Harp Gs
The obvious problem of shifting Port Priest down from the key of C natural to G one
sharp is that the melody would descend below the G of the sister strings at the end
of the second part. It is at that point that Féachain Gléis drastically departs from all
three other versions by beginning an upward melodic movement which eventually
leads it back to rejoin the melody but an octave above the pitch of the other
versions. This is surely not the original form of the melody.
Moving the Féachain Gléis and Cumha Bharúin Loch Mór to the key of G one sharp
also robs the tuning test of some of its purpose, ie, that of checking the tuning of
the strings before proceeding to play a lament. The upper range of the cumha
melody rises five strings above the top of the tuning test in the key of G one sharp.
In C natural, it is safely encompassed by the range of the tuning test.
Féachain Gléis