Author: Helena Cooper

Oscar Woods was an East Anglian melodeon player from Benhall Green, near Saxmundham, Suffolk. He was inspired to play melodeon after hearing an old farm worker ‘Tiger’ Smith playing. The two later became playing partners, where Oscar also learned from other players, notably the Seaman family of Darsham.

Oscar Woods’ Jig

X:353
 T:Oscar Woods' Jig
 T: (Tiger Smith's Jig)
 M:6/8
 L:1/8
 K:G
 BAG BAG|BcB ded|GAG BAG|A2A A3|
 BAG BAG|BcB ded|d2 g dBG|A3 G3:|
 B2 d dcB|c2 e edc|B2 d dBG|A3 A3|
 B2 d dcB|c2 e edc|d2 g dBG|A3 G3:|

As usual, the complete ABC file for all our tunes is available for download

A tune from the Hook/Hardy manuscript of Dorset tunes – this tune is taken from a manuscript of tunes given to the grandfather of Dorset novelist Thomas Hardy by one James Hook, the manuscript is believed to have originated from Hook’s father – either way there’s certainly some history to this one.
This tune goes well with Wheaty session favourite ‘Paddy Carey’s Jig’ and was popularised by Andy Cutting and Chris Wood – which gives me an excuse to share this gem from the archives.

Maybe we can try both tunes out together in the Wheaty later in the month?

As ever the chords given are merely a suggestion.

Spirit of the Dance

X: 1
T: The Spirit Of The Dance
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
S: No 5 in the Thomas Hardy/James Hook ms, Dorset County Museum
K:Gmaj
"G"G2D "C"E2D|"G"G2D "C"E2D|"G"GAB "C"c2B|A2 G "D"FED|
"G"G2D "C"E2D|"G"G2D "C"E2D|"G"GAB "C"c2 B|"D"AGF "G"G3:|
|:GAB "C"c3| "G"B3"D"A3| ABc "D"d3| "C"c3 "G"B3|
GAB "C"c3| "G" B3 "D" A3| "D"Bcd "G"BAG| "C"B2 "D"A "G" G3 :|

Published in Playford’s Dancing Master, and commonly used for a dance of the same name this tune was requested by some of our session regulars after it was used as the tune for a solo jig by a certain local morris side.

Here’s a video of the Playford Dance plucked randomly from YouTube.

In contrast here’s what our local morris side, Ewell St. Mary’s Morris Men did with the tune – eagle-eyed session regulars will recognise both dancer and musician.

The Black Nag

X:4
T:The Black Nag
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:G
B, |\
"Em"E2E "D"F2F | "C"G2G "B"AGA | "Em"BAG "B"FGF | "Em" E3-E2 :|
|: E |\
"Bm"FDB, FDB, | "Bm"FDB, FDB, | "Em"BGE BGE | "Em"BGE BGE |
"Bm"FDB, FDB, | "Bm"FDB, FGA | "Em"BAG "B"FGF | "Em"E3-E2 :|

A tune found in the Welch manuscript (Sussex, 1800) and in William Litten’s copybook manuscript (1800-1802). Although this is something of a session favourite favourite throughout the land it was just ‘one of those tunes’ until the new album from Matt Quinn and Owen Woods landed on the doormat. Their version of the tune is simply stunning – so good in fact that the tune jumped right to the top of the list.

To hear what Matt and Owen do with the tune check out their music on Bandcamp – a real treat for the ears.

From Night ‘Til Morn

X:8
T:From Night Till Morn
O:England
C:Welch MS
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Gmaj
P:A
|"D"dc|:"G"B2B2B2G2|"D"AGAB "G"G2AB|"C"cBAG GABc|
"D"d2ec B2A2|"G"B2B2B2G2|"D"AGAB "G"G2AB|"C"cBAG GABc | [1 "D"A4" G"G2 "D"dc]:| [2"D"A4"G"G4]|
P:B
|:"G"GABc d2d2|d2e2d4|"C"e2d2g2B2|"D"d2ec B2A2|
"G"B2B2B2G2|"D"AGAB "G"G2AB|"C"cBAG GABc|"D"A4"G"G4:|

Bacca Pipes – also sometimes known as ‘Greensleeves’. A lively jig used for the English jig of the same dance in which clay pipes are laid on the ground for the dancers to dance around and over. A deceptively simple tune, the key to this is the zip and drive you put into it.

To give you an idea of how this is danced, and there are many variants in existence,  here’s the Outside Capering Crew dancing at Hastings Jack in the Green Festival, and an Australian take on the tradition from Hedgemonkey Morris.

Bacca Pipes

L: 1/8
K: Ador
"A"\
|: "Am"c3 c2e | "G"d2c B3 | "Am"c2B A3 | "G"B2A G3 \
|  "Am"c3 c2e | "G"d2c B3 | "Am"c2A "G"B2G | "Am"A3 A3 :|
"B"\
|: "C"g2f g2e | "G"d2B G3 | "C"g2f g2e | "D"a2f d3 \
|  "C"g2f g2e | "G"d2c B3 | "Am"c2A "G"B2G | "Am"A3 A3 :|

This month we will be playing ‘Will’s Way’ to add to our steady-speed repertoire. This is a modern English tune written by Will Ward, sometime member of the Oysterband and Fiddler’s Dram. Fidder’s Dram enjoyed something of a smash hit in the ’70s with their record ‘Day Trip to Bangor’ – enjoy the earworm folks.

I’ve had a special request to include my chords with this one for a fellow melodeon player – here they are but, as ever, these chords are merely a serving suggestion.  Enjoy learning this one and we’ll see you at the Green Man and play it through together.

X:320
T: Will's Way
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmix
"D"DEFG A2 A2 | "G"BA B2 "D"A4 | DEFG A2 B2 | "C"c2 B2 B2 A2 |
"D"DEFG A2 A2 | "G"BA B2 "D"A4 | DEFG "A"F2 E2 | "D"D4 D4 :|
"D"d2 A2 AG F2 | d2 A2 A2 F2 | DEFG A2 B2 | "C"c2 B2 B2 A2 |
"D"d2 A2 AG F2 | d2 A2 A2 F2 | DEFG "A"F2 E2 | "D"D4 D4 :|

Will’s Way

Valentine – certainly a Cotswold morris tune but not as is often believed from Fieldtown (Leafield). The tune was actually collected from nearby Ascott-Under-Wychwood. The Ascott-Under-Wychwood morris tradition did not survive the First World War and today the tune is almost universally used for the Fieldtown dance although other variants exist.

Here’s an example – White Rose Morris dance The Valentine.

And and extra bonus – the tune turned into a song from the wonderful Jim Moray’s ‘Low Culture’ album.

Happy playing folks.

Valentine pdf

X:523 
T:Valentine - Field Town 
M:6/8 
L:1/8 
K:G 
d|"G"gfe "C"ede|"D"edc "Am"cBc|"B"dBg "G"dBG|"C/Am"FAA A2 d|
"G"gfe "C"ede|"D"edc "Am"cBc|"B"dBG "C"DAF|"G"GGG G||
Bc|"G"ded "B"dBd|"G"BGG GAB|"C"cAc "G"BGB|"C"FAA ABc|
"G"ded "B"dBd|"G"BGG G2 d|"C"efg "B"dBd|"G"BGG G:||

December’s tune of the month – as a result of our poll on Facebook we have come up with this one – you guys voted to learn a tune that’s Christmassy but that we can also play at other times of the year – in  other words a tune with more mileage that just December.

Personent Hodie – a medieval carol, still used today in both religious and secular settings. Most of you will probably have heard the tune – now it’s time to play it.

Personent Hodie

X: 1
T: Personent Hodie
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
E2E2 B4|A2A2 B4|B2B2 e4|c2d2 B4|
A2B2 d4|A2B2 G4|F2E2 F2D2|E4 E4|F2G2 A2D2|E4 E4||
F2G2 A4|A4 A4|G2A2 B4|B4 B4|
F2G2 A4|G2F2 E4|F2E2 E2D2|E4 E4-|E8:|