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Hello and welcome back!
Lucky #13 is an anonymous tune, and another that I've both been looking forward to presenting and dreading performing. On the concertina, it is a workout.
The A part of this tune is mostly in E Aeolian dominant. This non-church mode is also known by a few other names, but I think descending harmonic major might be the most helpful here. Granted, if you were to take off the last two measures of the A part, you could just as easily call it E Phrygian dominant, as the second scale degree doesn't show up until then. Either of those modes is relatively uncommon to Irish music, so I was very excited to find this tune.
To be clear, it would also be possible to interpret this as an attempt to notate a Clare-type stylistic neutral third. It could also be an error, or the sixth could be intended to be raised (or simply heard as raised) to make this Mixolydian. None of this diminishes the effect of the melody of the written notes as it is heard, nor is terribly pertinent if you aren't a big theory nerd.
Today, I'm providing the setting as it is written in the book alongside a slightly modified version, which is closer to what I'd like to be playing. Most notably, I've slowed down the runs in the A part such that I can actually sound out the notes at speed - I simply cannot get the 32nd notes clear at a reasonable session tempo, but I also believe that all of those notes should be heard. I also found myself unconsciously lingering on the high Gs in the B part, so I've changed that as well.
(Original sheet music PDF download), and (Modified sheet music PDF download)
This has been another very challenging recording process, but I'm reasonably happy with the result, and very happy with how it challenged me. I'll continue working on this tune going forward.
I love how there are these solid harmonic boundaries in the tune, that make where you are very explicitly obvious. I also find the B part very tasteful as a counterpart to the strangeness of the A.
I hope you enjoy the tune!