The Ballad of Maurice Connor (2023) // 16'
The Ballad of Maurice Connor
For Baritone or Tenor, Clarinet, and Piano
This four-movement (c. 16') song cycle is a retelling of the Irish folk tale The Wonderful Tune.
Blind Maurice Connor arrives at a wedding on the dunes, entertaining guests with his famous music.
I was blessed with a gift,
though the gods made me blind.
They put a crown on my head,
the best tunes in my mind.
Today I brought my pipes,
and for that I suggest
you yourselves be considered
immeasurably blessed--
For your ears have the honor
to hear Maurice Connor,
the king of all pipers,
up here on the dunes!
Like all kings, I ask for a tax
on my subjects.
Relax, hear me out
before anyone objects!
I don’t ask for your gold
like the dead kings of old.
Some brown liquor will do--
Irish Whiskey, and soon!
In the absence of whiskey,
the people regale
Maurice Connor, the king
of all pipers, with ale!
‘Tis a fine day
for a wedding dance
To the newly-weds,
let us raise a glass,
Schiddly eitin dotin
ditin dum,
Schiddly eitin dotin
ditin dootin deitin day!
You will have no complaints
of the tunes I supply.
We will dance all night long,
till the whiskey runs dry.
For no wedding is truly a wedding without
people happy, all drinking and dancing about!
And who better to play
on this mighty fine day
than the king of all pipers
up here on the dunes?
II. Wedding Dance
Tired, annoyed, and drunk on whiskey, Maurice enchants the folks on the dunes with his magic tune.
Soon, his flask was out of whiskey,
but they asked him to keep piping…
He’d one more tune, and, though ‘twas risky--
he played just to quit their griping!
But beware, his tune is tempting,
one can’t help but move along,
And every chair was soon left empty
as he sang his magic song:
diddly eitin dotin ditin dum,
Eye, diddly doh,
diddly eitin doothin day
Get up and dance,
Ye laddies!
Until a lassie comes to kiss me,
dance all night in marriage bliss, we!
Not just people took to dancing
on the shores that wedding day--
Every creature came to revel
from beyond the ocean spray.
Clams were clapping, seals were slapping
Even oysters tapped inside their silver shells.
Crabs were prancing, scallops dancing
All entranced in glorious music’s magic spell.
If the wedding guests were frightened
by this nautical array,
Their feet did not betray them,
dancing on while Maurice played!
If the poor bloke could have seen
what next emerged out of the sea--
A fair lady with blue eyes
and long red hair down to her knees!
She was the only one not dancing
to the piper’s magic tune.
Still, she found his song enchanting
and approached him on the dune.
Maurice showed no signs of stopping
so she gently touched his wrist.
There, with man and beast all watching
she placed on his lips a —.
III. The Mermaid’s Proposal
How can you dance up here?
The sand is so hot up here.
Wouldn’t you rather be down in the sea
where it’s cool and blue?
In the sea, we play music for dancing all day.
We have bells, we have trumpets
made of seashells beneath the waves.
What do you say, will you come play
your music down below?
I think “No.”
The sun is sublime up here,
the sand is just fine up here.
And, I’m a King up here!
There is no place I’d rather be.
Besides, the salt water does not agree
with me.
Leave me be.
You are a king, yes,
but you don’t have a queen.
Let me be your queen. Leave with me.
Come live with me. Come to the sea.
Why can’t you see that I cannot see?
What use could I be
if I went in the sea?
How can you love me?
What is it about me?
I love your eyes!
You will see fine in the sea brine
Let’s put your blindness behind us.
Please do me a kindness
And swim in the depths
Of the sea with me.
Come with me.
IV. Maurice’s Farewell
Maurice bids farewell to the folks on the land before travelling to the sea with the mermaid.
Come away with me, fishes,
let’s follow our queen.
I will play what she wishes
‘neath the water, pristine.
Beautiful shore, with thy spreading strand,
Thy crystal water and diamond sand;
Never would I have parted from thee,
But for the sake of my fair lady. *
Farewell to you, lads,
and ye lassies up here
I’m going down in the water
Where I can see clear.
Down there, I shall reign,
But up here I’ll remain
Maurice Connor the King of all Pipers
Up here on the Dunes!
* This stanza is a direct quote from the end of Thomas Crofton Croker's version of “The Wonderful Tune,” collected in Fairy Tales and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1825–28).