The Best ITM Tune-Learning Tutor

Dusty Windowsills (Ador)

Though common in Irish sessions, this three-part jig was actually composed by Johnny Harling (b. early 1960s), a flute player from Chicago.  Two somewhat conflicting stories have been put forth about the title. According to the least plausible one, this jig was inspired by the Kansas song “Dust in the Wind” and originally titled “Dust on the Windows.” According to the other, which came from his daughter, the tune came to him while he was in a basement, and having nothing to write it out on, he used a dusty windowsill as his comp book. Though it has acquired many other names for the usual reasons — various versions of “I picked his tune up from so-and-so, but never learned (or forgot) the title.”  In that vein it is called “Austin Barrett’s,” “Mulvihill’s,” and “Blasket Sound Jig” — named for the place where it was acquired, rather than than the person from whom it was acquired — by the way, Blasket Sound is on the Dingle coast, co. Kerry, near the Blasket Islands, of course.  In other parts of Ireland it is usually called “Harding’s Jig” which is a corruption of the composers name.  It was originally carried to Ireland by Liz Carroll and played during a radio interview.  Sometimes it is played as just a two-part tune.  

For the ABC click

Dusty Windowsills (two part version), med tempo

Dusty Windowsills (two part version), the dots

 

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