Sheet Music: Paddy O'Rafferty

TitlePaddy O'Rafferty
Alternate titlesDrink of This Cup
ComposerTraditional Irish
InstrumentationFlute solo
KeyA major
RangeE4–B5
Time signature6/8
Tempo92 BPM
Performance time0:45
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (49 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (362 kB)
Date added2024-02-04
Last updated2024-02-04
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 0.5 (below average)
Categories
Jigs, Traditional/Folk

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Sunday 4 February 2024

Tune of the Day: Paddy O'Rafferty

Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of this jig is in the First Book of Niel Gow's Reels, published in 1784. The tune is extremely well known in Ireland, and as music collector Breandán Breathnach once remarked, “there are as many versions of it as there are musicians”.

One of the most singular instances of the tune is on the barrel organ from the polar expedition of Admiral Parry of 1819. In place of a ship's fiddler, which was common in those days, Parry introduced a mechanical barrel organ on board ship to provide entertainment. “Paddy O’Rafferty” was one of 31 dance tunes that accompanied him and his men on their expedition to the North Pole.