The Holly Bush (Reel)

The reel was composed by the Cork-born accordion player Finbarr Dwyer (1946-2014). It was a popular tune in the Baltimore sessions when I was growing up and my father’s favorite. He loved mixolydian mode and how the tune alternates between D and C chords. I learned it from Seán Óg Potts’s playing on The Drones and the Chanters, Volume 2. Potts’s playing on this recording features a wealth of double cuts (bounced fingers that create extra grace notes) that really caught my attention. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study with Seán on Achill Island in the late 1990s during Scoil Acla.

I include a transcription and arrangement of "The Holly Bush" in my new book: 20 Essential Uilleann Piping Tunes, Vol. 1. The sheet music (including suggested ornamentation and variations) is available now on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/20-Essential-U...

Download the audio from Bandcamp:
https://eliotgrasso.bandcamp.com/albu...

For information on lessons or where you can hear me play live, visit www.eliotgrasso.com

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