I call it [Chorus Jig] as standard at my dances (even
if the band does not
know the tune!)
Gale's comment points to a problem that's developing. As fewer callers use the
old dances, many of which have a tune associated with them, fewer musicians
coming into the tradition are learning those particular tunes. That in turn
makes it harder to call the older dances so callers might shy away from that
material. I suppose you _could_ dance Money Musk to a generic tune played AAB,
but it surely wouldn't be the same and I don't think I'd want to try it. And
the
balances for Hull's Victory just fit that tune perfectly.
So, callers, I'd encourage everyone to get those chestnuts into your repertoire
and to let bands know in advance that you'd like to be able to call Rory O'More,
for example, and if the musicians
don't already know the tune, perhaps they'll learn it.
And yes, there are lots and lots of old dances and tunes, but a list of ones
that I'd love to see in every New England dance musician's repertoire might
include:
Chorus Jig
Devil's Dream
Green Mountain Petronella
Hull's Victory
Lady of the Lake
Lady Walpole's Reel
Lamplighter's Hornpipe
Money Musk
O'Donal Abhu (for British Sorrow)
Opera Reel
Petronella
Portland Fancy
Rory O'More
Steamboat/Washington Quickstep
Vinton's Hornpipe
and tunes for a couple of the older couple dances, such as the Gie Gordon's and
Road to the Isles.
Heck, just get a copy of the New England Chestnuts albums (now out in a double
CD from Great Meadow Music) and hand that to the band and say, "Here! Please
learn these!" And if they want dots to read, direct them to the New England
Fiddler's Repertoire tunebook.
And, of course, tunes for some of the traditional singing squares such as
Redwing, Crooked Stovepipe...
Well, you get the idea...
David Millstone