Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part

Subject: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: Grab
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 10:41 AM

I've got a copy of the Dubliners version of Rocky Road to Dublin, and my friend has a fiddle book which has the fiddle part for Rocky Road to Dublin in it. Great, we thought - I'll learn the words, he'll learn the fiddle part, and we can play something fun.

Trouble is, the fiddle line doesn't match the song. It's fine up until the "one two three four five" bit (part C), but then the fiddle's part C goes off on something completely different. The tune doesn't accompany or match the singing line, and it's not even the same length - if we started at the same point, I'd finish the singing line while the fiddle is still midway through a twiddly bit in part C, which is obviously not right! It's certainly not what's been recorded by the Dubliners anyway.

So the obvious question - does anyone know if there's different versions of RRtD going around? Did the Dubliners alter it or shorten it? Or would this fiddle bit be wrong?

I've had a look at the place I usually look for fiddle music - someone's site at Leeds Uni - but it's not on there. Anyone got any other ideas about where to look for a second opinion on the fiddle bit? Otherwise I spose I'll have to record the Dubliners version, slow it down pretty radically, and try to transcribe what they've done.

Cheers all,

Grab.

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: GUEST,skarpi at work
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 10:52 AM

What book do you have? I have two versions of the fiddle part - and I don´t even play the fiddle. Maybe I can help. All the best skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: bill\sables
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 10:58 AM

The slipjig Rocky Road is not quite the same as the song
bill

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 12:37 PM

World Wid abc index has 4 listed, and JC's Tunefinder returns 31. You might want to take a look just to see if any of them are different from the one you have.......

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: Grab
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 01:16 PM

Cheers folks! Sorcha, that's great - if I can't find something out of 35 tunes then I might as well quit breathing now. :-) Those 2 sites are going on my bookmark list...

Many thanks, and think yourselves lucky you're not within earshot of us two practising it!

Grab.

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 02:32 PM

I have this by The Clancy Brothers, can you detail the diffs? I like "versions" of songs... FYI, the only sin I think I committed in Ireland was requesting this song, and then FORGETTING TO BUY THE BAND THEIR PINTS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY SANG IT! Ragamuffins, please forgive this ignorant stranger...

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: GUEST,marc
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 03:30 PM

If you play the A&B parts they'r similar enough to the verse of song to make it work. Then when you come to the chorus ( the 12345 part) go back and play half an A for the chorus. I then play the C as a bridge before going to the next verse. However most recordings I've heard of the song don't use the C part at all. I hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Help: Rocky Road to Dublin: Fiddle part
From: Grab
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 08:00 AM

Marc, I don't have the music and the fiddle in front of me right now (or the other guys in the office might do me an injury :-) But that does sound like it'd work, from memory - cheers for that. I reckon the A&B parts actually sound better not playing the melody - it gives it a more interesting backing than both of you just playing the melody, which sounds a bit monotonous.

Mrzzy, the difference is basically the whole of the C part - it doesn't match the song at all, so the song and the sheet music diverge from "one two three four five" onwards. I like Marc's idea of using it as a turnaround between verses though. I haven't got anything by the Clancy Brothers, so I couldn't tell you the difference between the recordings.

Grab.