O'Carolan For the Baroque Guitar

[George Foster]

So, I was a little bit bored to day, and was thinking "I wonder why no one has ever arranged any Turlough O'Carolan for the Baroque Guitar?".

Seems like it might be appropriate in that Carolan lived and worked in the later middle of the baroque guitar times (B. 1670 - D. 1738). He also was connected with Geminiani, who did write for the guitar and, in turn, was fond of, and performed Correlli, which we have baroque guitar transcriptions of.

So, why not?

Carolan was a harp player and the baroque guitar is rather noted for its idiomatic use of campanellas (bells) to produce a harp-like effect, so, I said to myself, "Why not?".

So, just for the heck of it, I have tried my hand at intabulating "Carolan's Concerto" for the baroque guitar. I have tried to make maximum use of cross string fingering in an effort to get that harp-like effect. The piece itself only exists as second hand melodies and has had various folk renditions of it created over the years. I am afraid that this may be a bit more folksy than the earliest transcriptions on Carolan's harp music, but it is pretty close and is, I think, rather fun to play on the BG.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

 

[Eamon Sweeney]

Hi. I play Carolan on the Baroque Guitar - its fits well. There is a small example on www.tonos.ie

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Nice, that!

[Eamon Sweeney]

Thanks Jelma

[Jean-Jacques Sacré]

Thank you for this arrangment for the baroque guitar, I also play Turlough O'Carolan on the baroque guitar for exemple Miss Mac Dermot, Carolan Welcome, Magan Magan, the Queen dream....  I find that double string and campanella are fine for O'Carolan melody. I have also made some arrangement for the baroque guitar with musescore software, unfortunatly there are in french tablature.  

Here some exemples ....

Best  Regard