST,Jamie O'Reilly I learned this song from my Aunt Dorothy, and sang it in the John McCormick Centenary Concert in Chicago's Orchestra Hall in 1984, and had a copy of the music with the dedication to McCormick's wife. You can hear it on my CD, Jamie O'Reilly & The Rogues: A Collection, where I accompanied by 2 guitars, mandolin alto recorder and bass. (more at Recordings at jamieoreilly.com) |
27 May 11 - 09:48 AM (#3161273) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: MartinRyan A little background HERE Regards |
13 Nov 16 - 02:23 PM (#3820350) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: GUEST,Greg white This was my mothers most popular party song. She sang it with an unusual passion and feeling which I remember well clearly stimulated her audience. The song for me is a lament of the loss of natural healing wisdom which our ancient culture was famous for. The thorn tree ha extraordinary healing properties. It's reference too little people and Christ is an allusion to his entreaty to be like little children, who heal naturally as they relate without fear to our environment. To lose our child likeness is to cloud our vision, our soul. We have yet as a nation been able to grasp this. |
13 Nov 16 - 11:20 PM (#3820417) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: Alice I'm enjoying seeing this old thread coming back up when I returned to the forum today. Alice |
14 Nov 16 - 10:53 AM (#3820482) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: leeneia You can hear the original tune here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmwHGtcnNWQ |
26 Jan 17 - 11:14 PM (#3835128) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: AmyLove "Twisted sprigs" makes more sense to me than "twisted springs," and when I listen to both McCormack and O'Hara, it sounds like they're singing "sprigs." Does "springs" have a meaning similar to "sprigs" in this context? |
27 Jan 17 - 07:31 AM (#3835154) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: Lighter The word - as sung correctly by McCormick and O'Hara - is "sprig." I assume that "spring" is simply a typo. |
27 Jan 17 - 04:05 PM (#3835233) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: AmyLove You may be right about it being a typo, but if it is, it's been copied and pasted a number of times online -- that's the main reason I asked -- the fact that a number of sites presenting the lyrics use the word "springs." |
27 Jan 17 - 05:27 PM (#3835249) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: Lighter > copied and pasted a number of times online The 'Net isn't known for its proofreading. |
27 Jan 17 - 06:01 PM (#3835255) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: AmyLove Agreed. |
30 Nov 19 - 03:53 PM (#4021746) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: GUEST Hi everyone, I'm trying to find the sheet music for The Fairy Tree by Vincent O'Brein. Can anyone advice please. |
30 Nov 19 - 05:38 PM (#4021756) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: GUEST,keberoxu The publisher of origin was J. & W. Chester in London, 1930. On the Internet, search results yield a seller in Australia who has posted several listings in an attempt to sell a copy of the sheet music. Don't know if the piece has been included in any published song anthologies. There must be libraries that have it though. |
03 Dec 19 - 01:55 PM (#4022083) Subject: RE: Origins: The Fairy Tree (sung by Mary O'Hara) From: leeneia You can probably sound it out. Here's John McCormack singing it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmwHGtcnNWQ The key is G. The first note is a D. There are repeats to make it easier. I think the time is 4/4. |