The seldom used tuning
This tuning appears to be a variant of leithghléas (semi-tuning). The introduction to Bunting's
1840 volume contains the following information about it.
In p23 he shows the notes f# and cc# in staff notation and says
In a footnote on the same page, he writes,
In p28 he links this cc# with fuáil mhór which he says is
Fuáil mhór is described on p33 as being the 'key of D, two sharps.' As the 'fuáil' terms are
possibly spurious, it is possible that Bunting's key of D is also spurious and that only one string
was tuned to C#. Bunting does use the phrase 'single note' which is very suggestive when
taken together with the fact that one particular pitch is illustrated on staff on p23. Also, a
tuning of two sharps gives little transpositional benefit to the instrument, raising the music up
by only one note, and this on an instrument which prefers as little retuning as possible.
It is possible that another single c# was used for tunes in D one sharp which required a lower
c# and an upper cc natural, a type of scale quite widespread in Irish song today.
There is another possible use for a single cc# note. A number of melodies in the key of D
natural would require no B in the bass and only one B in the melody. Such melodies could be
played in the key of E one sharp if the single C in the melody were sharpened. If a harp were
already in 'leithghléas', with all the Fs turned to F#, the utilisation of the cc# in the key of E one
sharp would save retuning all the Fs to play such a D natural tune.
● octave chromaticism appearing in certain tunes played in the key of #D
● a partial realisation of the 'fuáil mhór' key of two sharps, ideal for D mode tunes played in the
key of #E
● a full key of D
"C sharp, [...] occasionally tuned to F sharp, (a fifth.)"
The harpers said that this single note, C sharp, was sometimes made use of,
but the Editor seldom met with an instance of it.
Formed by raising C natural (a semitone higher) to C sharp. Seldom used.