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This jig appears to be unique to Francis O'Neill's collections Music of Ireland and The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903 and 1907 respectively.
It is a derivative of the Scottish melody “Hey Jenny Come Down to Jock”, published in William McGibbon's Scots Tunes (Edinburgh, 1764).
This is the fifth technical étude from 18 exercices pour la flûte traversière by French Romantic composer Benoit Tranquille Berbiguier. To be played with metronomic regularity.
Thomas Tallis was a prominent English church organist and composer, whose nine psalm chant pieces were included in Archbishop Matthew Parker's Psalter of 1567. The “Third Mode Melody” is perhaps Tallis's best-known composition today, due to its appearance as background music in the 2003 film Master and Commander, which featured Ralph Vaughan Williams's 1910 Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis for string orchestra. For his work, Vaughan Williams took much inspiration from music of the English Renaissance; actually, many of his compositions are associated with or inspired by the music of this period.
Gregorian chants, named after Pope Gregory I, are among the earliest church music used in celebration of mass and other liturgical sacraments of the Church. Within medieval Gregorian chant, there are seven “modes” that correspond to scales; Tallis's tune is based on the third mode, the so-called “Phrygian” mode. Its scale is similar to that of a piece in E minor, with the difference that the second note is F-natural, and not F-sharp. Therefore, even if F-sharps are present, they are to be considered as accidental notes.
This arrangement can also be played as a duet by omitting the middle voice.
This song was originally written in 1780 by Jean Paul Égide Martini. Sometimes known as Martini Il Tedesco (Italian for “Martini the German”), Martini was born Johann Paul Aegidius Schwarzendorf in Freystadt, Germany. He adopted the family name Martini after moving to France, where he established a successful career as a court musician. He is sometimes referred to as Giovanni Martini, which has resulted in a confusion with Giovanni Battista Martini, particularly with regard to the composition of “Plaisir d'Amour”.
This vocal romance became quite popular, and was later arranged for orchestra by Hector Berlioz. Notable interpretations of the song include those of Joan Baez, Brigitte Bardot, Karen Allyson, and Charlotte Church. Although it has recently been adapted as a piece of pop music, most people don't realize that it was written in a classical style during the classical period.
The melody was reused for the popular 1961 song “Can't Help Falling in Love”, performed by Elvis Presley in the film Blue Hawaii.
The earliest known appearance of this jig is in Francis O'Neill's Music or Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. O'Neill's source for the tune was fiddle player John McFadden, originally from near Westport, County Mayo.
This 4/8-time étude in A major is taken from the first book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian composer Ernesto Köhler.
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S. Gilbert. It opened in 1885 in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances, one of the longest runs of any theater piece up to that time.
The story of The Mikado revolves around a wandering musician named Nanki-Poo, who has fallen in love with a beautiful young lady called Yum-Yum. Unfortunately, Yum-Yum is engaged to be married to the tailor Ko-Ko. When Nanki-Poo hears that Ko-Ko has been condemned to death for the capital crime of flirting, he hastily returns to his town, Titipu, only to learn that Ko-Ko has not only been granted a reprieve, but has been promoted to the post of Lord High Executioner. Apparently, those in power, wishing to slow down the rash of executions, reason that since Ko-Ko was next in line for execution, he can't cut off anyone else's head until he cuts off his own! The Mikado (i.e., the Emperor), however, soon takes notice of the lack of executions in Titipu and decrees that if no executions take place within the time of one month, the city shall be reduced to the status of a village. It's here, near the end of Act I, that we find the famous trio “I am so proud”.
Thanks to Zaq for suggesting this piece!