The Fox Chase.

Interview with Liam O'Flynn & alternative version of the Foxchase. Sorry I ran out of tape at the end, but I thought it was worth including for the interview alone.

No piece of Irish music is so widely known by name in the land of its origin at least as "The Fox Chase." As an instrumental composition it is attributed to Edward Keating Hyland, a celebrated blind piper who received some lessens in theory and harmony from Sir John Stevenson in Dublin. The melody or theme on which it was founded was an ancient lamentation to which was sung some verses in both Irish and English reciting a dialogue betwcen a farmer and a fox which he had detected with the "goods" on him in the shape of "a fine fat goose."

From this air then called "An Maudrin Ruadh" (Modhereen Rus), Hyland developed the famous descriptive piece, including the sounds of the chase such as the tallyho, baying of the hounds, death of the fox, etc., and winds up the performance with "The Foxhunters' Jig", an expression of the general delight at the result.

Fortunately we can present a copy of "The Irish Fox Hunt" as printed in O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, published about 1806. This being but seven years subsequent to the date of its composition according to Grattan Flood, it can be safely assumed that O'Farrell's setting is authentic.

The next version, entitled "The Fox Hunt" is that found in the manuscript collection of Henry Hudson, 24 Stephens Green, Dublin, completed in 1842. A notation indicates that Mr. Hudson copied this and other tunes from an older collection owned by F. M. Bell.

Through the kindness of the princely Prof. P. J. Griffith of the Leinstcr School of Music we are enabled to submit the genial professor's own version of "The Fox Chase", the version by the way which, enhanced hy his skillful execution, won the seal of supremacy at various contests.

The fourth and final example of "The Fox Chase" is that which appears in O'Neill's Music of Ireland published in 1903. Although we had been led to believe that the setting was that played by the great Munstcr piper, Stephenson, it turns out that "Patsy" Touhey ohtained it from John L. Wayland at the Cork Pipers' Club, and that it primarily came from Mrs. Kenny of Dublin.

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[0kill0omegajackal0]

I suggest that if u like this virsion find the david powers virsion...very harmonic

[clarebannerman]

@0kill0omegajackal0 That is the popular version. Seamus Ennis played the definitive version.

[fx02zbn]

Played with both hands, Both Elbows.Wrist and leg. What an instrument!

[mrgabest]

Ignoring the awesome musicianship, this is a far superior version of the piece. Thank you for posting the video.

[raiffelsdad]

I absolutely love this version, Liam is awsome in the true sense of the word

[kaiserliam]

Interview is quite, waffley :/ but the tune s good, even better in Darby O'Gill and the Little People xD

[manormaid]

the terracotta pot at 4:57, I desperately want to draw a happy face on it =)

[piobairesicago]

@seonidh He has a couple of 19th century sets. One is a C# set made by Coyne which he inherited from the late Seamus Ennis (RIP). You can see videos Seamus playing that same instrument on youtube if you look around a little bit; my favorite is entitled "Seamus Ennis plays a reel." The other set is an Egan (I can't recall its tuning, it was either C or Bb) which a very generous widow bequeathed to him after her husband passed. He has used it on several of his recordings over the years.

[PrivatePiper]

wow !

[Moondancer007]

Fiach An Mhada Rua agus Liam Óg Ó Flionn a bheith ag seinm - ar fheabhas!!

[seonidh]

@piobairesicago I read in an article that he inherited the set which was an old early 19th century set from Leo? The pipes do though have a fascinating history and are international

[piobairesicago]

@phoenix1916 The slip jig at the end of the piece Liam is playing here is incorporated in the Chieftain's Fox Hunt. Sean Keane plays it on the fiddle.

Other than that, the Chieftains either composed on their own or borrowed other tunes (like The Foxhunters' Reel) for their "Fox Hunt."