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] |
OPELOUSAS TWO-STEP. See "Ossun One-Step."
OPELOUSAS WALTZ. AKA and see "Valse
de Opelousas." Cajun/Creole, Waltz. Arhoolie
CD445, Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin with Canray Fontenot - “La Musique Creole.”
OPEN THE DOOR. AKA and see "Ouvre la
Porte."
OPEN THE DOOR FOR THREE. See "Open the Door to Three."
OPEN THE DOOR MY LOVE, DO. Irish, Air (3/4 time). A Minor.
Standard. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete
Collection), 1905; No. 333, pg. 84.
OPEN THE DOOR SOFTLY (Fuasgail An Doras). AKA and see
"Osgail an Dorus Go Ciuin O,"
"Swift Fly the Hours."
Irish, Air (6/8 time, "tenderly"). D Major/Mixolydian. Standard. One
part. The Chieftains version of the tune is characterized by Paddy Moloney as
"a soft harp lullaby...as played by the harper Arthur O'Neill."
Arthur O'Neill was a blind harper who took several prizes for his playing at
the end of the 18th century in Ireland, one of the last trained in
the ancient harping tradition. O'Neill (Music
of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 334, pg. 58. RCA 09026-61490-2, The Chieftains - "The Celtic
Harp" (1993).
X:1
T:Open
the Door Softly
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Air
N:”Tenderly”
S:O’Neill
- Music of Ireland (1903), No. 334
Z:AK/Fiddler’s
Companion
K:D
DDE
FAB|=c>dc BDD|DFA ABc|d3F3|dBd cBA|GFG A2B|AFD DEF|
E3
D2d|dBd cBA|GFG ABB|AFD DEF|E3 D3||
OPEN THE DOOR TO THREE [1]. AKA and see “Winifred’s Knot.” English, Country
Dance Tune (6/8 time).
OPEN THE DOOR TO THREE [2]. Scottish, Country Dance Tune (9/8
time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Dance instructions, but not the melody, for the
tune can be found in the Menzies
Manuscript, 1749, contained in the Atholl Collection of the Sandeman
Library, Perth. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of the melody in
print in Robert Bremner's 1768 2nd
collection (pg. 100). The title sounds descriptive of a country dance figure.
Carlin (Gow Collection), 1976; No.
456. Gow (Complete Repository), Part
2, 1802; pg. 16.
X:1
T:Open
the Door to Three [2]
M:9/8
L:1/8
S:Gow
- 2nd Repository (1802)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s
Companion
K:G
D|G3
B2G cAF|G3 B2G ~c2d|efg dcB AFD|G2c B>AB G2:|
|:e/f/|gfe
dcB AFD|[G,3D3B3g3] dBd g2d|efg dcB AFD|G2G BAB G2:|
OPEN THE DOOR FOR (TO)
THREE [3] (Oscal an Dorus Do Tri). Irish, Slip Jig. G Major. Standard. AB (O’Neill):
AABB (Kennedy). A distanced variant of the melody printed by Gow, and still
more distanced from the one-strain English version given by Sharp (under the
title “Winifred’s Knot”). All three
versions are recognizably cognate. Source for notated version: O'Neill later in
life obtained this version of the tune from the manuscripts of Timothy Downing,
a gentleman farmer of Tralibane, County Cork, who taught O'Neill the rudiments
of the flute when the latter was a boy during the 1860's [O'Neill/Irish Folk Music]. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor),
1989; 59. Kennedy (Fiddler’s
Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 56, pg. 13. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 449, pg. 88.
X:1
T:Open the Door for Three [3]
M:9/8
L:1/8
R:Slip Jig
S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 449
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
D|G2c BGB AFA|G2c BGB c2e|ege dcB AFD|E2c
ccA G2D|
G2c BGB AFA|G2c BGB c2d|ege dcB AFD|E2c
BcA G2||
d|gdB gdB AFD|gfe def g2d|ege dcB AFD|E2c
BcA G2d|
gdB ddB AFD|gfe def g2d|ege dcB AFD|E2c
BcA G2||
OPEN THE GATE AND WALK ON THROUGH. See note for “Cornstalk Fiddle (and
Shoestring Bow).” It is perhaps the same as “Gate to Go Through.”
OPEN
WINDOW, THE (An Fuinneog Fuasgailte). Irish, Air (2/4
time, "lively"). D Major. Standard. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 322, pg. 56.
X:1
T:Open
Window, The
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Air
N:”Lively”
S:O’Neill
- Music of Ireland (1903), No. 322
Z:AK/Fiddler’s
Companion
K:D
D/>E/|FF
EF|BA FE/D/|AA Bc|d2 zc|BA FA|Bd/F/ ED/B,/|DD EF|D2 D||
A|dc
BA|BA FF/G/|AA dF|E3 F/A/|dc BA|BA/F/ E D/E/|FE/D/ EF|D2 D||
OPERA
DANCE. Scottish, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD.
Composed by William Nisbet. Carlin (The
Gow Collection), 1986; No. 367.
OPERA
HAT, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). England,
Shropshire. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Editor Ashman points out the tune
is almost identical with "A Russian Dance," also found in Moore's MS.
Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore
[Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe),
1991; No. 13b, pg. 2.
OPERA HORNPIPE, THE. English, Hornpipe. England, Shropshire. D Major.
Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by
Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 63, pg. 25.
OPERA
POLKA. English, Scottish; Polka. England; Dorset, Yorkshire.
D Major ('A' and 'C' parts) & A Major ('B' part) {Trim}: C Major ('A' and
'C' parts) & G Major ('B' part) {Callaghan, Kerr, Merryweather &
Seattle}. Standard tuning. AABBCC(Trio)AABB. Sources for notated versions: a MS
collection by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire)
[Merryweather & Seattle]; the Thomas Hardy family manuscripts (Dorset,
early 19th century) [Trim]. Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; pg. 68. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 437, pg. 50. Merryweather &
Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby),
1994; No. 96, pg. 54. Trim (Thomas Hardy),
1990; No. 54.
X:1
T:Opera
Polka
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Polka
S:Kerr
– Merry Melodies, vol. 3, No.
437 (c. 1880’s)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:C
Gc
c/B/c/|dG G/^F/G|dGfG|ag g/f/e|Gc c/B/c|dG G/^F/G|dGfB|dccz:|
|:Bdgb|ba/^g/
a=g|g^f/c/ fe|eddG|Bdgb|ba/e/(ag)|(g/^f/) (^c/d/) (e/d/) (f/d/)|
(^f/g/)
(b/a/) g2:|
“Trio”
|:bGba|agge
gGfB|dccg|bGba|agge|gfBg|ce/d/ c2:|
OPERA REEL [1]. AKA and see “The Duke of Cornwall’s Reel,” “McDonagh’s (Reel) [4].” Old‑Time,
Breakdown; American, Reel. USA; Missouri, New York, New Hampshire, New England,
southwestern Pennsylvania, Michigan. D Major (most versions): C Major (Howe/Accordeon). Standard or DDae (Bronner)
tunings. ABCD (Silberberg): ABCDD (Christeson): AABBC (Ruth): AABBCCDD (Bayard,
Brody, Ford, Howe, Kennedy, Linscott, Sweet): AA'BBCCDD (Phillips): ABBCCD
(Cole, Miller & Perron): ABBCCDD (Bronner). Bayard (1981) did not find it
in any collection older than the early 19th century. According to Linscott
(1939) the tune "was fitted for a contra dance performed on the
stage." Bronner (1987) thinks there may be stage origins for the tune on
the strength of his observation that "besides producing light operas,
popular theaters and chautauquas often did vernacular versions or even parodies
of opera," though he admits the tune sounds Scottish or Irish. Apparently
as another speculation, he also suggests the "operatic" triplet
pattern in the third part "probably suggested the name of 'Opera Reel' in
its early forms." There is also a rumor floating about the the reel is
made up of strains from different French operas, although this appears to be
completely erroneous. Tony Parkes and Steve Woodruff (1980) state the tune was
an early 19th century American melody likely modelled on the multi‑parted
Irish and Scottish reels of the 18th century, and was particularly popular in
the 1850's. Indeed, the “Opera Reel” appears in the 1823 music manuscript book
of H. Canfield (Hartford, Conn.), entitled A
Choice Selection of Flute Melodies.
***
A
suggestion has been made that the piece was published in Dublin in 1795 in a
gentlemen’s literary journal called Walker’s
Hibernian. Anne Loughran
and Vic Gammon’s Sussex Tune Book (English Folk Dance and Song Society,
1982), contains what may be a cognate or ancestral melody under the title “The Duke
of Cornwall's Reel,” sourced from a manuscript music book compiled by William
Aylmore of West Wittering (Sussex, England). Aylemore was a clarinet player
whose bood contains dance, military and religious music and is dated 1796 in
one place and 1818 in another.
***
In New
Hampshire the tune was used for the dance Boston Fancy or Lady Walpole's Reel,
as well as the dance also called The Opera Reel. It was cited as having
commonly been played {under the title "Opera"} for Orange County, New
York country dances in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), and Bronner (1987) says it a standard
of the upstate New York old‑time repertoire. Jim Kimball concurs with
Bronner and remarks that in rural New York state “Opera Reel” remained a
favorite tune and dance well into the 20th, and that it was still performed at
house dances in the central part of the state in the 1930's. The dance was a
version of what was known in New England as the Chorus Jig. Kimball states that
there exists a 1920's recording (for Edison) of regional musician ‘old’ Jasper
Bisbee (b. 1843) playing and calling “Opera Reel,” and records that Bisbee
lived in Michigan prior to the Civil War (c. 1858), but was born in the town of
Ossian, Livingston Co., New York (which has an area that elderly residents
still call Bisbeetown). Paul Gifford states that informants have told him that
“Opera Reel” was also played and danced in western Michigan at least until the
1920's. “Opera Reel” is one of ‘100 essential Missouri tunes’ listed by
Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden.
***
Not to
be confused with the similarly entitled “Celebrated Opera Reel.” Sources for
notated versions: Uncle Jimmy Lewis (Pulaski County, Missouri) [Christeson];
Norman Blake (Georgia) [Brody]; Smith Paine (Wolfeboro, N.H.) [Linscott]: Grant
Rogers, 1976 [Bronner]: Wilbur Neal (elderly fiddler from Jefferson County,
Pa., 1948) [Bayard]; Grant Lamb & Ruthie Dornfeld [Phillips]; Laurie Andres
[Silberberg]. Adam, 1928; No. 63. Bayard (Dance
to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 133, pg. 73. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 209. R.P. Bronner (Old Tyme Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 36,
pg. 133. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers
Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 56. Cole (1000
Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 31. DeVille, 1905; No. 32. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg.
69. Harding Collection (1915) and Harding's Original Collection (1928),
No. 70. Howe (Complete Preceptor for the
Accordeon), 1843; pg. 35. Howe (Musician’s
Omnibus), 1861; pg. 42. Howe (Diamond
School for the Violin), 1851; No. or pg. 32. Jarman, Old Time Fiddlin’ Tunes. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants),
1997; No. 152, pg. 36. Kerr (Merry
Melodies), vol. 4; pg. 9. Linscott (Folk
Songs of Old New England), 1939; pg. 70. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983;
No. 93. Phillips (Traditional American
Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 177. Robbins, 1933; No. 41. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No.
4, pg. 3. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 113.
Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981;
pg. 43. Sym, 1930; pg. 12. Wilson (Companion
to the Ballroom), 1816 & 1840; pg. 81 (1840 edition). Alcazar Dance Series FR‑203, Rodney Miller ‑
"New England Chestnuts" (1980). Edison 51278 (78 RPM), Jasper Bisbee
(Michegan), 1923. F&W Records 4, "The Canterbury Country Orchestra
Meets the F&W String Band." Fretless 132, "Ron West: Vermont
Fiddler." Fretless 136, Arm and Hammer String Band‑ "Stay on
the Farm." Green Linnet SIF3040, De Dannan - "Ballroom" (1987).
Kanawha 313, Grant Rogers ‑ "Ballads and Fiddle Tunes." Rounder
0122, Norman Blake‑ "Rising Fawn String Ensemble." Rounder
CD7018, Frank Ferrel - “Boston Fiddle: The Dudley Street Tradition.” Voyager 312‑S,
Grant Lamb‑ "Tunes From Home." Rodney and Randy Miller‑
"New England Chestnuts, vol. I." "Trapezoid."
X:1
T:Opera Reel
M:C|
L:1/8
K:D
A,2|D2 D2 FE FA|DC DF ED B,A,|D2 D2 FE FA|Bd AF ED CE|
D2 D2 FE FA|DC DF ED B,A,|D2 D2 FE FA|(3Bcd AF E2||\
|:(3ABc|dc ec dA FA|Ad cd eg fe|dc ec dA FA|Bd AF
E2:||\
|:fg|af af gf ge|fa fe dc BA|af af gf ge|fa ec d2:|\
||(3ABc|de fd ef ge|fa ec dc BA|de fd ef ge|fa ec d2
(3ABc|
de fd
ef ge|fa ec dc BA|de fd ef ge|fa ec d2|]
OPERA REEL [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Indiana. D Major. Standard
tuning. AABBCCDD. A variation of version #1. Source for notated version: John
Summers (Indiana) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional
American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 177. Rounder
0194, John W. Summers ‑ "Indiana Fiddler" (1984).
OPERA SCHOTTISCHE, THE. English, Schottishce. G Major ('A' part), D Major
('B' part), & C Major ('C' part). Standard tuning. ABACA. Composed by H.
Kleber. Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990;
No. 69.
OPERATOR'S REEL. Canadian, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB.
Composed by Canadian radio and T.V. fiddler Don Messer, and one of the first
sides he and his group the Islanders waxed for Apex Records, in 1942. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes),
1980; No. 70, pg. 45.
L’OPERATRICE. French,
Country Dance (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. From the contradance
book (tunes with dance instructions) of Robert Daubat (who styled himself
Robert d’Aubat de Saint-Flour), born in Saint-Flour, Cantal, France, in 1714,
dying in Gent, Belgium, in 1782. According to Belgian fiddler Luc De Cat, at
the time of the publication of his collection (1757) Daubat was a dancing
master in Gent and taught at several schools and theaters. He also was the
leader of a choir and was a violin player in a theater. Mr. De Cat identifies a
list of subscribers of the original publication, numbering 132 individuals, of
the higher level of society and the nobility, but also including musicians and
dance-masters (including the ballet-master from the Italian opera in London).
Many of the tunes are written with parts for various instruments, and include a
numbered bass. Daubat (Cent Contredanses
en Rond), 1757; No. 7.
X:1
T:L’Operatrice
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Daubat - Cent Contredanses en Rond (1757), No. 7
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
GAG G2e | dcB
cBA | GAG G2g | {e}dcB cBA | G2g e2g | d2gB2g |
f>ed ^c>Bc
| dAF D3 :: A>BA A2B | c>dc c2d | e>fe efg | B3F3 |
GAB EFG | (ABc) (FGA) | (Bcd) (efg) | BcA
G3 :|
OPPOSUM UP A GUM-TREE. See
"Possum Up a Gum Tree."
OPRY FIDDLER'S BLUES. See "Lee Highway Blues."
OP'RY
STAR. AKA and see "Oil City Quickstep [1],"
"The Beggar's March."
American, March (4/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB.
Source for notated version: Queer (Pa., 1957) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 180D,
pgs. 136‑137.
OPTIMIST, THE.
Irish, Hornpipe. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AABB. McGuire & Keegan (Irish Tunes by the 100), 1975; No. 76,
pg. 20.
ORA
LEE. Old‑Time, Breakdown. G Major. GDad tuning. AABB
(Kuntz): AA'BB (Phillips). The tune is played slower than the usual breakdown
tempo. Source for notated version: James Bryan (Alabama) with Bob Carlin
[Kuntz, Phillips]. Kuntz, Private Collection. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 97. Rounder 0197, Bob Carlin ‑ "Banging and Sawing"
(1985. Source: Edward Winters).
X:1
T:Ora
Lee
L:1/8
M:2/4
N:GDad
tuning
K:G
G>E|D(G
G)A/B/|A/G/E/G/ [DA]>G|FD E/D/F/D/|GA B/A/G/E/|D(G G)A/B/|
A/G/E/G/
A>G|FD/F/ E/D/F| G2G:|
|:B|[GB]>d
B/A/G|[G3B3] e/d/|B/A/G/E/ DG|B2 AB|[G2c2] [Gc]>B|
A/G/F/G/
A>G|FD E/D/F|G2 G:|
X:2
T:Ora
Lee
M:C|
L:1/8
N:From a transcription by John Lamancusa,
by permission http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.htm
Z:AK/Fiddler’s
Companion
K:G
({F/}G3)E|:”G”
D2G4 AB|”D”AG E2 ({G/}A3)G|F2D2 EDFD|”G”G3A BAGE|
D
(3D/E/F/ G4 AB|”D”AGEG A3G|”D”~F2 D2 ED F2|1 “G”G6 GE:|2 “G”[G4B4]G2A2||
|:“G”[D3B3]
d BA G2|[D4(B4]B2) [Gd][Ac]|BAGE D2G2|[G4B4] [Ac][Bd]|
“C”[E4c4]c2B2|”D”A[GA][FA][GA]
A3G|~F2D2 ED [FA]|1 [G2B4 G2A2:|2 [(G4B4]G4)||
ORACLE
[1], THE. English, Reel. England, North‑West. D Major.
Standard tuning. AAB. Knowles (Northern
Frisk), 1988; No. 107.
ORACLE
[2], THE. Scottish, Strathspey. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB.
The tune is attributed to Scots fiddler/composer J.
Scott Skinner (1842-1927) by J. Murdoch Henderson, although it does not
appear in Skinner’s own published compositions. Source for notated version:
Danny O’Donnell (County Donegal) [Feldman & O’Doherty]. Feldman &
O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; pg. 192c (appears as untitled
strathspey). Henderson (The Scottish Music Maker), 1957.
O’RAHILLY’S GRAVE. AKA - “O’Reilly’s Grave.” Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). A Dorian. Standard tuning. One part. The title undoubtedly refers to the poet Aogán Ó Rathaille (c. 1675 - 1729), whose name is also given as O’Reilly and Egan O’Rahilly, born in Screathan an Mhil (Scrahanaveel), in the Sliabh Luachra region some ten miles east of Killarney. He appears to have received a good formal schooling, being versed in Latin and English as well as in Irish literature and history. The Browne family and the McCarthy’s were both patrons of Ó Rathaille, and his fortunes