'Téad leagtha' tuning
Two of three possible tunings described by Bunting in MS29 p157 seem to me to be ways to
allow a 'téad leagtha' EE variation of an all natural tuning.
Bunting's arrangement of Táim i mo Chodladh would require a variant all natural tuning using
the téad leagtha EE. Táim i mo Chodladh is a G mode tune. An F natural is required in the
harp scale in the key of G and one might assume that the standard téad leagaidh tuning
would be needed for the arrangement, with an FF string in the bass. However, the Táim i mo
Chodladh setting in Bunting MS20 & the setting in Bunting MS33 display an EE below the
crónan string GG, demonstrating its appropriateness in this G mode. The closing bass line
figure in the melody of Mrs Cole might indicate the modal equivalent of this EE in the bass of
an A mode tune.
This seems correct in light of the bass notes which seem to be indicated in the original
notation of Táim i mo Chodladh in MS29 f86r/p171. The retuning of bass FF to EE in a
tuning of all naturals would certainly have been an operation relatable to long established
modal harmonic requirements and of course it completely conforms to the hexatonic (six note)
scale with no F.