The Maids Of Mount Kisco

"Maids of Mount Kisco" is a traditional tune played on instruments like the fiddle, flute, and whistle. It's considered a good tune for practicing musical ornaments.

Origins and Authorship:

• The tune's origins are unclear, and it's located in New York.
• It is speculated that Paddy Killoran, possibly a flute or fiddle player, wrote the tune.
• Some believe James Morrison wrote the tune about his wife who was from the area. Killoran later recorded it in the 1930s.
• Billy McComiskey, a musician, claims the tune is a very old Sligo fiddle tune that Paddy Killoran played after being inspired by a waitress in Mt. Kisco, NY.

Name and Location:

• Mount Kisco is a town in Westchester County, New York.
• The origin of the name “Maids” is debated. Some speculate it refers to a girls' school or inmates of the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. Another theory is that it references young women who traveled from Mt. Kisco to New York City to work as maids.
• It has also been known as "Maids of Mount Cisco."

Recordings and Performances:

• The tune has appeared on multiple albums, including Arcady's "Many Happy Returns" and Frankie Gavin’s “Fierce Traditional”.
• Mickie Zekley of Lark in the Morning plays it on a video demonstrating traditional Irish flute techniques.
• It has been performed by bands like Lunasa, The SIDH, and has been attributed to John McGrath.

Variations and Adaptations:

• The tune has been adapted for instruments like the banjo.
• Musicians have experimented with playing it in different keys, such as a tone higher.

Please note: Several stories surrounding the tune's name and origins are unconfirmed speculation.