[Callers] Tunes & phrases

To follow Amy Cann's long post recently about choosing dances where the music fits the phrase... On the trad-dance-callers list, there recently was a list about Shadrach's Delight, that classic composition by Tony Parkes. Folks inquired about a good tune to fit the dance, and someone pointed out that Duke Miller thought that Aunt May's Canadian Jig was a great fit. Here is an edited version Tony's comments, oh so relevant to the discussion we've just been having on this list: "Incidentally, "Aunt May's Canadian Jig" is a fine tune, but I would not recommend it for Shad -- at least, not unless the band was willing to play the low part first. I've always heard it with the high part first, unlike most fiddle tunes. The problem is that the high part has long, relatively smooth phrases and the low part has shorter, choppier phrases, while Shadrack has shorter, choppier moves in the A parts and longer, more flowing moves in the B parts. ... Another classic Northeastern tune is "The Kitchen Reel." It has a choppy A and a long, smooth B, and I'd enjoy using it for Shad." David Millstone Lebanon, NH