TRADITIONAL DANCE Music of Britain and Ireland Fiddler’ Tune-Book 200 TRADITIONAL AIRS HORMPIPES - REELS - SCHOTTISCHES POLKAS : WALTZES - JIGS EDITED BY PETER KENNEDYForeword Wit st re-typesetting, ve-vtalising and generally aking a feesh perspective ofthe Fiddlers Tune Books, several minor changes ave had to be made. The Publishers sinerely hope that the amendments ae found to be of general benefit o al, including aficionados ofthe ‘original editions The format ‘The most obvious change i the forma: with certain exceptions and, naturally, with the guidance of the Ector. the tunes are laid out 3s they appeated in the frst editions, but as if the First book was stood on top ofthe second. Is importa o point out that the tunes eve heen numbered serily in this editon The index ‘The index has been relegated to the back of the book, Its layout means reading the index Is easier. One orto altesnatve tes have ben added. There is no contents section The notation In keeping with many other publications of wadklonal must, dhe notation has been simplified in order to tty to make the page less cluttored and the appearance les daunting to the novice. As an «example, the parts normlly eneined by repeat marks now only carry a repeat har at the end of those parts. This is not standard music practice but nonetheless i comma in manuscripts ofthis ik Many of the “ones and twos" where a repeated part changes have been omitted by printing out that par in Full without eepests The harmony In the Publishers’ opinions the chords are. n general satsfactory for ‘a number of reasons. Firstly they almost alvays represent the most acceptable choice of harmony; secondly, the chords themselves are Ce Fiowers OF ‘ell within the capabilites ofthe accompanist who Isat the ear stages of his or her plying career and, thirdly, they are, in as many cases as posible, accesible onthe bass ofa standard D/G melodeon. Please do mor regard them as sacred. They are only a guide and shouldbe no bar fo innovation and experimentation. The rhythms Except for the very few tunes which incorporate an distinct sdlosyneratic twist to them, for instance those more often than not Pliyed ar schottsches, no tunes are now “dotted” Again this for ase of reading; i also has significance in other ways, not least the {act that two musician’ interpretations of a written melody may well differ dramacialy. This i good —this not lfeless “art” musie— anid it surly reinforces the prt ofthe orignal publication. Moreover, time signatures have been consolidated to {, 3, { and § ‘mainly because the sublets of, say, cut common tine usualy have Iie relevance for the traditional musician. For the classealy tained player, Peter Kennedy's comments (reprinted opposite) from 1951 ull apey Remember never Iern a tne from just one source use plenty of “in the Mesh” listening, several books and a recording oF two In summary ‘The Publishers hope to have enhanced the collection without suffocating is orginal theme: aays a book for “the musilan on {he suet, s0 10 speak, ths volume s now eminenuy more useful anes realy to give acer fory-od-years-worth of please, Dave MALLINSON Davin J Tav.or SePTeNineR 1994 EDINBURGH eftey pete A 40 ‘Pat Dr Sata atin Mat aaron cog © Fel in ts Pa aCIRCASSIAN CIRCLE » aaa eon a === e oe Cee tt rei Syete prose