|
Cut
|
Title
|
Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
Boys of Wexford/Boys
of Blue Hill
|
Dulcimer duet on an
Irish air and hornpipe, both in the key of
D. Leo tuned D-A-D, Jay tuned D-A-A. "Boys
of Wexford" is also known as "The Snowy
Breasted Pearl."
|
|
2.
|
|
Dulcimer duet on a
reel in the key of D (though you may hear
some folks play it in G). Same tunings as
the "Boys" medley in Cut 1. This and those
tunes were learned from Margaret
MacArthur.
|
|
3.
|
|
Dulcimers played
with the string band. A reel in the key of
G. Both dulcimers tuned D-G-D. "Old Mother
Flannigan" sounds Irish, but this is an
old-time tune, more commonly done in A.
Dave Cahn on mandolin; Bill Meyer on
fiddle; Craig Johnson on
guitar.
|
|
4.
|
Scarborough
Fair
|
Solo dulcimer with
accompaniment. A waltz in the key of Dm,
with Jay's dulcimer tuned D-A-CC. Jay on
dulcimer; Leo on guitar; Roger Phillips on
bowed psaltery.
|
|
5.
|
Susannah Gals/Over
the Waterfall
|
Dulcimers played
with the string band. A pair of favorite
old-time reels in the key of D. Leo and
Jay playing dulcimers. Both dulcimers
tuned D-A-D. Larry Hadsall on
fiddle. Roger Phillips on guitar.
"Susannah Gals" is sometimes alternately
called either "Susiannah Gals," "Western
Country" or "Fly around My Pretty Little
Miss."
|
|
6.
|
The Raw
Recruit
|
Dulcimer duet. An
old-time reel in the key of D. Jay's
dulcimer tuned D-A-AA; Leo's dulcimer
tuned D-A-D. "The Raw Recruit" is also
sometimes called "Green Willis."
"Drinking moonshine at the age of 13,
caused young Willis' face to turn
green
" says an old
poem.
|
|
7.
|
Pigtown
Fling
|
Dulcimer solo by Leo
in the key of G. Leo's dulcimer tuned
D-G-D. Another tune learned from Margaret
MacArthur. This has more names than you
can shake a stick at, like "Wild Horses at
Stony Point." The legendary Upstate New
York hammer dulcimer player Chet Parker
called it "Buffalo Breakdown."
|
|
8.
|
Spotted
Pony
|
Dulcimers played
witha string band. This is a reel &endash;
also called a "breakdown"in the Ozarks,
where it's from - in the key of D. Both
dulcimers tuned D-A-D. Bill Meyer and Dave
Cahn on fiddles. Craig Johnson on
guitar.
|
|
9.
|
Sally in the
Garden
|
Dulcimer solo in the
key of Em. Leo's dulcimer is tuned E-B-D,
which is a rather high tuning for many
dulcimers. Nowadays we'd likely tune the
strings to D-A-D and capo at the first
fret to get Em. Lots of variants on this
tune!
|
|
10.
|
Miss McLeod's
Reel
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A reel in the key of
G. Both dulcimers tuned D-G-D. "Miss
McLeod's" is the original Irish title,
though this is an American old-timey
version. As such, it's just as likely to
be called "Hop High Ladies" or "Uncle
Joe." Bill Meyer on banjo. Dave Cahn on
fiddle. Craig Johnson on
guitar.
|
|
11.
|
The
Prophet
|
Dulcimer duet in the
key of Em, basically played as a reel.
Both dulcimers tuned E-B-D. This tune
written was specifically for dulcimers by
a Linda Zaret. Thanks again, Linda,
wherever you are!
|
|
12.
|
Yellow Rose of
Texas
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A reel in the key of
D. Jay's dulcimer is tuned D-A-D. "Yellow
Rose of Texas" goes back to at least the
Civil War era. Bill Meyer on fiddle. Dave
Cahn on banjo. Leo Kretzner on
guitar
|
|
13.
|
Boatin' Up
Sandy
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A reel in the key of
Am (Dorian mode). Both dulcimers tuned
E-A-D. The Big Sandy River divides West
Virginia and Kentucky, and is in the title
of many different tunes. Close your eyes
and you can hear them boatin' by
Dave Cahn on fiddle. Bill Meyer on banjo.
Craig Johnson on guitar.
|
|
14.
|
Fisher's
Hornpipe/Rickett's Hornpipe
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. Two hornpipes in the
key of D. Both dulcimers tuned D-A-D. Jay
plays chords and Leo plays melody. Irish
hornpipes have a 'lilting' rhythm: da-
d'da- d'da- d'da-. Vinnie Tufo and Ellen
Jacobs on fiddles. Dave Orlin first on
concertina then on banjo. Robin Lewis on
guitar.
|
|
15.
|
The Saturday Night
Jig/Gary Owen Jig
|
Dulcimer Solo. Two
jigs in the key of G. Leo's dulcimer tuned
D-G-D. "The Saturday Night Jig" is Leo's.
"Gary Owen" is a classic Irish jig, also
used as a march.
|
|
16.
|
Winter's
End
|
Dulcimer with guitar
accompanimet. A gentle air by Jay in waltz
form in the key of G. Jay's dulcimer tuned
D-G-G-D (4 string). Roger Phillips on
guitar.
|
|
17.
|
|
Dulcimer solo. An
Irish jig in the key of D. Leo's dulcimer
tuned D-A-D. Learned from the amazing
Irish band Boys of the Lough.
|
|
18.
|
Grandfather's
Clock
|
Dulcimer with guitar
accompaniment. An instrumental version of
a song in the key of D. Jay's dulcimer
tuned D-A-AA. An old song attributed to a
Mr. Henry C. Work in the late 1800's, done
here as an instrumental. Roger Phillips on
guitar.
|
|
19.
|
|
Dulcimer with guitar
accompaniment. An ancient air - well, at
least as old as Mediaeval times - in the
key of Dm. Jay's dulcimer tuned D-A-CC.
Mentioned by Shakespeare, "Greensleeves"
was done as a lively dance back in his
time. "What Child Is This?" came much,
much later. Roger Phillips on
guitar.
|
|
20.
|
Goin' to
Boston/Pretty Betty Martin/
Old Joe Clark
|
Dulcimer duet. A
medley of children's songs in the form of
reels in the key of D. Both dulcimers
tuned D-A-D. "Goin' to Boston" and "Pretty
Betty Martin" were learned from Jean
Ritchie, and "Old Joe Clark" seems to be
from all over. Dulcimer players take note:
Even though we've played them here in the
key of D, all three of these are usually
played in the key of A by most banjo and
fiddle players.
|
|
21.
|
Soldier's
Joy
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A reel in the key of
D. Both dulcimers tuned D-A-D. This is a
real "standard" fiddle tune played often
in the U.S., with variants not only in the
British Isles, but all over Europe. Larry
Hadsell on fiddle, Roger Phillips on
guitar.
|
|
22.
|
Star of the County
Down
|
Dulcimer with guitar
accompaniment. A waltz in the key of Dm.
Jay's dulcimer tuned D-A-CC. "Star of the
County Down is often done in the keys of
Am or Em, and played either as a march or
a jig. In Ireland, 'Star' refers to a
beautiful woman. Roger Phillips on
guitar.
|
|
23.
|
Whiskey Before
Breakfast
|
Dulcimer duet. A
reel in the key of D. Both dulcimers tuned
D-A-D. Although "Whiskey Before Breakfast"
is likely a mid-20th century tune from the
Maritime Canadian fiddler Andy de Jarls,
it's often portrayed as an "old-timey U.S.
fiddle tune. Although by historians'
accounts it may have been written so
recently, it's a perennial favorite among
musicians, and certainly made its way
quickly into the "old time"
repertoire!
|
|
24.
|
Big
Scioto
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A reel in the key of
G, although this "reel" is of a "laid
back" variety here. Leo's dulcimer tuned
D-G-D, with Dave Orlin on banjo and Robin
Lewis on guitar. A West Virginia tune
named for an Ohio river.
|
|
25.
|
Forked
Deer
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. An old-time reel in
the key of D, though the second part hangs
on the A chord most of the time. Both
dulcimers tuned D-A-D. D. Dave Cahn on
fiddle. Bill Meyer on banjo. Craig Johnson
on guitar.
|
|
26.
|
The Blackthorn
Stick/Merrily Kiss the
Quaker's Wife
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. Two Irish jigs in the
key of G. Both dulcimers tuned D-G-D, Jay
plays chords and Leo plays melody (one
octave up, with a capo at the 7th fret on
the dulcimer). "Merrily Kiss the Quaker's
Wife" may date from medieval times, but
was well-known in the U.S. during the
Revolutionary War. An earlier title was
"Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife." Robin
Lewis on guitar. Leo also plays
pennywhistle.
|
|
27.
|
Ryan's
Polka/Murphy's Polka
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. Two polkas from county
Kerry in Ireland in the key of D. Leo's
dulcimer tuned D-A-D. Learned from the
playing of the wonderful Irish band
Planxty. "Ryan's Polka" is also known as
"John (or Sean) Ryan's Polka" and
"Murphy's Polka" is also known as "Dennis
Murphy's Polka." Vinny Tofu & Ellen
Jacobs on fiddles. Dave Orlin on banjo.
Robin Lewis on guitar.
|
|
28.
|
Bonaparte Crossing
the Rhine
|
Dulcimers played
with a string band. A march in the key of
Am (Dorian mode). Both dulcimers tuned
D-A-D. "Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine" is
not to be confused with another fiddle
tune: "Bonaparte's Retreat." Dave Cahn on
fiddle. Bill Meyer on banjo. Craig Johnson
on guitar.
|