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]
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FORKED BUCK. See "Forked Deer."
FORKED DEER, (THE). AKA ‑ "Forked Buck,"
"Forky Deer," "Forked‑Horn Deer," "Forked Deer
Hornpipe," “Hounds in the Horn,” "Long-Horned Deer." AKA and see
"Deer Walk [1]," "Bragg's Retreat," "Van Buren." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Widely known. D Major. Standard or
ADae (Edden Hammons/Bruce Molsky) tunings. AB (Silberberg): AABB (most
versions): AA'BB (Phillips). Many older versions have several more parts than
the two that are commonly played in modern times, and Jeff Titon (2001)
suggests that the influence of the recording industry had much to do with
shortening and standardizing the parts of the melody. Clay County, W.Va.,
fiddler Wilson Douglas, heir to an older tradition, plays the tune in three
parts, as did his mentor French Carpenter. Roscoe Parish of Coal Creek, Va., also had a third part. Blind
northeastern Kentucky fiddler Ed Haley (1883-1951)
played a five-part version, as did Charlie Bowman and
Kentuckian J.W. Day. Kerry Blech says that Bowman’s version includes the
familiar ‘A’ and ‘B’ parts, a high ‘C’ part that is also shared with some other
sources, and two last parts that seem to be Bowman originals. John Johnson, an
itinerant man originally from West Virginia who had artistic talent in several areas,
had a version that had six parts, played ABACCDEFDEF (son of a jailer, he was
said to have “fiddled his way in and out of most jails from West Virginia to
Abiline”). Johnson (1916-1996) visited Kanawha
County, West Virginia, fiddler
Clark Kessinger (1896-1975) just a week before he died, an encounter from which
he remembered:
***
I went and played the
fiddle for him, played The Forked Deer.
Clark said, “That’s not The Forked Deer.” “Well,” I said, “I
don’t know whether
it’s The Forked Deer or not, but I
learned
it from a record
Arthur Smith made when I was a kid, and I
know the tune’s way
older than I am.” And Clark said, “That
ain’t The Forked
Deer.” But you see, I play six parts of The
Forked Deer and he
just played two. So I suppose that’s the
reason why he said
that wasn’t The Forked Deer. I
learned that
whole tune just like
Arthur Smith played it. I’ve heard lots of
other fiddlers put
just two parts to it. (Michael
Kline, Mountains of Music, John Lilly
ed. 1999).
***
R.P. Christeson (1973) notes that
the tune bears considerable resemblance to a Scottish tune named "Rachel Rae," which can be found in some
of the older Scottish tune collections (and which in America was printed in
such collections as White's Solo Banjoist,
Boston, 1896). He notes that some fiddlers play the first part of this tune
differently than the Missouri version he gives, and use a portion of "The
Forked Deer" as published in George Willig's or George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels (Vol. 1, No. 4,
Baltimore, c. 1839)--which appears to be the first time the "Forked
Deer" tune appears in print. It has been suggested (by William Byrne) that
the title “Forked Deer” (the first word is pronounced as if hyphenated,
‘FORK-ed’) is a corruption of ‘Fauquier Deer’, referring to the name of a
county in northern Virginia. Others believe it may have derived
from association with the Forked Deer River in Tennessee. Apparently, it was asserted in a
fictionalized traveller’s account (published in the late 1880’s by Dr. H.W.
Taylor) entitled "The Cadence and Decadence of the Hoosier Fiddler"
that the title referred to a Deer river and its tributaries (i.e. ‘the forks of
the Deer’). John Hartford and Pat Sky have speculated the original title may have
been “Forked Air,” meaning a crooked melody. Indeed, Paul Tyler reports the
"Forked Air" title was used in a 1950 notebook in which A. Hamblen
noted down tunes played by his grandfather and brought to Brown County, Indiana, from Virginia in 1857. The tune, as "Forkadair,” appears in W.
Morris’s Oldtime Viloin Melodies: Book
No. 1, and the “Forkedair Jig” is a title Gerry
Milnes (1999) says was used in a minstrel-era version.
***
Miles Krassen (1973) remarks the
tune is very popular through most of the southern Appalachians, though it was not played for the
most part by Galax, Va., style bands. Tommy Jarrell,
quintessential Round Peak (near Mt.Airy, N.C./Galax, Va.) fiddler learned the
tune in Carroll County, southwestern Virginia, where he listened to his father‑in‑law,
Charlie Barnett Lowe play it on the banjo with local fiddlers Fred Hawkes and
John Rector. It is one of the tunes mentioned in the humorous dialect story
"The Knob Dance,” published in 1845, set in eastern Tenn. (C. Wolfe), and
was also known before the Civil War in Alabama, having been recalled by Alfred
Benners in Slavery and Its Results as
played by slave fiddler Jim Pritchett of Marengo County. The tune was mentioned
by William Byrne who described a chance encounter with West Virginia fiddler ‘Old Sol’ Nelson during a
fishing trip on the Elk River. The year was around 1880, and Sol, whom Byrne said was famous for his
playing “throughout the Elk Valley from Clay Courthouse to Sutton
as…the Fiddler of the Wilderness,” had brought out his fiddle after supper to
entertain (Milnes, 1999). Charles Wolfe (1982) remarks it was popular with Kentucky fiddlers, especially in eastern Kentucky (a remark probably based on
recordings of regional fiddlers Ed Haley and J.W. Day). Jeff Titon (2001) finds
the title in the 1915 Berea, Kentucky, tune lists, and notes that it was
played at the 1919 and 1920 Berea fiddle contests. It was one of the
few sides cut in the first recorded session of American fiddle music in June,
1922, for Victor--a duet between Texas fiddler Eck Robertson and Henry
Gilliland (though unissued). The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress
by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph in the early 1940's from the playing
of Ozark Mountain fiddlers. It is on Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden’s list of
‘100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes’. Alternate titles "Forked‑Horn
Deer" and "Forked Deer Hornpipe" appear in a list he compiled of
traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes. Joel Shimberg finds
that volume two of G. Legman's edition of Vance Randolph's
"unprintable" Folksongs and
Folklore: Blow the Candle Out (pg. 759), says: "The dance tune known
as Forked Deer is regarded as vulgar in the Ozarks, because the title has a
double meaning. Forked might refer to the
deer's
antlers, but it is also the common Ozark term for ‘horny’, which means sexually
excited. The word is always pronounced ’fork-ed’ , in two syllables. I
have
seen nice young girls leave a dance when the fiddler began to play Forked Deer. Lon Jordan, veteran fiddler
of Farmington, Ark.,
always called it Forked-Horn Deer
when ladies were present. Buster Fellows once played it on a radio program, but
the announcer was careful to call it Frisky
Deer! (Station KWTO, Springfield, Mo., May 3, 1947.)"
***
Ira Ford's (1940) rather
preposterous story of the origins of the title is as follows: "The old
dance tune, 'Forked Deer', is easily traceable to the days of powder horns,
bullet molds and coonskin caps. Like many other very old tunes of American
fiddle lore, it had its origin on the isolated frontier and this one has been
traced to the first settlers along the Big Sandy River, the border line of Virginia and Kentucky. In the family which preserved this
tune, the story, handed down through several generations, credits the
authorship to a relative, a noted fiddler of pioneer days. This kinsman was
also a famous hunter. There was a spirit of friendly rivalry in the hunt, much
the same as there were championships in other lines of activities, and he had
established a reputation as a champion deer hunter by always bringing in a
forked deer. The forked deer, or two‑point buck, was considered prime
venison. As a token of admiration for the hunter as well as the fiddler, his
friends set the following words to this popular dance tune which comes down to
us as 'Forked Deer'.
***
There's the doe tracks and fawn tracks up and down the creek
The signs all tell us that the roamers are near,
With the old flint‑lock rifle Pappy's gone to watch the lick,
With powder in the pan for to shoot the forked deer.
***
Sources for notated versions: J.P.
Fraley (Rush,
Ky.) and The Highwoods String Band (Ithaca, N.Y.) [Brody]: Will Hinds (Haskell County, Oklahoma) [Thede]: George Helton (Dixon, Missouri) [Christeson]; Frank George and
John Rector (W.Va., Va.) [Krassen]; Charlie Bowman (Ga.?) [Phillips/1989]; a 1941 home
recording of Salyersville, Magoffin County, Ky., fiddler John M. Salyer (1882-1952)
[Titon]. Bay (Mel Bay’s Complete Fiddling
Book), 1990; pg. 145. Brody (Fiddler’s
Fakebook), 1983; pg. 110. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 64. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg.
45 (the first part is similar to some versions of "Grey Eagle"). Frets Magazine, vol. 3, No. 7, July
1981. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician:
Occasional Collection of Old‑Timey Fiddle Tunes for Hammer Dulcimer,
Fiddle, etc.), No. 2, 1982 (revised 1988, 2003); pg. 5. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 43
(includes one 'B' part variation). Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook: Old Time), 1989; pg. 20. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol.
1, 1994; pg. 91. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002;
pg. 46. Thede (The Fiddle Book),
1967; pg. 135. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 45, pg. 76. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 80. Berea College Appalachian Center
AC003, “John M. Salyer: Home Recordings 1941-1942” (1993). Cartunes 105, Bruce
Molsky & Bob Carlin – “Take Me As I Am” (2004. Sourced to Jilson Setters).
Cassette C-7625, Wilson Douglas - "Back Porch Symphony." Columbia 15387 (78 RPM), Charlie
Bowman (1929). Condor 977‑1489, "Graham & Eleanor Townsend Live
At Barre, Vermont." County 202, "Eck
Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler." County 527, Charlie Bowman (East Tennessee) and His Brothers‑
"Old‑Time Fiddle Classics, Vol. 2" (originally recorded 1929).
County 707, Major Franklin‑ "Texas Fiddle Favorites."
County 756, Tommy Jarrell‑ "Sail Away Ladies" (1976. Learned
from Fred Hawks, though Tommy’s father Ben Jarrell also played it). Flying Fish
FF‑009, Red Clay Ramblers ‑ "Stolen Love" (1975). Flying
Fish FF‑055, Red Clay Ramblers ‑ "Merchant's Lunch"
(1977). Front Hall FHR‑021, John McCutcheon ‑ "Barefoot Boy
with Boots On" (1981. "Inspired by" J.P. Fraley and Tommy
Hunter). June Appal 007, Tommy Hunter‑ "Deep in Tradition"
(1976. Learned from his grandfather, James W. Hunter of Madison County, N.C.).
Kanawha 301, French Carpenter – “Elzic’s Farewell: Old Time Songs and Tunes
from Clay County, West Virginia” (1976). Library of Congress (2742-A-3), 1939,
by H.L. Maxey (Franklin County, Va.) {as "Forky
Deer"}. Marimac 9000, Dan Gellert & Shoofly ‑ "Forked
Deer" (1986. Ed Haley's version, "without the 5th part").
Marimac 9060, Jim Bowles – “Railroading Through the Rocky Mountains” (1994). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers'
Association, Cyrill Stinnett (1912-1986) - "Plain Old Time Fiddling."
Morning Star 45003, Taylor's Kentucky Boys ‑ "Wink
the Other Eye: Old Time Fiddle Band Music from Kentucky, Vol. 1" (1980.
Originally recorded in 1927 for Gennett). Ok 45496 (78 RPM), The Fox Chasers.
Rounder 0037, J.P. and Annadeene Fraley‑ "Wild Rose of the Mountain”
(1974). Rounder 0045, Highwoods String Band‑ "Dance All Night."
Rounder 1010, Ed Haley‑ "Parkersburg Landing" (1976).
Rounder 0047, Wilson Douglas‑ "The
Right Hand Fork of Rush's Creek" (1975. Learned from French Carpenter, the
tune appears as "Forked Buck"). Rounder 0058, John Rector (western Va.) ‑ "Old
Originals, vol. II" (1978). Rounder 0194, John W. Summers ‑ "Indiana Fiddler” (1984). Vetco
506, Fiddlin' Van Kidwell‑ "Midnight Ride." Rounder
1131, Ed Haley – “Forked Deer” (1997). Vetco 102 (reissue), James W. Day
“Jilson Setters” (under the name Blind Bill Day) – “The Wonderful World of Old
Time Fiddlers, vol. 1.” Victor 21407 (78 RPM), Jilson Setters (Blind Bill Day,
b. 1860 Rowan Cty., Ky.), 1928. Voyager 340, Jim Herd - "Old Time Ozark
Fiddling." Also recorded by Frank George and John Summers, French
Carpenter and Uncle Am Stuart (b. 1856, Morristown, Tenn.){for Vocalion in 1924
under the title "Forki Deer"}. Edden Hammons Collection I.
X:1
T:Forked Deer
L:1/8
M:C|
K:D
|: (3ABc | defg a2fa | g2gb agfe |
defg a2fa | gfed cABc |
defg a2fa | g2gb agfe | dAFD GBAG |
FDEF D3 :|
|: (A|A2)A2c4 | ABAF E2 EF | A2AB
c2cA | BAFE FD3 |
A2A2c4 | ABAF E2FE | D2ED FDGD |
FDEF D3 :|
FORKS AND KNIVES. English, A version of “Three Case Knives,” “Jacks Gone a Shearing” and one
of the “Rusty Gulley” tunes.
FORKS OF SANDY [1]. AKA and see "Three
Forks of Sandy," "Three
Forks of Big Sandy," "Roll
'em Up Sandy." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; western North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky. G Major. Standard tuning. AB
(Silberberg): AABB (Brody, Phillips). The title refers to the Big Sandy River on the West Virginia/Kentucky
border, the (3) forks being the Big Sandy River, Levisa Fork and Tug Fork. Oscar
Wright maintained the song was popularized in his area of West Virginia (Mercer County) by North Carolina banjo player and band leader
Charlie Poole and his fiddler Posey Rorer when they played the area in 1916, 17
or 18. He claimed to have learned it directly from Rorer. West Virginia fiddler
Clark Kessinger (1896-1975), who probably learned the tune as a boy in the
Kanawha Valley, recorded the melody in 1930 for Brunswick Records (as “Three
Forks of Sandy”) {Wolfe, Mountains of
Music, John Lilly ed. 1999}. Sources for notated versions: Charlie Poole
(N.C.) [Brody]; Clark Kessinger (W.Va.) [Phillips]; Barry Shultz
[Silberberg]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook),
1983; pg. 111. Phillips (Traditional
American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 241. Silberberg (Tunes I
Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 47. Columbia 15106‑D (78 RPM),
1926, Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers. County 747,
Clark Kessinger‑ "Sweet Bunch of Daisies" (appears as
"Three Forks of Sandy"). Flying Cloud FC-023, Kirk Sutphin -
"Fiddlin' Around." Historical HLP‑8005, Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers ‑
"1926‑1930: A Young Boy Left His Home One Day" (1975). June
Appal 007, Thomas Hunter‑ "Deep in Traditon" (1976. Appears as
"Three Forks of Big Sandy." Learned from
Manco Sneed of Cherokee, N.C.). Rounder 0089, Oscar and Eugene Wright‑
"Old‑Time Fiddle & Guitar Music From West Virginia." Rounder 0392,
John Hartford - “Wild Hog in the Red Brush (and a Bunch of Others You Might Not
Have Heard” (1996).
FORKS OF SANDY [2]. Old‑Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 2: Occasional
Collection of Old‑Timey Fiddle Tunes for Hammer Dulcimer, Fiddle, etc.),
1982 (revised 1988 & 2003); pg. 13.
FORLORN LOVER, THE (An Graduigteoir Treigte). Irish, Air (3/4 time). G
Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 275, pg. 48.
X:1
T:Forlorn Lover, The
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Air
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 275
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
N:”Moderate”
K:G
G2|B2B2B2|B3A G2|e2A2A2|A4 GA|B2 dB
AG|E2D2 GA|(B3c) BA|G4:|
B2|d2d2d2|d2 cB AG|G2g2g2|g4
Bc|d2d2d2|ed cB AG|G2 g2f2|g4 de|
=f3 g f2|e4 g2|d2 cB AG|A4 GA|B2 dB
AG|E2D2 GA|B3 c BA|G4||
FORLORN STRANGER, THE (An Coigreac Treigte). Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). G
Major. Standard tuning. One part. Cazden (et al, 1982) points out the
similarity of this tune with his Catskill Mountain (New York) collected "The Wild Irish
Boy." O'Neill (Music of Ireland:
1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 326, pg. 56.
X:1
T:Forlorn Stranger, The
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Air
N:”Slow”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 326
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
BA|GE D2 DE|G2B2GB|A2G2G2|G4
B2|c2c2e2|d2 dB A>G|
G2 G>A BG|A4 (3GAB|c2c2e2|d2
d>B A>G|G2 GA Bc|d4 (3def|
g2 ge d2|zB GA BG|A2G2G2|G4||
FORLORN VIRGIN, THE. Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major/D Mixolydian.
Standard. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete
Collection), 1905; No. 563, pg. 143.
X:1
T:Forlorn Virgin, The
M:3/4
L:1/8
S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 563
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
DGG | GA/B/ cA/F/ GF | DD D3A |
AB/c/ d>c BG/A/ | Bc/B/ AF GF/G/ |
AB/c/ d>c BG/A/ | Bc/B/ AF GF/G/
| A/B/c/B/ A>F G>F | DD D3 ||
FORNESBRUNEN AFTER
JOHANNES DAHLE. Norwegian, Lydarslatter (listening
tunes, 2/4 time). Norway, Telemark District. A Mixolydian.
ADae tuning. One part. A listening ganger known as the "tearfull slatt (piece)."
One of the most ancient slatts -- the legend and music were recorded in the
mid-19th century. "The symphonic poems of Hardanger fiddle music."
The title refers to a courageous horse whose morbid task it was to transport
dead bodies of plague victims of the medieval black death through the desolate
stretches of Mosstand to the Rauland Chruch in south-cental Norway. The tune is programmatic, in that
the listener may hear musical renderings of the "sound made by horse's
hoofs struggling through deep snow, of the eventual stumble due to a broken
snowshoe, of the whinnying for help and of the death cry of the horse, who
expires as human help arrives just too late" (Hopkins, 1986). Source for notated version:
Johannes Dahle (Tinn, Telemark, Norway) [Hopkins]. Hopkins, 1986; Ex. 6, pg. 112.
FORNETH HOUSE. AKA – “Forneith House.” AKA and see “Mrs. Crawford’s Favorite.”
Scottish, Slow Air or Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The melody
appears in Robert Petrie’s Third Collection (1790) in which he
claimed authorship. The Gows later published it (1800) in a slightly altered
setting under the title “Mrs. Crawford’s Favourite” but did not attribute it.
Lerwick (The Kilted Fiddler), 1985;
pg. 70‑71. Petrie (Third Collection
of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances), 1790; pg. 7. Redwing Music RWMCD 5410, Abby Newton – “Castles, Kirks and
Caves” (2001. Learned from Angus Grant).
X:1
T:Forneth
House
C:Robert
Petrie (?)
S:Petrie's
Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances &c., 1790
Z:Steve
Wyrick <sjwyrick'at'astound'dot'net>, 3/5/04
N:Petrie's
First Collection, page 7
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
K:D
"^Slow"
A
| F<AA>B A<FA>B | d/c/d/e/ f>e d<BB>d | F<AA>B
A<Fd>B | (B/A/)(G/F/) (A/G/)(F/E/) D2
D :|
f
| a>ba<f d<Ad>f | e>f g/f/e/d/ B2 B>f | a>ba<f
d<Ad<f | e>f (a/g/) (f/e/) d2 (d/e/f/g/) |
a>ba<f d>Ad<f | (e/f/e/f/) (g/f/e/d/) B2
(B/c/d/B/) | A2 B/A/G/F/ F>dA<F | TE>DEF D2 D |]
FORNOCHT. Irish, Air (irregular metre). G Major.
Standard tuning. From the playing of the late Philadelphia, Pa., musician Tom
Standeven (d. 2002).
X:1
T:Fornocht
M:3/4
L:1/8
S:Tom Standeven
N:Transcribed from music belonging to Tom Standeven and posted at
N:http://www.blueskiesink.com/standeven/fornocht.jpg by
N:bil mckenty
Z:Dennis Gormley
K:G
zD D3 (E/2G/2)|A/2G/2 A3 (G/2A/2)|(cB) ( AG) ( ED)|
M:4/4
L:1/8
(E>B,) D4 FG|\
M:3/4
L:1/8
A3 B c|\
M:4/4
L:1/8
(d4 ed)(cB)|
M:3/4
L:1/8
A2 C3 B|\
M:4/4
L:1/8
A2 A4 z f/g|\
M:3/4
L:1/8
A2 B3 c|
M:4/4
L:1/8
(d4 ed)( cB)|\
M:3/4
L:1/8
(Ac)(BA)( G e/d)|\
M:4/4
L:1/8
(E>B,) D4 GA|
M:3/4
L:1/8
B (cA)( GE)|\
M:4/4
L:1/8
(Ac B4) (AG)|\
M:3/4
L:1/8
E2 D3 B,|D2 D4||
FORRES COUNTRY DANCE. Scottish, Reel. Forres, Moray, is an ancient site traditionally
associated with MacBeth. The royal castle there has a rich, albeit bloody
history, stemming from the ancient rivalry of the men of Moray and the kings of
the Scots. The town suffered at the hands of Alexander, Wolf of Badenoch, in 1390
and subsequently declined. Tradition 2118, Jim MacLeod
& His Band ‑ "Scottish Dances: Jigs, Waltzes and Reels"
(1979).
FORREST, THE. See “The Forest.”
FORT AT KINCORA, THE. AKA and see “The Ballinakill Hornpipe,” “Galway Hornpipe [3],” “Joe Burke’s Hornpipe,” “Sherlocks.” Irish, Hornpipe. G Major.
Standard tuning. AA’BB’. The tune appears in Bulmer and Sharpley under the
“Sherlocks” title. Associated with County Galway (Joe Burke and Mike Rafferty are
from County Galway; Joe from Kilnadeema, Mike from
Ballinakill). Source for notated version: New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in
Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker]. Harker (300
Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 274, pg. 85. Green
Linnett GLCD1045, Joe Burke - “The Tailor’s Choice.”
X:1
T:Fort of Kincora
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Hornpipe
K:G
(3DEF|:GA (3GFE DG,B,D|GFGA
Bdgf|edcB (3ABA GA|BAGF E2 (3DEF|
GA (3GFE DG,B,D|GFGA (3Bcd gf|edcB
(3ABA GA|1 BG{A}GF G2 (3DEF:|2 BG{A}GF GABc||
|:d^cde dBGD|GBd^c dgfg|ef (3gfe
dBGB|(3cBA BG ADEF|GA (3GFE DG,B,D|
GFGA Bdgf|edcB (3ABA GA|BG{A}GF
GABc:|2 BG{A}GF G2||
FORT CHARLOTTE. Shetland, March (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by
Gideon Stove, the tune is used in Shetland for dancing two‑steps.
Anderson & Georgeson (Da Mirrie
Dancers), 1970; pg. 29.
FORT GARY JIG. American, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB'. Source for notated
version: Stuart Williams and Al DeLorme [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol.
2, 1995; pg. 365.
FORT GIBSON. Rounder 0436, Bill Graves
– “Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 2: On the Springfield Plain.”
FORT MOUNTJOY. Irish. Composed by harper Tadhg MacDonal MacRory in the first half of
the 17th century in honor of the new fort built by his patron, Lord Mountjoy.
FORT OF KINCORA. See “Fort at Kincora.” Irish, Hornpipe.
G Major. Standard tuning.
FORT SMITH [1]. AKA and see "On the
Banks of the Cane." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Arkansas, Kentucky. G Major. Standard. AABB. 'B' part
similar to 'A' part of "Fort Smith Breakdown" notated by both Brody
and Phillips. Thede says: "There are two suppositions as to the origin of
the tune 'Fort Smith'...One conjecture is that the beginning of this melody
goes back to the time when a cavalry division of the United States Army was
stationed at Fort Smith, Arkansas, as an outpost to the Indian Territory to the
west....On the other hand, I have information through the late E.M. Hooper of
Shawnee, Oklahoma, who was an early day musician, that this tune was brought
from Sweden and renamed 'Fort Smith' by an immigrant the name of Bottefur, who
formed a musical organization in the town around 1843." Source for notated
version: William Crane (Creek County, Oklahoma) [Thede]. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 104. County CD2712, Art Stamper (Ky.) - "The Lost
Fiddler" (c. 1982). Marimac 9017, Vesta Johnson (Mo.) ‑ "Down Home
Rag."
FORT SMITH BREAKDOWN
[2]. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB.
There are some similarities to the Kentucky tune “Across the Plains,” aka “Old Red Rooster.” Source for notated
version: Luke Highnight's Ozark Strutters (of Hotsprings, Ark., who originally recorded the tune
in 1928) [Brody]; Chuck Silberstein [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 111. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 91. County 519, Luke Highnight's Ozark Strutters‑
"Echoes of the Ozarks, vol. 2." Folkways 31062, Ship in the Clouds‑
"Old Time Instrumental Music" (1978). Voyager 301, Fay Sneed‑
"Fiddle Jam Session."
FORT WARREN. American, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. Fort Warren is situated on an island in the
middle of Boston harbor, where it protected the shipping lanes for the port city from
the time it was completed in 1850. During the American Civil War it was the
site of a prison for Confederate prisoners. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 56.
X:1
T:Fort Warren
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Hornpipe
S:Howe – 1000 Jigs and Reels (c. 1867)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
AF | D2F2F2A2 | A3A BAGF | E2D2G2F2
| B2A2c2d2 | D2F2F2A2 | Bdcd BAGF |
E2 CE GEDC | E4 D2 :: DF | A2 FA d2
Ad | fedc BAGF | G2 EA c2 Ac | edcB AGFE |
D2F2F2A2 | Bdcd BAGF | e2 ce gecA |
e4 d2 :: A2 | d3d dfaf | efec cdcB |
BAdB BAAG | G4F4 | F2G2A2B2 |
c2d2e2f2 | gfed cdec | cBAG GVAF :|
FORT WORTH. AKA and see "Jack of
Diamonds [1]." Old‑Time, Fiddle Tune. The tune was recorded for
the Library of Congress by folklorist/musicologist Vance Randolph in the early
1940's from Ozark Mountain fiddlers.
FORT WORTH RAG. AKA and see "Texas Serenade."
FORTH BRIDGE [1], THE. Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard
tuning. AB. A strathspey and reel set composed by Williamson Blyth (1821‑1897)
in celebration of the 1890 opening of the cantilever bridge designed by Sir
Benjamin Baker (which cost 3,200,000 pounds at the time).
***
Firth of Forth Bridge, and, lest anyone not know where that might be….
***
Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 97.
FORTH BRIDGE [2], THE. Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AB.
The companion reel to version #1, also composed by Williamson Blyth
(1821-1897), a Edinburgh violinist and violin maker who turned out
quite a number of fine instruments. An 1806 violin by Blyth went for about $5,000 at auction in
1999. The Forth Bridge, spanning the Forth of Firth from South Queensferry to North Queensferry, was completed in 1890. The chief
engineer for the project was Benjamin Baker, who used a novel design for the
time: triangular structures reaching from opposite sides to hold the central
spans in place. This cantilever construction was still quite radical in 1881,
when the project was begun, and was made possible by a design employing a
striking array of massive tubular steel members. See also J. Scott Skinner’s
musical commemoration on the opening of the structure, a hornpipe called “The
Forth Brig.”
***
The Forth Bridge, under construction.
***
Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 213. Culburnie
Records CUL 121D, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas – “Fire and Grace” (2004).
Rounder 82161-7032-2, Bill Lamey – “From Cape Breton to Boston and Back: Classic House
Sessions of Traditional Cape Breton Music 1956-1977” (2000).
FORTH BRIDGE [3], THE. Scottish, Strathspey. A composition of James
Young (1815-1851). Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935. Lowe’s Collection, 1844-45.
FORTH BRIG [1], THE. AKA and see "Captain Hay" (?). Scottish, Canadian,
Shetland; Reel. Shetland, Mainland district. Canada, Cape Breton. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB’. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 88, pg. 26. Boot
Records, Jerry Holland - “Master Cape Breton Fiddler” (1982).
FORTH BRIG [2], THE. Scottish, Hornpipe.
G Major. Standard tuning. AABB’ (Skinner): AA’BB’ (O’Malley). Composed by J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927) in commemoration of the
opening of the railway bridge over the Forth of Firth in 1890. O’Malley (Luke O’Malley’s Collection of Irish Music,
vol. 1), 1976; No. 148, pg. 74. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist);
pg. 46. Skinner (Harp and Claymore),
1904; pg. 129.
X:1
T:Forth Brig, The
[2]
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Hornpipe
S:Skinner
– The Scottish Violinist
Z:AK/Fiddler’s
Companion
K:G
d/>c/ |
B/>c/^c/>d/ g/>f/e/>d/ | c/>d/^d/>e/ a/>g/f/>e/ |
f/>(c’/b/)>(a/ g/)>(f/e/)>(f/ |
(3g/).b/.a/
(3.g/.f/.e/ .d.d/.c/ | B/>c/^c/>d/ g/>f/e/>d/ | c/>d/^d/>e/
a/>g/f/>e/ |
f/>(c’/b/)>(a/
g/)>(f/e/)>(f/ | (3/g)d/b/ (3g/d/B/ [B,G] :: (B | b/>)(g/f/>)(e/
^d/)>(f/B/>)(c’/ |
b/)>(ag/>)(f/
e/>)(f/g/>)(^g/ | a/>)(f/e/>)(d/ ^c/>)(e/A/>)(g/ |
f/>)(e/d/>)(^c/ d/>)(^d/>e/)(f/ |
g/>)(d/B/>)(G/ F/)(G/=F/)(G/ |
E/>)(G/c/>)(e/
g/>)(e/d/>)(c/ | B/>)(c/^c/>.d/) D/>(_E/=E/>.F/) |1
(3G/D/B/
(3G/D/B,/ G, :|2 G[DB][B,G] ||
FORTINGALL FAIRS. Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. The tune appears
in Malcolm McDonald's 1788
collection, a volume dedicated to Mrs. Baird of Newbyth. Fortingall is in
Perthshire. The 3,000 year old Fortingall Yew is Europe’s oldest tree. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Dance Music),
vol. 1, 1891; pg. 47. MacDonald (A
Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol.1), c. 1788; pg. 22.
X:1
T:Fortingall Fairs