Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh

Subject: Lyr Add: TÁIMSE I M' CHODLADH
From: Philippa
Date: 19 Sep 99 - 02:41 PM

Táimse im' chodhladh
[I am asleep/ agus (abbreviated as 'is') ná dúistear mé - and I won't be wakened -or- agus ná dúisigh mé - don't waken me]

Tráthnóinín déanach i gcéin cois leasa dom.
Táimse i m' chodhladh is ná dúisigh mé.
Sea dhearcas lem' thaobh an spéirbhean mhaisiúil.
Táimse i m' chodhladh is ná dúisigh mé.
Ba bhachallach péarlach dréimreach barrachas
A carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhaillechrith
'S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé.
Táimse i m' chodhladh is ná dúisigh mé.

Is mó buachaillín óg a thógadh go ceannasach,
Táimse i m' chodhladh is ná dúisigh mé.
Do cuireadh le foirmeart anonn thar farraige.
Táimse i m' chodhladh 'us ná dúisigh mé.
Go bheicfeadh an lá a mbeidh ár ar Shasanaigh
Ughaim ar a ndroim is iad ag treabhadh is ag branar dúinn,
Gan mise a bheith ann mura dteannam an maide leo.
Táimse i m' chodhladh is ná dúisigh mé.

Is éirigí, a chlann, agus gabhaig bhur n-airm chugaibh,
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé.
Is leagaigí sa tsrúil gach scrúille Sasanaigh,
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé.
Mura mairfeadh ach triúir bíodh ciú ins gach bail' agaibh
Ó Charraig na Siúire go ciumhais an Daingin thiar
Ardaigí bhur lain, tugaig fogha faoina Sasanaigh,
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé.

The tune is well known as a slow air (same title). The verses date to the 18th century and are in the 'Aisling' a dream or vision) tradition; Ireland is depicted as a beautiful woman seeking freedom from foreign oppression. Sources of text: verses 1& 2, "Jimmy Crowley's Irish Songbook", Cork, Ireland: Mercier, 1986 and Seán & Mánus Ó Baoill, "Ceolta Gael", Mercier, first ed. 1975; and verse 3, "Cuisle an Cheoil", an Roinn Oideachas [Dept of Education], Baile Atha Cliath (Dublin), 1976

Subject: Lyr Add: JEANIE'S BLACK EE
From: Bruce O.
Date: 19 Sep 99 - 06:57 PM

[From a songbook of 1819]

JEANIE'S BLACK EE.

The sun raise so rosey, the grey hills adorning,
    Light sprung the lavrock and mounted sae high;
When true to the tryst o' blythe May's dewy morning,
    My Jeanie cam linking out owre the green lea.
        To mark her impatience
        I crap 'mang the brakens,
    Aft, aft to the kend gate she turn'd her black ee;
        The lying down dowylie,
        Sigh'd by eht willow tree,
'Ha me mohatel na dousku me.'*

Saft thro' the green birks I sta' to my jewel,
    Streik'd on sprin's carpet aneath the saugh tree;
'Think na, dear lassie, thy Willie's been cruel--'
    'Ha me mohatel na dousku me.'
        Wi' love's warm sensations
        I've mark'd your impatience,
    Lang hid 'mang the brakens I watch'd your black ee;
        You're no sleeping, pawkie Jean,
        Open thy lovely een---'
'Ha me mohatel na dousku me.'

'Bright is the whin's bloom, ilk green knowe adorning,
    Sweet is the primrose bespangl'd wi' dew;
Yonder comes Peggy to welcome May morning,
    Dark wave her haffet-locks o'er her white brow.
        O, light, light she's dancing deen,
        On the smooth gowany green,
    Barefit and kilted half up to her knee;
        While Jeanie is sleeping still,
        I'll rin and sport my fill.'
'I was asleep, and ye've waken'd me.'

        'I'll rin and whirl her round;
        Jeanie is sleeping sound;
Kiss her and clasp her fast, nae ane can see;
        Sweet, sweet's her hinny mou!'--
        'Will, I'm no sleeping now;
I was asleep, but ye wakened me.'
         Laughing till like to drap,
        Swith to my Jean I lap,
Kiss'd her ripe roses and bless'd her black ee;
        And ay since whane'er we met,
        Sing, for the sound is sweet,
'Ha me mohatel na dousku me.'

* 'I am asleep and don't waken me.'

[I don't know what is wrong with that last verse. I've seen Hector MacNeill credited with the song here, but haven't verified it. The burden line here is the title of the tune. The tune was known under various phonetic Gaelic spellings, both Scots and Irish, and under the English title of "Past twelve/ one O'Clock on a Cold Frosty Morning". I haven't found the song from which the English title is taken. The strange title "Thamma Hulla" for Thomas Moore's song 'Like the bright lamp,' in the third issue of Irish Melodies [1810] is from Smollet Holden's 'A Collection of Old Established Irish Quick and Slow Tunes', c 1805. The earliest known copy of the tune is in a Scots manuscript, c 1710. Many Scots and Irish copies of the tune are listed in the Irish Tunes Index at www.erols.com/olsonw (as "I am asleep"). According to Nicholas Carolan in the 1986 reprint edition of the Neals' 'A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes', extant texts are not as old as the tune.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Táimse im' chodladh
From: Bruce O.
Date: 19 Sep 99 - 07:11 PM

It is possible that "Cauld Frosty Morning", set to the tune in 'Scots Musical Museum', (@227) is the song from which the tune takes its English title.

Subject: Tha mi am chadal, na dùisgibh mi
From: Philippa
Date: 20 Sep 99 - 08:54 AM

Thanks for that information, Bruce. There are a couple of other Gaelic songs with a similar line, including classical verses in Scottish Gaelic by Sìleas na Ceapaich under the title 'Tha mi am chadal, na dùisgibh mi' (I am asleep; don't waken me). I understand that song has been recorded by Anne Lorne Gilles on Lismor records but I haven't managed to get the words of that song. I'm reminded of the discussion of "calen o custure me" /calleno..., Is cailín ó chois tSuire mé - the same line is repeated in different songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Táimse im' chodladh
From: Philippa
Date: 23 Oct 99 - 02:34 PM

Alison has added an abc at the taimse im chodladh thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Táimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST,nicky
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 03:30 PM

Bill Jones, an English (female - Belinda) singer does a very arresting version of Taimse im' Chodladh - worth going out of your way to hear!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Táimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST,Patricia
Date: 30 Apr 02 - 06:33 AM

Hi Philippa I play Irish trad in a group here in Barcelona ,Spain and next Friday we're doing a gig. I wanted to read this poem before we play the slow air. Even though I'm Irish I find it hard to understand completely and to read it properly I think I need a translation. Do you have one or could you tell me where I can find one? I've looked hard and to no avail so far. If you could reply soon I'd appreciate it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST,reidh
Date: 04 Mar 17 - 01:45 PM

here is adequate translation of irish lyrics:
https://ancroiait.wordpress.com/tag/taimse-imchodladh/
Liricí

1.

Tráthnóinín déanach i gcéin cois leasa dhom… Táimse im' chodladh 's ná dúistear mé.

And I out late one afternoon far away by a fairy fort… I am asleep 'n don't wake me.

Sea do dhearcas lem' thaobh an spéirbhean mhaisiúil. Táimse …

I saw by my side the shiny heavenly woman. I am …

Ba bhachallach péarlach ó dréimreach barrachas a carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhailechrith.

They were pearly falling curls, her waves (lit. branches) of hair that fell trembling to the ground

'S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé. Táimse …

And she was sending an arrow through my side that stung me [deep]. I am …

2.

Is mó buachaillín óg a tógadh go ceannasach. Táimse …

'Tis many the young boy that was forcefully taken off. I am asleep 'n don't wake me,

Do cuireadh le foirneart anonn thar na farraige. Táimse …

That was put to slave away on the far side of the sea. I am …

Go bhfeicfeadh an lá a mbeidh ár ar Shasanaigh ughaim ar a ndroim is iad ag treabhadh is ag branar dúinn.

Would that I see the day when the English (lit. Saxons) were bent over and they plowing and tilling for us,

Gan mise a bheith ann mura dtéannam an maide leo. Táimse …

Without me there, unless I would be offering them the plow! I am …

I'm asleep. And don't wake me now so I may hear the message well and understand it.



May enlightened dreams fuel enlightened times.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Mar 17 - 06:51 PM

I hate to say it but I'm on YouTube playing it. It's an old video and I'd play it very differently today. Still. (Steve ducks,,,)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 18 - 07:27 AM

I came to this thread to work out how to phrase this line/these lines as an instrumental air:
Ba bhachallach péarlach ó dréimreach barrachas a carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhailechrith.

The reason for this is that many slow airs - especially, it seems to me, when played by pipers - suffer from ornamentation overload and resulting loss of clarity about the underlying melody.

But this seems just as awkward with the lyrics as without!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 21 Mar 18 - 09:13 AM

Listen to Liam O'Flynn's version, heard a lot this week. Not suffering from any overload. Alternatively, listen to Iarla O Lionard singing it, it's on youtube. Singers are no strangers to a bit of ornamentation, you'll find.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Mar 18 - 09:20 AM

Listen to Liam O'Flynn playing it. Plenty of ornamentation but also plenty of beautiful clarity. He's solo first time through but is then joined by some fairly dreamy harmony (that I think works well, but hey ho). I think that ornamentation overload comes mostly from the heaviness with which the ornamentation is played rather than the amount of it. There's the abandonment of the notion of steady rhythm which requires great skill and understanding - in the wrong hands (including mine) it can sound self-regarding and, at the extreme, just pulls the melody line to bits. No easy answers with slow airs!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Mar 18 - 09:25 AM

Nice bit of cross-posting, Peter. I also know Iarla's version which is both beautiful and instructive.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 21 Mar 18 - 10:13 AM

Here you go:

Táimse im' Chodladh : Iarla Ó Lionáird

Táimse im' Chodladh : Planxty

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 27 Mar 18 - 11:00 AM

Thanks to both of you, and sorry for the delay in replying.

Point taken about the fact that singers also ornament. My main difficulty is with the fact that sometimes - espêcially given the free rhythm of sean-nós - the overload of ornamentation upsets the balance of the melody, so that what in the lyrics is an unstressed syllable ends up sounding too heavy.

I'm not saying that you have to know the lyrics of a song off by heart to be able to play it properly, but they're still a useful guide.

I've listended to a few versions since, and this by Ciara Walton is one that I particularly like for the clarity of the melody line:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYB9QQf90Oo

For any future seekers of enlightenment, here's a link to the studio recording of Liam O'Flynn playing it with Planxty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EACHnVIl4co

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 18 - 06:11 PM

This is approximately how Iarla stresses the line in his rendition of Táimse im’ Chodladh (notice that the ó in the middle is pronounced three times in succession, whilst the ar bhailechrith at the end is slightly ‘compacted’):

Ba bhachallach péarlach ó dréimreach barrachas a carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhailechrith

BAA bha-chal-lach péar-LACH o-o-o DRÉIM-reach bar-ra-CHAAS (a) CARN-fholt CRAO-BHA-ACH (ag) ti-tim LÉI ar bhai-le-CHRITH

Hope that this is helpful.

Eòghann

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Taimse im' chodladh
From: RunrigFan
Date: 31 May 18 - 09:01 AM

Slight variation

Tráthnóinín déanach i gcéin cois leasa dom
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé
Sea dhearcas lem' thaobh an spéirbhean mhaisiúil
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé
Ba bhachallach péarlach dréimreach barrachas
A carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhaillechrith
'S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé

Is mó buachaillín óg a thógadh go ceannasach
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé
Do cuireadh le foirmeart anonn thar farraige
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé
Go bheicfeadh an lá a mbeidh ár ar Shasanaigh
Ughaim ar a ndroim is iad ag treabhadh is ag branar dúinn
Gan mise a bheith ann mura dteannam an maide leo
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé

Ba bhachallach péarlach dréimreach barrachas
A carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhaillechrith
'S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé
Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé


http://aucieletsurlaterre.blogspot.com/2011/02/taimse-im-chodladh.html