~ Couples Dances ~

~• Polkas •~

• Bill Spence with Fennig's All-Stars, Fennigmania, Front Hall Records FHR-024, 1981.

• Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald, A Selection Of New Jigs, Reels, Strathspeys, Hornpipes And Waltzes. Rodeo Records SCX5-59.

• The Antigonish Polka medley was brought to Fennig's by George Wilson, who learned them from a recording of Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald.

• Bill Spence with Fennig's All-Stars, Fennigmania, Front Hall Records FHR-024, 1981.

• Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald, A Selection Of New Jigs, Reels, Strathspeys, Hornpipes And Waltzes. Rodeo Records SCX5-59.

• The Antigonish Polka medley was brought to Fennig's by George Wilson, who learned them from a recording of Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald.

• Touchstone, The New Land, Green Linnet SIF 1040, 1982. Polka No. 2 of Three Polkas.

• Laurie Andres, Fantastic Hornpipe. Rooster Records, RSTR 122, 1983.

• Melody and chords from Laurie Andres, chords identified as well as I could!

• Maine Country Dance Orchestra, playing for dances in Bowdoinham, ME.

• Maine Country Dance Orchestra, playing for dances in Bowdoinham, ME.

• Jean Landry, on 22 tounes de chez-nous. MSTK K2-107 (CD).

• I found two recordings of this tune, one by Jean Landry and one by Frank DesJarlais. There are some subtle but interesting differences, so I'm including both here.

• Frank DesJarlais, Le polka de Caraquet. YouTube video, https://youtu.be/9FC1PI3i3W0, 2004.

• I found two recordings of this tune, one by Jean Landry and one by Frank DesJarlais. There are some subtle but interesting differences, so I'm including both here.

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book Combination 1 & 2, 1982.

• The melody in this version is as written in Bob's Note Book. There are no chords written in for this tune so I did my best from listening and memory. I also include a version from the playing of Rod and Randy Miller of New Hampshire. Here are Bob's notes about the tune: "This is the tune the chickadees sing in Mr. Scott Thomas' woodlot up in Norwich, Vt. I go up there every year, in the fall H:when it's so beautiful, just to hear them sing it. (Sometimes I see a deer!)"

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book Combination 1 & 2, 1982.

• Rod & Randy Miller, New England Chestnuts Vol. 1, Alcazar Records FR 203, 1980

• This version of the tune comes from the playing of New Hampshire fiddlers Rod & Randy Miller. It's interesting to compare it with Bob's version.Their switch to the Silver and Gold Two-Step is one of my favorite tune changes. Here are Bob's notes about the tune: "This is the tune the chickadees sing in Mr. Scott Thomas' woodlot up in Norwich, Vt. I go up there every year, in the fall when it's so beautiful, just to hear them sing it. (Sometimes I see a deer!)"

• Bill Spence with Fennig's All-Star String Band, The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again. Front Hall Records, FHR-10, 1977.

• Bill Spence alternates St. Mary's and Church Street, which works very nicely.

• Sarah Hydorn plays flute in the Lamprey River Band. This tune (including chords) was written by Sarah for her daughter.

• Laurie Andres, Fantastic Hornpipe. Rooster Records, RSTR 122, 1983.

• Made well known by John Kimmel. Melody and chords from the playing of Laurie Andres to the best of my ability.

• The tune is played in both F (Laurie Andres, Philippe Bruneau) and G (John Kimmel, Patti Kusturok).

• Maine Country Dance Orchestra, playing for dances in Bowdoinham, ME.

• The top row of chords make a good alternative when played now and then.

• Fourgone Conclusions, Contra Dance Music from Western Massachusetts. Front Hall Records, FHR-029, FHR-029CD, 1983.

• Touchstone, The New Land, Green Linnet SIF 1040, 1982. Polka No. 2 of Three Polkas.

• Laurie Andres, Fantastic Hornpipe. Rooster Records, RSTR 122, 1983.

• Melody and chords identified to the best of my ability from the Laurie Andres record.

• Omer Marcoux (outstanding Concord, NH fiddler) used to play this tune.

• Packer's Falls is in Durham NH on the Lamprey River.

• Old Grey Goose, Maine Country Dance Music and Song. Folkways Records FD 6530, 1980.

• This was published in 1860, described as an Irish ballad. It's often played as a waltz or a slow air. I learned it from Old Grey Goose and from the Maine Country Dance Orchestra at the Bowdoinham ME contradance in the 1980s as a lively polka.

• The Am-C alternate chords on the last line reflect a bass line Doug Protsik sometimes plays. A few chords are my best guesses but I think they are pretty accurate. The ending is tricky; I think I got most of it but the timing in the last 3 measures may be slightly off.

• Andy De Jarlis, Canadian Old Time Music. London EBX 4123, 1968.

• Marcel Meilleur and the Red River Echoes, Andy DeJarlis' Fiddle Tunes. Sunshine Records, SSBLP-427, 1977.

• Melody as played by Andy De Jarlis. Chords from the Marcel Meilleur recording.

• The Andy De Jarlis chords are included in the associated chord book.

• This is a reasonably standard New England/Canadian fiddle version of the tune. There are many variations played on nearly all parts. I also include Ward Allen's version of the tune.

• Ward Allen, Ward Allen Presents Maple Leaf Hoedown Volume II. Sparton, SP 210, 1958.

• This is as accurate a transcription as I could do given the limitations of my abilities and of the software. I also present a fairly standard version elsewhere.

• Bill Spence with Fennig's All-Star String Band, The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again. Front Hall Records, FHR-10, 1977.

• Bill Spence alternates St. Mary's and Church Street, which works very nicely.

~• Schottisches •~

• Fennig's All-Star String Band, Fennigmania. Front Hall Records, FHR-024, 1980. Reissued as The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again & Fennigmania, FHR303 (CD).

• They learned it from the Gallowglass Ceili Band. The melody and chords are transcribed from the recording except some or all of the A7 chords likely started out as Am chords.

• Boys of Blue Hill, Off to California and Harvest Home make an excellent medley. I've known this for over 40 years; I have no idea where I originally learned it.

• Laurie Andres, Fantastic Hornpipe. Rooster Records, RSTR 122, 1983.

• Old Grey Goose, Maine Country Dance Music and Song. Folkways Records FD 6530, 1980.

• Their liner notes say: "We learned this one from Jehile P. Kierkoff of Montrose, Pennsylvania, winner of the World Champion Fiddler's Contest in Waco, Texas in 1952. Jehile told us that this tune was handed down by an ancient tribe of Phoenicians who settled years ago in Sweden." I leave it you to decide its validity but it's a great story!

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book Combination 1 & 2, 1982.

• Applejack with Bob McQuillen, Contra Dance Music New England Style. Green Linnet SIF 1028, 1980.

• Bill Spence with Fennig's All-Stars, The Hammered Dulcimer, Front Hall Records FHR-01, 1975.

• This version of Fred Wilson's Clog comes from Bill Spence and Fennig's All-Stars. It's been adapted slightly to work better with the fiddle. Although played as a reel on the record, it would make a great schottische.

• There are other chords that work in the first couple measures of the B part, but I think it sounds stronger to stick with the A chord.

• Bill Spence with Fenning's All-Star String Band, The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again. Andy's Front Hall, FHR-010, 1977.