MELODY BELOW THE SISTERS
The use of the right hand to play the lower notes of treble melody may be evidence of
a custom of the left hand not being used to play below the sisters, necessitating a use
of the right hand for the melody when the melody dropped below the sisters in a
certain key.
The Bunting MS33 setting of the Carolan song Seabhac na hÉirne (the Hawk of
Ballyshannon) might show repeated examples of the tune moving into the right hand
when passing below the sisters, as Bunting shows parts of the melody dropping out of
the treble stave into the bass stave. The arrangement is reminiscent of that for the
verses of Burns' March: in particular, instances at the end of the stanza in Seabhac na
hÉirne, where Bunting notates the lowest note of the melody in the bass stave. If
Seabhac na hÉirne was placed to end with a D final in all natural tuning, and Burns'
March to end on an F in one flat tuning, both would suit being played on a harp with
sisters at middle c.
Bunting's notations of Lyons' setting of Eibhlín, a Rúin in MS29 is another of several
pieces which, if played in a one flat tuning, could cause the tune to drop below sisters
at middle c. The portion of the melody which would do that is specifically marked out
in notation by Bunting using downward note stems, a likely sign that the notes are not
played by the left hand at that point.
Such a reason for the use the top of the right hand to cater for lower melody may have
inspired the continuation of the technique in a key such as leithghléas G, even when
the melody did not dip below the sisters, as we find in Burns' March and with Seabhac
na hÉirne, both played with sisters at G. Leithghléas G is of course the most likely key
of Burns' March as originally played by harpers Hampsey and Quinn.
Burns' March
Below the sisters