Source of tune: phil the fluters ball

Subject: phil the fluter's ball
From: GUEST,foxyloxy
Date: 27 Nov 19 - 05:41 PM

Can anyone tell me if Percy French's "Phil the Fluter's ball" uses a traditional dance tune, or is it one French composed himself ?

Subject: RE: phil the fluters ball
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Nov 19 - 07:51 PM

Well it makes a rattling good tune. I learned it from the singing of Peter Dawson. I think it is the same tune as Delaney's Donkey. It plays well as a hornpipe. I'm no scholar of these things, sadly. "Oh, hadn't we the gaiety at Phil the fluter's ball!"

Subject: RE: phil the fluters ball
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Nov 19 - 08:26 PM

https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Phil_The_Fluter's_Ball

Subject: RE: phil the fluters ball
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 27 Nov 19 - 08:52 PM

I am reminded of the pre-eminent classical flute player James Galway.
Interviewed at the height of his fame
for his non-classical music career,
and asked about the term 'flautist,'
Galway retorted:

"I never flauted a day in my life."

Subject: RE: phil the fluters ball
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Nov 19 - 01:47 AM

Note comments in this thread (click):

quite similar to "The Glasgow Highlanders", "Lord Moira" and "The Lad wi the Plaidie".
-and-
Its got almost the same tune as 'Delaney's Donkey'

Subject: RE: Source of tune: phil the fluters ball
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Nov 19 - 01:49 PM

Thanks for the link to Delaney's Donkey. That's a clever song.

Subject: RE: Source of tune: phil the fluters ball
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Nov 19 - 02:14 PM

It's very similar to the tune I've heard to 'The Ball of Kirriemuir/Inverness.'

Subject: RE: Source of tune: phil the fluters ball
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 Nov 19 - 06:46 PM

We do play it for dancing, along with a couple of other hornpipes: works well for a Canadian Barn Dance!

Subject: RE: Source of tune: phil the fluters ball
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 29 Nov 19 - 03:13 AM

Séamus Ennis played a reel that's the same tune but he may well have taken that from the song rather than the other way around.

Subject: RE: Source of tune: phil the fluters ball
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Nov 19 - 03:47 AM

The resemblance to those Scottish tunes seems pretty remote. They are all descended from "Bonny Kate" of around 1700, which doesn't seem any closer to PTFB than the later ones.