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The story goes that around the turn of the 18th century, a visiting Italian violinist, Geminiani, was being entertained at the home of Lord Mayo, and O’Carolan was also present. On this occasion, O’Carolan felt very neglected and complained about it to the Lord. “When you play in as masterly a manner as he does” replied his Lordship, “you shall not be overlooked”. This reply angered O’Carolan, who wagered that he would top any tune the Italian played. The test piece happened to be Vivaldi’s Fifth Concerto. The blind bard was victorious, however, and ‘O’Carolan’s Concerto’ was the tune he played for the first time to everyone’s astonishment.
d2 dd d2 cB | AB GA F2 A2 | E2 A2 D2 FA | Bc de dc BA |
d2 a2 fg af | ef ge fg af | gg bg fd fa | gf ec dc BA |
Bd Bd gB gB | Ad Ad fefA | GF Gd ef ed | ce Bd AB GA |
FG AF EF GE | FG A/^G/F =GA BG | AF Ad fe dc | d2 de dA Bc ||
d2 ba ag fe | d2 a2 c2 a2 | B2 g2 AB cd | ec BA dc df |
ed cB ca aa | Bg gg Af ff | ed cB ca aa | bg{/=c'} gg bgbg |
af ff ed cB | cA BG AF GE | D2 FA DA FA | GE BE GEBE |
FA dc BA GF | EF GA Be dB | AF Ad fe dc | d/c/d de dA Bc ||
d2 dd d2 cB | AB GA F2 A2 | E2 A2 D2 FA | Bc de dc BA |
d2 a2 fg af | ef ge fg af | gg bg fd fa | gf ec dc BA |
Bd Bd gB gB | Ad Ad fe fA | GF Gd ef ed | cd Bd A/d/A AG |
FG AF EF GE | FG AF GA BG | AF Ad fe dc | d2 de dA Bc ||
d2 ba ag fe | d2 a2 c2 a2 | B2 g2 ABcd | ecBA dcdf |
edcB caaa | Bggg Afff | edcB caaa | bg{/=c'} gg bgbg |
af ff edcB | cA BG AFGE | DDFA DAFA | GEBE GEBE |
FAdc BAGF | EFGA BedB | AFAd fedc | dAFA D4 |