Tune Req: Haste to the Wedding (F A Fahy)

Subject: Lyr Add: HASTE TO THE WEDDING (F A Fahy)
From: GUEST,celticsinger
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 01:05 PM

Does anyone know if these lyrics are supposed to be sung to the jig of the same name? Or is it another tune, entirely? If so, does anyone have a midi clip or ABC for the proper tune?

I've been asked last-minute to sing at a wedding reception/session full of Irish musos, and this looks just the thing to fit the bill.

Cheers to anyone who can help!
Christa

Lyrics, for reference in this request:

This is a nice song, written by Francis Arthur Fahy (1854-1935)of Kinvara, County Galway.

HASTE TO THE WEDDING

Through highways and byways, the neighbours are hieing,
The likes of tonight, they'll ne'er see again,
There's music and pleasure and mirth beyond measure,
Where brightly the lights glow in the glen.

CHORUS
O haste to the wedding! O haste to the wedding!
Haste to the wedding, we musn't be late,
O hasten, O hasten, for all the kind faces,
There's place at the wedding of Conor and Kate.

The fiddlers are tuning, the pipers are crooning,
The boys will be soon in the height of the fun,
There dancing and sporting and kissing and courting,
And mirth of all sorts to the light of the sun.

Who's not delighted to see them together?
United and plighted for life and for death,
The dacentest boy ever walked the brown heather,
The darlingest colleen that ever drew breadth.

Come boys, the night passes, fill up your glasses,
And dearest of lasses, sit down by my side,
The punch is before us, we'll toast them in chorus,
"Here's the good health of the bridegroom and bride."

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wedding
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 01:32 PM

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wedding
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 01:34 PM

oops, slippy fingers!

I have Sean Tyrell singing this on a "Songs of Francis Fahy" CD very kindly sent to me by Big Tim. The tune is more or less that of the well-known jig, albeit slowed down and with a bit of syncopation here and there.

wr.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wedding
From: clueless don
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 01:50 PM

Christa,

First off, let me say that I am not familiar with these lyrics, and so I don't know if there is a well established tune for them.

The lyrics as given do not seem to fit the traditional tune exactly, but I think they could be made to fit with some adjustments to the tune.

One possibility would be to sing the verses to the "A" part of the traditional tune and repeatedly sing the chorus to the "B" part (i.e. verse 1 - chorus - verse 2 - chorus ... etc.) That strikes me as rather repetitive (strictly my own opinion, of course.) One alternative would be to sing verse 1 - chorus - verse 2 - verse 3 - verse 4 - chorus. Using that scheme, verse 3 would be sung to the "B" part. It may depend on whether or not you are hoping to get the other folks joining in on the choruses.

Just some thoughts. I hope that other mudcatters will provide more authoritative information. Best wishes for a successful performance at the wedding reception!

Don

Subject: Tune Add: HASTE TO THE WEDDING (F A Fahy)
From: Stewart
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 04:17 PM

Here's a transcription of the song as sung by Sean Tyrell on "The Ould Plaid Shawl." Then I've followed this by the jig "Haste to the Wedding."
The tunes are not the same, although the song could perhaps be adapted to the fiddle tune without too much difficulty. I'd prefer to sing the song as Sean Tyrell sang it, and then follow it with the fiddle tune.

The abc file is below (with the words to the first verse and chorus, followed by the jig). Copy and paste this into Concertina , then click on SUBMIT and you will have the score, a midi, and a printable copy of the music in pdf format.

X:1
T:Haste To the Wedding (song)
R:jig
C:Francis Fahy
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=110
K:A
E|EEE EA,E|FFF FEE|EEE EB,B,|B,B,B, B,2E|
w:Through high-ways and by-ways the niegh-bors are hie-ing The like of to-night they will ne'er see a-gain There's
EEE A,CE|FFF FEE|EEE EB,B,|B,A,A, A,2B|
w:mu-sic and pleas-ure and mirth be-yound meas-ure Where bright-ly the lights are a-glow in the glen O
ccc A A2|ccc A A2|ccc ccc|ddd B2B|cAA FAA|AAA FEE|EEE EB,B,|B,A,A, A,2E
w:haste to the wedd-ing, haste to the wedd-ing Haste to the wedd-ing, we must'-nt be late O hast-en, O hast-en, for all the kind fac-es There's place at the wedd-ing of Con-or and Kate
|:ECE Edc|BAB cAF|ECE AEC|B,CB, B,CD|ECE Edc|BAB cAF|E2d cec|
ABA A3:||:ece ece|fdf fdf|ece edc|BAB Bcd|e3c3|BAB cAF|E2d cec|
ABA A3:|

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wed
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:03 PM

Has anybody checked to see if the lyrics actually FIT the tune???? Tune can be found at JC's Tunefinder

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wed
From: Stewart
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:25 PM

Yes, listen to my transcription above and you'll hear the song tune followed by the jig tune. The song can be sung to the jig tune with only minor modifications. But with the jig tune it becomes a bit harder to sing - notes jumping around too much. I'd prefer to sing it to the song tune and then follow with the jig tune on fiddle.

S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wed
From: Stewart
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 06:12 PM

You can order the CD "The Ould Plaid Shawl" here. Sean Tyrell sings the song "Haste to the Wedding" on track #12.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wed
From: GUEST,celticsinger
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 02:42 AM

God, I just LOVE all you fabulous mudcatters!!!

Ask, and you shall receive. Many thanks to Stewart for the above-and-beyond effort typing out both the song and the tune, and to clueless don, weerover and the rest for all the other suggestions and contributions.

I'm off to plug tunes into my ABC2Win programme and learn the song. Cheers, everyone!

Christa

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wed
From: GUEST,celticsinger
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 03:39 AM

BTW - I cannot thank you enough for also introducing me to Concertina -- what a resource! I'll be using that a LOT in the future!

Christa

Subject: Lyr Add: HASTE TO THE WEDDING / RURAL FELICITY
From: Mo the caller
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 04:43 AM

There have been many dances written to the tune 'Haste to the Wedding', see discussion on
English Country Dance

The tune came from on operetta The Elopement (1767) and the words then were

Haste to the Wedding/Rural Felicity

Come haste to the wedding ye friends and ye neighbors,
The lovers their bliss can no longer delay.
Forget all your sorrows your cares and your labors,
And let every heart beat with rapture today.
Come, come one and all, attend to my call,
And revel in pleasures that never can cloy.
Come see rural felicity,
Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

Let Envy, Let Pride, Let Hate & Ambition,
Still Crowd to, & beat at the breast of the Great,
To Such Wretched Passions we Give no admission,
But Leave them alone to the wise ones of State,
We Boast of No wealth, but Contentment & Health,
In mirth & in Friendship, our moments employ
Come see rural felicity,
Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

With Reason we taste of Each Heart Stirring pleasure,
With Reason we Drink of the full flowing Bowl,
Are Jocund & Gay, But 'tis all within measure,
For fatal excess will enslave the free Soul,
Then Come at our bidding to this Happy wedding,
No Care Shall obtrude here, our Bliss to annoy,
Come see rural felicity,
Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wedding
From: Mr Yellow
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 01:11 PM

I have made several wedding videos and included the recording of Will Kimber playing this on concertina. Old recording and not polished but every inch Folk.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune for Fahy song 'Haste to the Wedding
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 04:57 AM

My ageing and imperfect memory is letting me down again. It was some time since I listened to the recording and my brain put the song together with the title of the jig. On listening now I see that there is little similarity in the two. I would recommend the CD, some delightful versions of the songs.

wr