~ Tunes with Associated Dances ~

~• Contradances •~

• Play in the sequence ABCD; note that the B and D parts are identical so it's really ABCB. Some people like to play a modal (C) chord during the 4th and 8th measures of the C part. In my opinion this would better be done now and then for effect than all the time.

• Used for the dance Jefferson and Liberty. Thomas Jefferson used it as a campaign song too.

• The dance goes very well with the tune; it can be disruptive to the dancers to switch tunes. Bob McQuillen wrote a tune called Hull's Relief that makes a good change tune; it's sort of like Hull's Victory inside out. The other good change tune is Hull's Victory in D, with a switch back to F at the end. Therefore I'm also including the tune in D in this collection.

• It's best not to change tunes with Hull's Victory; it is likely to be disruptive for the dancers. If you want a channge tune, consider Hull's Victory in D. The usual sequence would be Hull's Victory in F, switch to D, and then back to F. Hull's Victory in F is also included in this collection.

• The chord choices are strongly influenced by Randy Miller's chords: Rod & Randy Miller, New England Chestnuts Vol. 1, Alcazar Records FR 203, 1980

• The alternate chords (top line) are a more conventional set.

• The top line of chords are alternate chord choices. Although in measures B2 and B6 the E chord is generally played, I find the D chord to be a better fit and to sound much fuller.

• New England contradances, and recordings by the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra, David Kaynor, Vivian Williams, Rod & Randy Miller.

• Ralph Page (Northern Junket, Vol. 2 #11, Oct. 1951) said, "About one hundred years ago in this part of New Hampshire the people dropped eight measures of music, tho retaining the same number of figures. So you are doing a 32 measure dance to 24 measures of music." Instead of playing the tune in the AABB sequence as it had been, it was now played in the ABC sequence. The G chord is a fun but rather startling alternative, best used sparingly. I learned it from the playing of Randy Miller, New England Chestnuts (Alcazar FR 203).

• When playing for a dance it generalliy makes sense to end at the end of the dance. Otherwise it would resolve better to end on the A part or possibly the B part. Carter and Kaity Newell of the Maine Country Dance Orchestra wrote a dance to this tune. Because Carter is left handed, he adapted to the dance so it's friendly to left-handed dancers.

• This tune has been used for Petronella in Vermont. It can be played by itself or, as is often done in New Hampshire, as a change tune for Petronella, preferably with a switch back to Petronella at the end. The high part in the first half of B2 comes from Rodney Miller, and is optional. It used to be played the same as in that part of B1 and I usually play it that way. The B chord in the second half of B2 is also optional but adds a lot to the tune.

• This is an English country dance tune but Doug Protsik of Maine wrote a contradance to the tune.

• Gale Huntington (editor), William Litton's Fiddle Tunes, 1800-1802, 1977.

• The book was compiled by Gale Huntington from Martha's Vineyard from a manuscript found in a ship's log. William Litten transcribed, and in some cases wrote, a set of tunes while out at sea during this time period. I learned the tune from the Maine Country Dance Orchestra, and Doug Protsik wrote a dance to the tune. Note that the measures are twice as long as in most dance tunes: a piano player would play two oom-pahs per measure instead of the usual one.

~• Longways Dances •~

• Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra. F&W Records, F&W 3, 1972.

• Galopede is actually the name of the dance; the tune is the Yarmouth Reel. I list it as Galopede because it seems likely that more people know it by that name.

• Canterbury Folk at the Marble Palace, Shake a Leg! Andrea Record Co., AR-1002, 1981. Also, learned from dancing the dance of the same name to the calling and playing of Dudley Laufman every May for many years.

• The upper row of chords are from the Canterbury Folk record. Although Dick Nevell sometimes treated the second part as being in Em, the chords work quite nicely.

• There is a very lively longways dance written for this tune, feauring strip the willow (reel the set) from both the top and bottom simultaneously. We used to dance it at the Bowdoinham dance to a three-part version of Pigtown Fling.

~• Square Dances •~

• This version is strongly influenced by the playing of Omer Marcoux from Concord, NH. His version has become fairly widespread in central and surrounding regions of New Hampshire. I haven't been able to learn anything about its origin. I have heard a couple recordings of fiddlers playing similar versions but I have been unable to find them while preparing this web site.

• This version of the tune is influenced by the playing of April Limber, Marcel Robidas, Omer Marcoux and probably other New Hampshire fiddlers. I'v also included a set of variations elsewhere in this collection.

• I've heard many different versions of this tune. Here are some of them. I probably wouldn't play the tune this way but different variations could be used different times through, and expanded to other parts of the tune. The straight melody is elsewhere in this collection.

• Traditionally the last square of the evening at Monadnock area dances. The alternate chords are worth considering. The Maple Sugar Band (Marcel Robidas' band, Dover NH) played a G chord at the beginning of the B part. At the Contoocook NH square dance they played something dramatic which is approximated by the B7/E7 progression (although minor chords could be played instead). It's most commonly played in D and G; the G version is elsewhere in this collection.

• Traditionally the last square of the evening at Monadnock area dances. The alternate chords are worth considering. The Maple Sugar Band (Marcel Robidas' band, Dover NH) played a IV chord at the beginning of the B part. At the Contoocook NH square dance they played something dramatic which is approximated by the E7-A7 progression (although minor chords could be played instead). It's most commonly played in D and G; the D version is elsewhere in this collection.

• As played by Lou Heath, 10/24/98, West Hopkinton, NH for a dance of the same name called by George Hodgson.

• George enjoyed calling this dance and would put on an English accent for parts of the dance that we all found quite amusing.

• Down Yonder is a part of many different repertoires. In the New England repertoire its primary role is as the tune for the singing square dance of the same name. This version is as I (Peter Yarensky) play it based on listening to many people play it at dances and to many recordings over the years (including classics such as the Skillet Lickers recording). I present a couple variations but as this was used as a show tune by many people there are many ways to play the tune.

• This is the usual version of the tune. There is also a square dance version presented here. It has a half-length B part to fit the dance as usually called.

• The square dance version has a half-length B part because the chorus of the dance is generally called as a promenade which is an 8-bar figure. Occasionally someone will call a full-length chorus figure so it's always good to check when playing for a caller for the first time. A version with a full B part is also presented in this collection.

• This is a version of the tune that is fairly typical of how it's been played at square dances in New Hampshire over the past seventy or more years. It's sometimes played in 6/8 time. I've also included a version by New Hampshire fiddler Marcel Robidas which is much more elaborate.

• This version was transcribed from the playing of Marcel Robidas (Tune Recording Session at the Cuckoo's Nest, Dover, NH. Winter 1996). I have provided a core version of the tune elsewhere.

• This is how the tune is generally played. There is another part to it, which is included in this collection.

• Milt Appleby (NH fiddler), Phil Johnson (Lebanon, ME square dance caller).

• I was visiting with Milt Appleby one day and we were playing some square dance tunes. When we got to this one Milt mentioned that Phil Johnson had once taught him the other part of the tune. Milt taught it to me, and when I looked it up, sure enough the original score for this tune had an A part quite similar to what I had just learned.

• Harold Luce, Vermont fiddler, as played at dances.

• Harold Luce from Vermont had an interesting version of the tune. The B part is a full 16 measures; his call was to promenade twice around.

• Recording of Emerson Hill Square Dance. George Hodgson calling with Lou Heath (fiddle), Walter Heath (piano), Frenchy [Wilfred French] (drums), Royce Riddle (banjo), Bob Boynton (electric bass), Bob Messer (saxophone).

• As played by Lou Heath. West Hopkinton, NH. Lou played it in F but tune is often played in D.

• Although originally a Canadian two-step, this is the square dance version. It is used for the square dance Maple Sugar Gal. The full Ward Allen two-step is presented in the Marches and Two-Steps section. Although the original tune usually ends on an A part, the dance ends on a B part.

• This version of the tune is heavily influenced by Maine fiddler Lucien Mathieu and by Old Grey Goose from Maine.

• Frank Fortune calling with the Myron ("Mike") Colby Orchestra, Bradford, NH, recorded by Clarence Jeffrey, probably mid 1950's.

• Mike Colby played it in A. I call it in F so I've included it in that key too.

• This is a fairly standard version of the tune. I also present it as played by Vermont fiddler Harold Luce.

• Hartt Hollow, Smile Awhile. Record Co. of Vermont, RV411112, 1994; Harold Luce and Wayne Doyle fiddling.

• Harold Luce fiddled, played piano and called contras and squares in Vermont. He was known to call, fiddle and play piano at the same time. He played and called for many years for the Ed Larkin Dancers, a well-known Vermont performance dance group. There are two fiddlers on the recording. This version has both fiddling, and at times includes more than either played at once. But it's certainly playable and makes for a nice version of the tune. I also present a more standard version in this collection.

~• Circles & Other Formations •~

• For a circle dance of the same name.

• The tune and dance were composed by Pat Shaw. The dance is a five-couple dance.

• I danced this dance to many musicians and callers. It's a 16-bar dance, sometimes possibly danced as a 32-bar dance. This is my best recall of how it was played. I consulted with recordings of April Limber and Dick Richardson. The tune is related to Col. Robertson which is a three-part tune and some people play all three parts with repeats.

• Dick Richardson: Old Time New Hampshire Fiddler. Originally recorded 1952.

• The previous version is what I remember dancing to with reference to a recording of April Limber playing it for Duke Miller. This is a recording of Dick Rickardson who played for Ralph Page for many years. The B part is different and not related to Col. Robertson's. Interestingly in the recording of April playing it she plays this B part the first time through. Dick Richardson repeated both parts.

• Pat Shaw wrote a dance of the same name to this tune. The tune ends on a final introductory phrase (first line).