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01 - SET PADDYS HORNPIPES : Paddy G's (Patrick Girardet) - Paddy Dunne's (Niamh Dunne)
Paddy G's is a hornpipe in major and minor versions that I composed and assembled with Paddy Dunne's.
Paddy Dunne's was composed by Niamh Dunne (member of the group Beoga who collaborates with Ed Sheeran), in tribute to his grandfather.
A huge thank you to her for authorizing its reproduction, including my adaptation in minor mode because Niamh originally played it in major mode.

02 - SET JIGS DES PETIOTS : Samuel jig (Patrick Girardet) - Alexis jig (Patrick Girardet) - Théo’s jig (Patrick Girardet)
Three jigs played alternately in major and minor versions and which fit well into the spirit of alternations that I want to give to these compositions.

03 - SET REELS DU FRANGIN : Reel for Flavie (Patrick Girardet) - Reel for Léa (Patrick Girardet) - Thomas' Reel (Patrick Girardet)
Reels with an A part in major and a B part in minor, it's not very usual. Here are three which seem to me to work well, with the last one which includes a short syncopated passage giving it some "punch".

04 - SET VALSES À DANSER : The Waltz of the Little Girls (A = trad. / B = Terry Rasmussen) - The Ash Grove (Turlough O'Carolan)
Part A of the 1st waltz comes from a waltz of French origin.
Part B was added by Colorado native Terry Rasmussen.
The second waltz is another misdeed by Turlough O'Carolan ! It was later adapted with lyrics into a Welsh song.

05 - SET POLKAS LA NOIX : Return of Spring (trad.) - Cadam Woods ("Shiftin’ Bobbins", Germanic polka) - Carpet's Polka (trad. FRANCE)
Different voices enhance this set of little-known polkas. The 3rd is of Auvergne origin (polka du Tapis) and we could qualify it as a "palindrome" since part B can be played on part A (and vice versa).

06 - SET SLIPPERY SLIDES : Glissando (Patrick Girardet) - Black Ice (Patrick Girardet) - Rinc Oighir (Patrick Girardet)
3 "majorized and minoritized" slides. Apart from this originality, the melodies of the first two are quite usual. In the last (in 3 parts), part C, syncopated, gives it a special feel.

07 - SET SLEEPPING SLIP JIGS : Noé - (Patrick Girardet) - Three Guid Fellows Doon In Yon Glen (trad.) - Dany sleep (Patrick Girardet)
The second slip jig, of Scottish origin, is normally only played in major mode but its adaptation in minor is rather pleasant. It is also known as "The Three Good Fellows Beyond The Glen". It appears in David Johnson's "Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century" under the title "There's Three Good Fellows Ayont Yon Glen" (#18, page 45). His version is taken from "Scots Tunes" (1742) by William McGibbon, vol.II p.18. It shows a total of 12 lines: part A and part B plus five variations on each. It appears that McGibbon was part of a group of Edinburgh composers who invented, between 1720 and 1745, the "Scots drawing room" style, created by harmonizing Scottish tunes and adding variations, largely influenced by Italian composers such as Corelli.
(Source: https://thesession.org).

08 - SET HORNPIPES DE GRAND-MÈRE : Humours of Jeanne (Patrick Girardet) - Seamus O'Sullivan's (trad.) - Baily View (Charlie Lennon)
Humours of Jeanne is a nod in homage to my grandmother who, in her time, strummed the mandolin…
The other two are rarely played : the second is of unknown origin ; the latter is the second track in the "Sean Maguire Set" in Charlie Lennon's "Musical Memories" Tunebook/CD.

09 - SET JIGS DES BEAUX ENFANTS : Jig pour Cécile (Patrick Girardet) - Silver road (Patrick Girardet) - Oliver's jig (Patrick Girardet)
Three jigs in major/minor also. The second presents a melody that stands out from the usual paths. The last one was deliberately composed with a somewhat "dark" character.

10 - SET MAGIC MIX : Highland Cow (Patrick Girardet) - Marche Pied (Patrick Girardet) - Reel pour  Lucas (Patrick Girardet)
I wanted to compose a mix. It's not easy to find melodies that fit together well. Here, everything is in 4/4, which makes the task easier...

11 - SET VALSES POUR ZOÉ : (Patrick Girardet)
Waltz in three parts A-B-C, and in 2 versions (major and minor), composed for a little girl that I adore and who exudes the joy of living.

12 - SET POLKAS FILIALES : Clem's (Patrick Girardet) - Polkagathe (Patrick Girardet)
Once again, I played the game of major and minor modes with these 2 polkas, which allows this set to stand out from the ordinary .

13 - SET SLIDES TOURBILLONNANTS : Ab's (O'Keefe) - Cathleen Hehir (A & B : Sean O'Riada / C : Ned Landry / D : trad. / E : trad.)
Danny Ab's is a Kerry slide which is one of the numerous "O'Keefe". It bears the name of the person who performed it, but was not necessarily the author. It is usually played in major mode but is also interesting in the minor mode version that I added.
Cathleen Hehir is the "harlequin" of Irish music. Indeed, these 5 parts are scattered throughout the repertoire and have never been played all together. It will be done now. A close version is that performed in 1975 by De Danann.
Parts A & B are cited in "The Roche Collection of Irish Traditional Music, Volume 2", Francis Roche, 1912, page 23, track #248, named "Rural Felicity".
(Source: https://thesession.org)
Part C was popularized by Serge Rezvani who integrated this passage into the music of the famous French song : "Le Tourbillon de la vie", performed by Jeanne Moreau. This is in fact part B of "Woodchopper's Breakdown", a reel written by Ned Landry and played in particular by Sharon Shannon…
(https://thesession.org/tunes/946).
Part D is inspired by 'a jig known as "Smash The Windows".
Part E is a traditional tune, played notably by Joe Cooley.

14 - SET BOTTLENECK SLIDING JIGS : The Blue (Joël Mabus) - The Natchez Boat (Blue Jigg from John Bunch) - Big Joe Williams (Patrick Girardet)
Three astonishing jigs which definitively demonstrate that the roots of the blues are Irish... Yes, yes, I assure you ! You will be convinced after hearing them ! This set is just there to open up the field of possibilities with humor, without revolutionary pretensions…
Big Joe Williams is a legendary American bluesman who had the distinction of playing a nine-string guitar !

15 - SET VALZURKAS : Carolan's Welcome (Turlough O'Carolan) - John Doherty's (trad.) - Kitty's Fancy (trad.)
Carolan's Welcome is a very pretty, somewhat forgotten waltz from the inescapable and tireless Turlough O'Carolan !
I heard the following two mazurkas for the first time at the Interceltic Festival in Lorient in 1995, played by the "Fiddler's Bid", a group of teenagers from the Shetland Islands, who subsequently became very famous in Celtic lands. I asked for the recordings on the local radio to keep track of them because I really appreciated these 2 melodies from the traditional Donegal repertoire. I always kept them at the bottom of a drawer on an old audio K7 that it was time to dust it off !

16 - SET REELS PROVENÇAUX : Fan de Chichoun's Reel (Patrick Girardet) - Gangasse Reel (Patrick Girardet) - Reel de la Cagole (Patrick Girardet)
Three reels, always with dual major/minor nationality, which inspire good humor ! The titles come from Provençal tradition.
"Fan de chichoun" means : "Oh drat !", Polite way of not saying : "Oh damn !"
"Gangasse" means : "agitation". Gangasser in Provençal language is synonymous with wiggling, gesticulating.
A "cagole" in Provence is an extroverted and extravagant woman, self-confident, provocative, and who likes to be the center of all attention. The "cagole" is, by extension, the name given to a tart.