New Hampshire Country Dance Fiddle Tunes Website

~• Waltzes •~

• Rod & Randy Miller, New England Chestnuts Vol. 2, Alcazar Records FR 204, 1981

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book #5. Dublin, NH, 1981.

• The melody is based on the fiddling of Rod Miller. The chords came about third-hand from Randy Miller and seem generally as he played them. This was written out originally before I saw Bob's Notes #5, so his version of the melody and chords weren't yet all that available. I decided to leave it as I wrote it out originally, and include Bob's version of the tune as well.

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book #5. Dublin, NH, 1981.

• New England Tradition, Farewell To The Hollow. Whistler's Music, CDWM 9860, 1988 and 1991.

• Old New England, Old New England. O.N.E. CD101, 1996.

• Notation as Bob wrote the tune, chords from the New England Tradition recording as well as I can hear them. Where there are two rows of chords, the bottom row represents the second A or B part, as played on the first Old New England recording. There is another version based on the playing of Rod and Randy Miller. Here's what he wrote in his Note Book:

• "Now here is a tune for Deanna's sweet daughter; If you haven't met her yet, you really ought ter."

• This has been the last waltz of the week at Northern Week at Ashokan for many years now, played by some of the best musicians around. It's a wonderful but very sad ending to what is nearly always a wonderful week.

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

• A fairly simple but enjoyable melody from David Kaynor.

• Cammie Kaynor, sheet music handwritten in the late 1970s.

• The playing of Sabin Jacques at Ashokan, and of his band Domino (no longer active). Transcription based on John Chambers' which was based on a "printed MS of unknown origin".

• "This waltz is dedicated to Hannah, 11 years old, who kindly lent us her room while we were staying at her parents' home during a festival in Owen Sound, in northern Ontario." (1998)

• Smokey wrote this for his daughter probably in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

• Philippe Bruneau, Philippe Bruneau. Philo FI-2003, 1973. With Yvan Brault, piano & Gilles Losier, bass.

• Carmelle Bégin, Philippe Bruneau: Musique traditionelle pour accordéon diatonique. Ottawa: Musées nationaux du Canada, 1983.

• A complete transcription may be found in Carmelle Bégin's excellent book of transcriptions of the playing of Philippe Bruneau. Although this transcription is primarily based on the recording, Carmelle Bégin's book was very helpful at times. In this transcription I have omitted some of the octave double stops, quintuplets and other ornaments that would be nearly or completely unplayable on a fiddle.

• Woody Guthrie, Lonesome Valley - A Collection of American Folk Music. Various Artists. Folkways Records, FA 2010, 1951 (10" LP).

• This is one of the few recordings I've heard of Woody playing fiddle. The lower row of chords is as played on the record; I've included a few alternate chords in the upper row. Melody is transcribed from the playing of Woody Guthrie.

• An English country dance tune that the Lamprey River Band played for waltzes in our earlier years.

• A very nice Northumbrian waltz brought to us by Burt Feintuch.

• Bob McQuillen, Bob's Note Book #7. Peterborough, NH, 1990.

• "Bob McQuillen 29 Jan 89 - Elvira Miller is Jane Miller's (Roddy who?) pretty little daughter - She's already started playing the fiddle, and perhaps someday she'll play this tune. With love to you, Elvira from Bob."

• Marcel Robidas, from Wednesday Night soirees and recording from 4-6-86.

• Graham Townsend and His Fiddle. Banff Rodeo RBS 1284, 1967.

• Marcel Robidas had a soiree every Wednesday night in his barn in Dover, NH for years. His first wife was named Evelyn, and as I understand it when she would come out to the barn he would play this tune for her.

• Marcel's version is somewhat different from Graham Townsend's; he would likely have commented on playing it in a French style. The alternate chords (top line) are as played on Graham Townsend and His Fiddle.

• Champlain Valley Festival, 1988, Jam session with April Limber and friends.

• I recorded it from a jam session. When they were done I asked April and she said it was the Fiddler's Waltz. I haven't been able to find anything else out about it.

• Clifford Manley, Florence Killen's Waltz. 64th Maritime Fiddle Festival, July 2013. On YouTube .

• Also presented elsewhere in this collection as played by Maine fiddler Lucien Mathieu. Play dotted pairs with a lightly dotted rhythm.

• Melody and chords transcribed from the playing of Lucien Mathieu (fiddle) and Bob McQuillen (piano) at Maine Fiddle Camp, August 2009.

• Note that this version is crooked in that it leaves out the last measure of the B part. Bob played a polska-like accompaniment in places, with the emphasis on the first and third beats of the measure. He didn't play the G7 chord.

• Maine French Fiddlers, "In Memere's Kitchen". Produced by Harry King. Readfield, Maine, 1995.

• This version reflects several influences, especially the playing of Ward Allen, Rod Miller and Milt Appleby from Rochester, NH. I am also including a version based on the playing of Ward Allen.

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

• Ward Allen's recordings are available on CD from Valley Heritage Radio and probably elsewhere as Memories of Ward Allen Vol. 1-4.

• Transcribed from the playing of Ward Allen. As written the melody was a bit different, and the chords were somewhat different. The B-part melody was written an octave higher.

• I have also included a version of the tune as I play it, with influences from the playing of Rodney Miller and Milt Appleby as well as Ward Allen.

• I learned this probably in the late 1970's from the playing of the Last Chance String Band at Newmarket NH dances and likely from other sources too.

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

• William Litten wrote down a goodly number of tunes while out at sea. These were compiled and published by Gale Huntington. This tune came to be played especially by Old Grey Goose and Dudley Laufman. This versison is a transcription of the tune as played by Old Grey Goose.

• Randy Miller (piano solo), Rod & Randy Miller, New England Chestnuts Vol. 2, Alcazar Records FR 204, 1981.

• I figured out the chords by ear from the recording, but later looked at Randy's book The Fiddler's Throne (Fiddlecase Books, 2004). To my surprise there was complete agreement with Randy's chords in the book.

• Burt Feintuch, recording by Emery Hutchins of Burt playing at home with several friends, 2018.

• In places there are two sets of chords given. The top set is based on the piano on the recording (played by Bill Zecker). The bottom set is based on a recording made by Sarah Hydorn, with alternate chords given in parentheses.

• I've heard some rather different chords, but this is how I learned it.

• Lisa Ornstein, Corrigan Family

• An unidentified musician played it at Cinq à Sept, the French-Canadian jam at Northern Week at Ashokan in 1998. Eric Favreau identified it several years later as coming from the Irish community in Valcartier. Finally at Northern Week 2010 Lisa Ornstein identified it by name, verified its origin, including connections with the Corrigan family. Although many people have said they almost recognize it and think it's an Irish song, it seems more likely that it's a Quebec Irish tune, possibly with words.

• Based on a transcription by the great Maine Canadian fiddler Don Roy, posted on the website of his band Fiddle~icious, Maine's Largest Fiddle Orchestra in 2015.

• I am presenting several versions of the tune on this website as it seems to have developed more variations than many tunes. This one probably comes closest to how it's typically played by fiddlers in New England who are interested in Canadian fiddling.

• Aldor Morin, Collection Les Grands Folkloristes Québécois. Disques Mérite 1376 (Copie Maître London Records Et Bonanza), CD compilation, 2006.

• Much of this information comes from a nice article about him at: http://mnemo.qc.ca/bulletin-mnemo/article/aldor-morin-harmoniciste-calleur.

• This is a transcription of Aldor Morin playing the tune on harmonica. I include a few attempts at transcribing harmonica ornamentation, but didn't try to be complete in part for reasons of legibility, and in part due to my limited ability to transcribe many of the details. Chords are transcribed from the recording as accurately as I could.

• Aldor Morin got started playing harmonica at the age of 6. He learned harmonica from Madame Bolduc and by the age of 7 was playing out around Québec. He played with Jean Carignan, Tommy Duschesne and Isidore Soucy among others. He was also known as a caller, and he wrote a number of excellent tunes.

• Normand Miron, recorded at a Québecois Social Dance session at Northern Week at Ashokan, 1998. Chords are transcribed as accurately as possible.

• Normand is a well known Québécois button accordion player. Jean Marie Verret was also playing which may have affected Normand's melody at times. Normand is very expressive, but much of it isn't easily written down; it involves subtle use of the bellows and subtle timing that isn't easy to notate. I included a few idiosyncratic melodic and timing details that he didn't play every time to give more of a sense of his playing style.

• Normand Miron, recorded at a Québecois Social Dance session at Northern Week at Ashokan, 1998. Chords are transcribed as accurately as possible. Transposed from C/F.

• Normand is a well known Québécois button accordion player. Jean Marie Verret was also playing which may have affected Normand's melody at times. Normand is very expressive, but much of it isn't easily written down; it involves subtle use of the bellows and subtle timing that isn't easy to notate. I included a few idiosyncratic melodic and timing details that he didn't play every time to give more of a sense of his playing style.

• Philippe Bruneau, Au Symposium de Lévis (1989). Archives du Musée canadien des civilisations, Archives TDCA-2003PB, 2003.

• Jean Duval, La Musique de Fortunat Malouin (1870-1935); 10 pièces avec commentaires et une biographie., 2020.

• In The Waltz Book II, Bill Matthiesen says, quoting Lisa Ornstein, that Philippe Bruneau and Aldor Morin both sometimes played for the Soucy Family's Chez Isidore television show. "Philippe Bruneau popularized this waltz under the name Valse Aldor. although its original and correct title is Valse Louise." On this recording he calls it Valse Armandine. Jean Duval wrote that Fortunat Malouin might have composed the waltz, naming it for his daughter Armandine who accompanied him on his records. He recorded it in 1929, at which time Aldor Morin was 8 years old. But Aldor Morin had already been playing for a couple years, having studied with Madame Bolduc, so he can't be ruled out as the composer.

• This is as accurate a transcription of Philippe Bruneau's version of the tune as I'm capable of doing. If you're familiar with his playing you're likely to be aware that his ornamentation is complex, and he plays many variations, On this recording there are a number of other instruments that create a rich sound that's great to listen to but hard to transcribe.

• I include some of his idiosyncratic phrasing and timing. He doesn't play each detail all the time; and he has other variations not represented here. In the descending run of triplets he sometimes only plays some notes as triplets. If you want to avoid the high D at the end of the A part, the last 4 measures could be played an octave lower.

• Please note that while this version of the tune is clearly influenced by the playing of Benny Thomasson, parts are different and this is not intended as a transcription of his playing. Benny Thomasson plays it in DDAD tuning. Watch him play the tune in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/aWgzcd5JXzc. The first two measures are typically played one bow stroke per measure with emphasis at the beginning of each beat.

• Gabriel Labbé, Masters of French Canadian Dance, vol. 3. Gabriel Labbé played it in G but it seems to be played more commonly in D these days. Philippe Bruneau was playing piano on that recording; the chords are my best guesses about his accompaniment.

• Here is a more basic set of chords that works for the A part:

• ||: D D D D    D D A7 A7    G G D D    A7 A7 D D :||

• Valcartier Waltz of the Corrigan family, learned from Eric Favreau.

• Another Valcartier waltz from the Corrigan family; most likely a Quebec Irish tune. This could be considered a simplified version of Eric's playing of the tune.

• Strathspey, New England Contra Dance Music, Kicking Mule 216, 1977.

• I learned this from Strathspey fiddler Jane McBride (now Orzechowski). There are a couple places in this tune where there are chord choices that make a big difference in the overall feel of the tune, and even in the melody. At the end of the A and B parts an E7 chord may be used in place of the G chord (see Alternate ending). This likely affects the playing of the previous couple measures as well as the overall sound of the tune. In the Sloanaker & Parkes chord book they suggest a G#7 chord which is rather startling to hear, but nevertheless works surprisingly well, especially as an occasional variation.

• Touchstone, The New Land, Green Linnet SIF 1040, 1982.

• Written upon moving to Cape Breton. I originally learned this from the Touchstone recording. I don't remember where the chords are from.

• I am presenting three versions of the tune. This is a fairly standard version, and the most playable. There are also versions played by Dover NH fiddler Marcel Robidas and by Graham Townsend of Ontario. The Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble plays a version from Norway which is called Amerikavals.

• Graham Townsend, I Like Don Messer. Banff, SBS 5306, 1969.

• This is a wonderful recording of the Norwegian Waltz; and trying to transcribe the playing of Graham Townsend is an enjoyable but challenging adventure. I am also presenting a fairly standard version of the tune and a version based on the playing of Marcel Robidas for comparison. The Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble plays a version from Norway which is called Amerikavals.

• Marcel Robidas, Dover NH fiddler, from recordings made at the Wednesday Night Soiree in the barn behind his house.

• Marcel plays many variations, and another night it could be somewhat different. Marcel's brother Lucien played an extra measure at the end of the B part. I've also presented for comparison a fairly standard version of the tune, and a version from Graham Townsend.

• Frankie Rodgers, Maple Sugar, Fiddle Favourites by Canada's Old Time Fiddle King. MCA Coral CB 30006, 1973 (previoiusly released as Point P-250; sheet music ©1965).

• As played by Frankie Rodgers.

• The tune as written and played by Frankie Rodgers was quite different from the tune now played throughout by most country dance musicians. I've also included a New England version.

• This is based on my memory of how Ryan Thomson used to play the tune at the Newmarket, NH dances. Frankie Rodgers' version is really quite different from this and from most other versions played at contradances. I've also included a transcription of Frankie Rodgers playing the tune on this website.

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

• J. O. LaMadeleine, Pic About. Apex 16808, 78 RPM record.

• This tune is quite widespread. Among old-time fiddlers in much of Canada and the United States it's known as the Peek-A-Boo Waltz. J. O. LaMadeleine called it Pic About on a 78. I would guess that it was an attempt to approximate the pronunciation in French. In Sweden it's a well known tune called Svenska Annas Vals and it's considered a Swedish tune.

• Here is a version from the playing of Canadian fiddler Ward Allen. I also present elsewhere a version of Svenska Annas Vals. An old-time New England fiddler would likely play a similar melody but with much less ornamentation.

• Folklore Village Farm, Scandinavia Folk Dances and Tunes, Third Edition. Dodgeville, WI, 1980. Transcription by John Chambers.

• This is a very popular Swedish fiddle tune and song. Elsewhere I present a Canadian version, and it's played throughout Canada and the United States. This version came from one of the publications of Folklore Village, which contains many of the classic Scandinavian tunes and dances.

• Maine French Fiddlers, "In Memere's Kitchen". Produced by Harry King. Readfield, Maine, 1995.

• This tune was known as St. John River Waltz for many years in New Hampshire and Maine, and I had it listed as such on this web site. Thanks to Jim O'Neil from Nova Scotia for pointing out the correct name and composer in a web site comment!

• This is a fairly sandard New England version of the tune. I also include a transcription of a very nice version played by Randy Miller.

• Randy Miller, YouTube, 2020, https://youtu.be/khXHWMkMQAY.

• This is as Randy played it with two exceptions. He played it once on YouTube. The beginning of the A and ending of the B part reflect how he would play them if he were playing the tune multiple times. (This was verified with Randy.) In the recording the lead-in notes for the A part are quarter notes, and the second last measure of the B part is a C chord. I also include a fairly standard New England version of the tune.

• Jimmie MacLellan and the Cosy Cottars Play Old Time Favorites. Banff RBS. 1046.

• This version is from the playing of Milt Appleby (Rochester NH fiddler). Milt learned it from the Jimmie MacLellan record.

• Jerry Holland, The Fiddlesticks Collection. Fiddlesticks Music CD1, 1992.

• Music written out by Lamprey River Band fiddler Burt Feintuch, revised by Peter Yarensky.

• Playing note: In measure A6, Jerry tied the two E notes together. The C and second E are emphasized, with the second E being the strongest.

• I learned this from the recording of George Wilson. Later on Burt Feintuch leared it independently from the Jerry Holland recording. After listening to Jerry play the tune I adopted his version. This transcription is close to how Jerry plays the tune, but doesn't capture all the subtleties of his playing.

• A morris dance from the village of Adderbury; it makes a good waltz too.

• The Lamprey River Band used to play a dance there a few times each year. It's really easy to get lost going to or from the mountain, which is sort of reflected in this tune.

• Andy De Jarlis, Old Time Waltzes, London EB 46, 1963; and Tour de danse ... Tour de valses ..., London MB 73, 1962.

• Andy De Jarlis, Manitoba's Golden Fiddler (Book 3). Don Mills, Ontario, BMI Canada, 1969.

• I started with the version from the tunebook, and used the recording to add in details to the melody. The chords were all as played. A version from Omer Marcoux (Concord, NH fiddler) is presented elsewhere in this collection.

• Andy De Jarlis lived in Quebec and hosted Isidore Soucy's radio show for a while. During this time a few of his records were released in French as well as in English, thus the listing of two records.

• Omer Marcoux, Fiddle Tunes with Omer Marcoux. Concord, NH, produced by Sylvia Miskoe & Justine Paul, 1981.

• Omer called it the Carousel Waltz. Omer Marcoux, Concord NH fiddler, was a major influence on the playing of many New Hampshire fiddlers. Omer had a couple Andy De Jarlis recordings and played several of his waltzes. This tune is presented elsewhere as written by Andy De Jarlis.

• Amand & Germaine Savoie, A New Brunswick Lumberjack Fiddler. Musk MEL 85-1.

• Amand Savoie had interesting timing to his music, which I've tried to notate here. There is also a version of the tune that approximates the timing to make the music more readable.

• The above chords are as played by Germaine Savoie. Here is how I back up the tune.

• || G G C Am    D7 D7 G D7     G G C Am    D7 D7 G G7 ||

• || C C G G     D7 D7 G D7     C C G G     D7 D7 G G   ||

• Amand & Germaine Savoie, A New Brunswick Lumberjack Fiddler. Musk MEL 85-1.

• Amand Savoie had interesting timing to his music, which I've tried to notate in another version. Here I approximate the timing as well as possible while keeping the music more readable.

• The above chords are as played by Germaine Savoie. Here is how I back up the tune.

• || G G C Am    D7 D7 G D7     G G C Am    D7 D7 G G7 ||

• || C C G G     D7 D7 G D7     C C G G     D7 D7 G G   ||

~• Other Couples Dances •~

• Played for the dance of the same name.

• The playing of Canterbury, NH caller and musician Dudley Laufman.

• King John's Morris, Monk's March. YouTube, https://youtu.be/kWi6urgXERA, 2017.

• Also used for the Gay Gordons. This is my preferred tune. Scotland the Brave has also been used a fair amount and works quite well.

• Duke Miller calling with Bob McQuillen (accordion) and unidentified musicians, Peterborough, NH Country Club Square Dance. Used mainly for chords.

• This tune has its own dance, but is played like a schottische.

• Played by the Maine Country Dance Orchestra in Bowdoinham, ME.

• This is one of many zweifachers played for turning dances. They alternate between waltzes and pivots in an often quite irregular fashion. Often when zweifachers are danced the sequence is posted in large print for the dancers to follow.