The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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Notation Note: The tunes below are recorded in what is called “abc notation.” They can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then “cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC Convert-A-Matic” at

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html 

 

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.   [AK]

 

 

 

AS A SOLDIER AND A SAILOR (WERE WALKING ONE DAY). Irish, Air (3/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. The melody appears in George Petrie’s “Music of Ireland” (Dublin, 1882) with four related tunes collected by Joyce, who referred to them in his Ancient Irish Music. See also “The Prison of Clonmel” for a related air. Source for notated version: “From Mr. Joyce” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 771, pg. 193.

X:1

T:As a sailor and a soldier

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 771

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E>G | A2A2 BA | G2A2B2 | c2d2c2 | B4 EG | A2A2 BA | G2A2 Bd | e2c2B2 | A4 ||

cd | e2e2c2 | d2c2B2 | A A3 c2 | B4 cd | ec dB cA | BG E2 EG | A2c2B2 | A4 ||

                       

AS A THÒISEACH (Be Off MacIntosh!). Scottish, Reel. E Minor. Standard. AB (Surenne): AABB' (most versions). Composed by Captain Simon Fraser. Williamson says the title means 'keep it up'. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 83. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 253. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pg. 133. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976, pg. 62.

X:1

T:As a Thòiseach (Be Off, MacIntosh!)

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

^c | dEBE dEB^c | dEBE FDD^c | dEBE GBeB | ^cAdA FDD :|

|: f | gebe geef | gebe fddf |1 gebe gefd | ^cAdA FDD :|2 ebgb faeg | f^cdA FDD ||

                       

AS ATT NOONE DULCINA RESTED. AKA and see "Dulcina."

                       


AS BLACK AS A COAL. Scottish, Jig (9/8 time). D Major. Standard. AABB. The piece first appears published in Bremner's c. 1757 collection, according to John Glen (1891). Bremner (Scots Reels), c. 1757; pg. 60.

X:1

T:As Black as a Coal

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Bremner – Scots Reels (c. 1757)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

B | (AG/F/E/D/) (D>FE/D/) A,2B | (AG/F/E/D/) (D>FE/D/) G2B |

(AG/F/E/D/) (DG/F/E/D/) A,2e | efe E2F G2 :: g | “tr”f>ef def A2g |

fef def gag | fef def ABd | efe E2F G2 :|

                       

AS DOWN IN THE MEADOWS. English, Air (6/8 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The song appears in The Merry Musician (ii. 129), Watts's Musical Miscellany (i. 62), Polly (1729), "and many other Ballad Operas" according to Chappell.

***

Her age, I am sure, it was scarcely fifteen,

And she on her head wore a garland of green;

As down in the meadows I chanc’d for to pass,

O there I beheld a young beautiful lass.

Her lips were like rubies, and as for her eyes,

They sparkled like diamonds or stars in the skies;

And then, O her voice, it was charming and clear,

As sadly she sung for the loss of her dear.

***

Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Vol. 2, 1859; pg. 127.

X:1

T:As Down in the Meadows

L:1/8

M:6/8

S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Time

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

B,|B,EE E>DC|CFF F2 E/F/|G>FE C>DE|B,ED E2:|

||A|G>AB BGE|Ecc c2 B/A/|G>AB BGE|Eed e2B|c>Be BGE|

F>GA G2 E/F/|G>FE CDE|B,ED E2||

                       

AS I CAME IN BY AUCHINDOUN. AKA and see “The Haughs of Cromdale.”    

                                   

AS I ROVED OUT {One Morning} [1] (Mar Siublais Amac!). AKA and see "Cold and Rough the North Wind Blows," “The Maid of Timahoe.” Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB. Source for notated version: Chicago Police Sergeant James O’Neill, a fiddler originally from County Down and Francis O’Neill’s collaborator [O’Neill]. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 169, pg. 29.

X:1

T:As I Roved Out

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With expression”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 169

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

ag | e2 dB A2E2 |G3A B2 =g>f | e2 dB A2 A2 A6 :|

||AB | =c2 AB ^cdef | g2 d2 e2 ef/g/ | a2 ab agec | d2c2 A3 B |

=c2 AB ^cdef | =g2 d2 e2 f^g | a3b agec | d6 a>g | e2 d>B A2 E2 |

G3A B2 =g>f | e2 dB A2 A2 | A6 ||

                       

AS I ROVED OUT [2]. AKA and see "Seventeen Come Sunday." Irish, Air. Ireland, Connemara. A Connemara version of a song recorded by sean-nos singer Joe Heaney in 1980, the first part of which is based on the old ballad "The Boyne Water."

                       

AS I ROVED OUT ON A MAYDAY MORNING. Irish, Moderate or Slow Air (4/4 time). F Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. "County Wicklow air" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 292, pg. 138.

                       

AS I ROVED OUT ON A SUMMER MORNING. AKA and see "Colleen Rue [1]."

 

AS I ROVED OUT ONE MORNING [1] (Mar Siublais Amac Air Maidin). AKA and see “As I walked out one morning, I heard a dismal cry.” Irish, Air (2/4 time, "with spirit"). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “From Mr. R. A. Fitzgerald” [Stanford/Petrie]. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 236, pg. 41. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 658, pg. 165 (appears as “As I walked out one morning, I heard a dismal cry”).

X:1

T:As I Roved Out One Morning [1]

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With spirit”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 236

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D | GG AB/c/ | dd/c/ AB/c/ | dB/G/ FG | F3 D | GG AB/c/ | dd/c/ AB/c/ |

dc/A/ GG | G3 || B/c/ | dg dc/B/ | cd cD/E/ | FG A/B/c/A/ | F3 d/c/ |

BA/B/ cB/c/ | dd/c/ AB/c/ | dc/A/ GG | G3 ||

 

AS I ROVED OUT ONE MORNING [2]. AKA and see “The Maid of Timahoe.” Irish, Air (4/4 time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part. Petrie notes this tune is a variant of his “Maid of Timahoe.” Source for notated version: “From Mr. Joyce” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 657, pg. 165.

X:1

T:As I roved out one morning [2]

M:C

L:1/8

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 657

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:B_

F | B2 Bc d2 FG | _A2 BA F2 DE | F2 GA B2B2 | B6 e2 | d2B2 Bc de |

f2 fd e2 fe | d2 cB BA FG | F6 e2 | d2B2 Bc de | f2 fd e2 fe | d2 cB BA FG |

_A6 F2 | B2 Bc d2 FG | _A2 BA F2 DE | F2 GA B2B2 | B6 ||

 

AS I STRAYED OUT ON A FOGGY MORNING IN HARVEST. Irish, Air (3/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 664, pg. 166.

X:1

T:As I strayed out on a foggy morning in harvest

M:3/4

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 664

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A/B/4/c/4d/e/ | f2 eg fe | d2 cA Ac | d2 cA GA | FD D2 FG | A2 Ac de |

f2 ed cB | Ad d2d2 | d4 || de | f2 eg fe | d2 cA Ac | d2 cA GA | FD D2 FG |

Ad d2 ce | dc AG FD | {F}E2 D2D2 | D4 ||

 

AS I WALKED ON THE ROAD TO SLIGO (Air Mo Ghabháil Dhom Air an m-Bóthar Shligigh). Irish, Jig. G Dorian. Standard tuning. AB. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 123, pg. 62.

X:1

T:As I walked on the road to Sligo

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Playful”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Dorian

D2|G2A B2c|d2e fef|g2G c2B|AcA F2D|G2A B2c|d2e f2d|gab agf|g3g2||ga|

B2g a2f|g2f d2e|f2d c2B|AcA F2D|G2A B2c|def g2 a/g/|fed c2A|G3G2||

 

AS I WALKED OUT ONE EVENING. Irish, Air (4/4 time). Ireland, County Wexford. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: “From Mr. R.A. Ftizgerald” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 659, pg. 165.

X:1

T:As I walked out one evening

M:C

L:1/8

N:”County of Wexford

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 659

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

B | e3f gfed | c3 B AB c>B | B3 G A2 FG | E2 E2 E3 G | A2F2G2B2 |

e3c d2e2 | fe dc d2 cB | c3d B3B | A2 GF EG Bd | e3c d2e2 |

fe dc d2 cB | =A2 Bc B2 c>d | e3f gfed | c3B A2 Bc | B3G A2 FG | E2E2E2 ||

 

AS I WALKED OUT ONE MORNING, I HEARD A DISMAL CRY. AKA and see “As I roved out one morning [1].”

 


AS I WALKED OUT ONE MORNING IN SPRING. Irish, Air (6/8 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: “(The Irish collector) P.W. Joyce, Esq.” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 666, pg. 167.

X:1

T:As I went a waling one morning in Spring

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 666

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

f | fef gfe | fdc A2f | fef dcA | AGG G2f | fef gfe | fdc Add |

cAG GA=B | c3 f2d | cAG AFG | (F3F2) ||

 

AS I WALKED OUT YESTERDAY EVENING. Irish, Air (9/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 665, pg. 167.

X:1

T:As I walked out yesterday evening

M:9/8

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 665

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A | AAA ddd d2 d/e/ | fff e>fd edd/e/ | fff efe dcB | cBA BA”tr”F AFD ||

{d/e/}fdA/G/ F2G {D/F/}E2D | C>DE/F/ GEE EAd/e/ | fff efe dcB |

cBA BAF A>FD ||

 

AS I WALKED OVER THE COUNTY CAVAN. Irish, Air (3/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. ABB. Source for notated version: “From James MacCloskey, Dungiven” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 661, pg. 166.

X:1

T:As I walked over the County Cavan

M:3/4

L:1/8

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 661

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

B AF | E>D EF BB | B>c de dB | A>F EF EE | E3 BAF |

E>D EF BB | B>c de dB | A>F EF EE | E3 ||

|: FAB | e2 de fe | e>d BF AB/d/ | e2 de fe/d/  | B3 A/B/ dB |

A>F EF BB | B>c de dB | A>F EF EE | E3 :|

 

AS I WAS BY THE BAY WESTWARDS (Siar Cois Chuain Dom). Irish, Moderate Air (4/4 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AB. "Compare with 'Cois taoibh a chuain'" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 719, pg. 358‑359.

 

AS I WAS KISSED YESTREEN. See “Kissed Yestreen.”

 

AS I WAS WALKING BESIDE DUBLIN (Air Mo Ghabhail Dhom Taoibh Bhaile-atha-cliath). Irish, Moderate Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. "From Lewis O'Brien of Coolfree Co. Limerick: 1845" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 173, pg. 87.

X:1

T:As I was walking beside Dublin

T:Air mo ghabhail dhom taoibh Bhile-Atha-Cliath

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate time”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs(1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

g/f/e|d2 d>cBc|B>AGBdB|A2G2G2|G4G2|Bcdefd|gfedcB|c2d2 e>c|d4 d/e/f|

g2 efg>e|=fedc B2|c2d2 ef|g4 eg|=f>edcBc|BAGBd>B|A2G2G2|G4||

 

AS I WAS WALKING ONE MORNING IN MAY. Irish, Air (3/4 time). C Mixolydian. Standard. One part. Source for notated version: “From P. Coneely” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 663, pg. 166.

X:1

T:As I was walking one morning in May

M:3/4

L:1/8

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 663

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

EF | G2e2 GA | _BG F2 EF | G2e2 d>c | c4 ef | g2e2c2 | f2e2d2 |

c2 cB G^F | G4 ef | g2e2c2 | f2e2d2 | c2 cB GF | G4 EF |
GA _B2 c2 | _BG F2 EF | G2e2 d>c | c4 ||

 

AS I WENT OUT UPON THE ICE (Ag Dul amach ar an Leac Oighir dom). AKA and see “The Glin Cottage Polka [2],” “Johnny O’Leary’s [1].” Irish, Polka. Ireland, Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border. A Dorian. Standard. AABB. Editors Moylan and Breathnach suggest a connection with the comic song “Taglioni,” which goes:

***

As I went out upon the ice,

The ice being rough and stony,

The ice it broke and down I went

And wet my tanlee ownee.

***

or:

***

One day as I went out to skate,

The ice was rough and stony;

And the ice it bent so in I went

And wet my Taglioni.

***

Moylan, however, notes that all versions of the song he heard were sung to slide tunes, not polkas. The tune is usually played with “Jimmy Doyle’s [1]" in Sliabh Luachra tradition. See also the related “Dálaigh’s Polka.” Sources for notated versions: fiddler Denis Murphy,1966 (Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry, Ireland) [Breathnach]; accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region), recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]. Breathnach (CRE II), 1976; No. 122, pg. 65. Coel, Vol. 5, No. 1. Mallinson (101 Polkas), 1997; No. 19, pg. 8. Moylan (Johnny O’Leary), 1994; No. 52, pg. 31. RTE CD174, “The Sliabh Luachra Fiddle Master Padraig O’Keeffe.”

X:1

T:As I Went Out Upon the Ice

M:C

L:1/8

R:Polka

K:A Dorian

||: e2A2 B2d2 | e2A2 A2Bd | e2A2 B2A2 | G3A B2d2 |
e2A2 B2d2 | e2A2 A2B2 | G2A2 d2B2 | A4 A4 :||:
e2a2 a2ga | b2a2 g4 | e3f g2a2 | g2e2 e2d2 |
e2a2 a2ga | b2a2 g4 | efge d2B2 | A4 A4 :||

                       

AS I WENT TO WASHINGTON. English, Country Dance (3/4 time). A Minor. Standard tuning. One part. Published before 1730. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 8.

                       


AS I WENT UP TO DUBLIN CITY. Irish, March (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Mulvihill gives this tune as an alternate accompaniment for the set dance Walls of Limerick. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 35, pg. 126.

                       

AS JIMMY AND NANCY ONE EVENING WERE STRAYING. Irish, Air (3/4 time). F Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 687, pg. 172.

X:1

T:As Jimmy and Nancy one evening were straying

M:3/4

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie – Complete Collection (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

A>B | c2F2 GF | A2 cB GE | F2F2GF | E2F2 ce | f2 de f2 | _e2c2 cB |

A2 FG AB | c4 cd/e/ | f2 de f2 | _e2c2 cB | A2 FA GF | E3F GB |

AG AB cd | _e2 c2 fc | A2 FA G>F | F4 ||

           

AS LUCK WILL HAVE IT.  English, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by English collector, choreographer, musician and teacher Pat Shaw in 1977. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 56 (appears as “Halsway Sicilian”, the name of a dance, also by Pat Shaw, set to the tune).

           

AS QUICK AS YOU PLEASE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Minor. Standard. AABB. The tune was first published in 1728. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

                       

AS SLOW OUR SHIP. AKA and see "Spailpin Fanac(h) [1]," "The Girl I Left Behind Me [1]." Irish, Set Dance.

                       

AS THE SUN WAS SETTING. Scottish, Slow Air. A Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by John Kirkpatrick (English button accordionist), 1972. Lerwick (The Kilted Fiddler), 1985; pg. 74.

                       

AS THROUGH THE WOODS I ROAMED. AKA - “As through the woods I chanced to roam.” Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Minor (O’Neill): F Minor (Stanford/Petrie). Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “From (the Irish collector) Mr. Joyce” [Stanford/Petrie]. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 487, pg. 85. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 667, pg. 167 (appears as “As through the woods I chanced to roam”).

X:1

T:As Through the Woods I Roamed

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 487

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

GF|D2G2G2 FG|A2A2 f2 dc|B2B2B2G2|c3A F3A|G2G2G2 FG|A2A2 f3d|

d>c AG A3G|G4 G2||dc|d2g2g2 fg|a2g2g2 fg|a2 gf d2 cd|=e3f d3e|

g2 dc A2G2|Ac d=e f3a|gf dc A3G|G4 G2||

                       

AS 'TIS DANC'D AT THE PLAYHOUSE. AKA and see "Trip to the Jubilee."

                       

AS WE GO ABOUT OUR WORK. Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 27, pg. 22. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 65, pg. 12.

X:1

T:As We Go About Our Work

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Slow, with expression”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 65

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d ef | gedB AGGE | DGGA G3G | EAAB cdea | fdde ddef | gbaf gedB |

AGGE G3G | DGBG cAEF | G4 z || F ED | EGce d2dd | gedB G2 GG |

Gcea f2 e>d | d4 zdef | gGGG GDDD | EAAB c3c | BgcA E2 F2 | G4 z ||

                       

AS WE SAILED FROM THE DOWNS. Irish, Air (3/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AB. “The song tells of the wreck of a vessel on the coast of the County Down on its way from London to Belfast.”
***

As we sailed from the Downs near fair London town,

It’s then we had fine pleasant weather;

For two days or three we’d a very calm sea,

And our good ship she wrought with much pleasure.

Buth then rose a fog, and our vessel did log,

You could scarcely observe our slow motion;

When to our surprise the storm did arise,

And the billows did foam through the ocean
***

Source for notated version: “Mr. J. McKenzie of Newtownards, a great lover of Irish Music and of the corresponding folk songs, sent me the (air) about 30 yeards ago” (i.e. 1875). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 319, pg. 149.

X:1

T:As we sailed from the downs

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

BA|G2G2G2|F4F2|F2E2E2|A4B2|c2B2A2|B2A2F2|F2E2 BA|G2G2G2|

F4F2|F2E2E2|A4B2|c2B2A2|B2A2F2|F2E2||EF|G2A2B2|e4e2|c2B2c2|

E4 EF|G2A2B2|e2_d2c2|c2 B2 zA|B2A2F2|E4 C2|E2E2F2|A4B2|c2B2A2|

B2A2F2|F2E2||

 

ASA HOGE TUNE. AKA and see "Such A Gettin' Upstairs [1]." American, Breakdown. USA, Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. "From Asa Hoge, Green County, Pa., as he fiddled it in the 1870's" (Bayard). Source for notated version: Thomas Hoge (Green County, Pa.) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 170E, pg. 123.

 

ASEY'S PIECE. AKA and see "Oho, Oho, I've Found You Out," "Hunnell's Double Drag." American, Jig. USA, Pa. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. The title comes from "its being a favorite piece of Asa Sellers, a crippled cobbler of Waynesburg, Greene County, who was a devoted and famed fifer, and used to march, with a pronounced limp, in every martial‑band parade possible" (Bayard). Bayard traces the tune to Northumbria. Source for notated version: Charles Ganiear (orig. Greene County, Pa.) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 610B, pg. 540.

 


ASH GROVE (Llwyn Onn). AKA ‑ "Ashtree Grove"?? AKA and see “Llewellyn,”  "Sir Watkin William Wynn."  Welsh (originally), Scottish, New England; Waltz. C Major (Laufman): G Major (Johnson). Standard tuning. AB (Kerr): AAB (Johnson, Laufman). The air is considered by some to be an early 18th century melody from Wales, perhaps because it is attributed to that country in Gow’s Strathspey Reels (book 4, pg. 24), where it appears as "Sir Watkin William Wynn." In fact the earliest Welsh printing is not until Jones’s Bardic Museum (1802), where it is given that it was named after ‘Mr. Jones’s mansion near Wrexham’. Robin Huw Bowen says it is played in the form ‘theme and variations’, a form poular with Welsh harpists of the early 18th century. It appears under different guises in period publications and can be found in Gay’s Beggar’s Opera (1729) and in the repertoire of Irish harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738). “The Ash Grove” was used as a vehicle for English morris dancing, and various words were set to it, bawdy and otherwise. One set begins:

***

Down yonder green valley, where streamlets meander

Where twilight is fading, I pensively rove‑‑

Or at the bright noontide, in solitude wander

Amid the dark shade of the lonely ash tree.

***

Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's Occasional: Waltz, Air and Misc.), No. 1, 1991; pg. 1. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 309, pg. 33. Laufman (Okay, Let's Try a Contra, Men on the Right, Ladies on the Left, Up and Down the Hall), 1973; pg. 23. Matthiesen (Waltz Book I), 1992; pg. 13. Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen – “Telyn Berseiniol Fy Ngwlad/The Sweet Harp of My Land” (1996). [COMMENT3] [COMMENT4] Green Mountain