Petronella march

A reel that is played in many traditions. There is also a dance that accompanies this tune.

Looks more like a polka than a reel to me.

What looks and what is is rarely the same.

In Scotland it’s a reel, In Donegal it’s a highland. Could be a polka, hornpipe, barndace …

Thanks David. What i meant is this is not or doesn’t seem to be the kind of music that is called a "reel" in the Irish tradition, so calling it a reel didn’t give me any clue as to how to play this tune.

Truth be told, you could turn any tune into any type of tune you wanted. I find it amusing how David only sites the Celtic traditions. This tune is most commonly played in Tex-Mex, Old-time, and Americana traditions.

Yes, but since this is kind of an Irish music site, when you posted this as a reel it took me off balance. Next week i’ll post a couple of Bossa Novas and a Tango.

Let go of your inhibitions. And don’t strike the last correct word.

"kind of" an Irish site, Glauber? You’ve really mastered understatement, quite the accomplishment in a second language!

I’vbe only heard this done as an American/old timey tune — never heard it as an Irish tune (which I play)

Definitely a polka type tune. When playing for Scottish dancers we always had to play this one for a special dance where they emphasised the 3 "D"s in the second bar - stacatto style - as part of the dance rhythm.

~ recollection by Dudley Laufman:

Homepage first - http://www.monadnockfolk.org/

http://www.monadnockfolk.org/Petronella.html

~ author of article (the link given is no longer active) ~
Dudley Laufman - http://www.laufman.org/

Early Scottish transcription of the dance:

Homepage : University of Aberdeen
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/

Homepage: "The Music of James Scott Skinner The ‘Strathspey King’
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/

Manuscript: Mackenzie’s description of the country dance, Petronella.
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/display.php?ID=JSS0394

J. Scott Skinner, editor of "The People’s Ball Room Guide", 1905 - Petronella
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/display.php?ID=JSS0922

Video clip:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/videoclip.php?ID=vc14
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/300k/clip.php?id=vc14

~ from the band "Wild Dismay", Shelby, Ohio in the U.S.A.:

http://www.blackflute.com/music/default.html
http://www.blackflute.com/music/tunes/reels/petro.html

http://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/
http://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/index.html
http://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/petronella.html

The links following are from The Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai’i ~ careful here, it starts playing right away and there are three recordings that start automatically and overlap. Turn them all off, including the one at the bottom, then you can listen to them individually. This includes suggested other tunes & sets, though I’ve known nicer versions of "The Green Mountain Petronella"…:

http://www.hawaii.edu/sls/index.html
http://www.sls.hawaii.edu/contra/dances/petronella.html

If you click on the bottom recording the tune will play and the calls for the dance will also show.

Some chose to jokingly call this version, with eveyone getting involved in the ‘turn and balance’ in the A-part of the tune/dance, ‘Citronella’…

Formation: Longways improper, couple facing couple, man to her left, woman to his right ~ "Take hands four from the top" ~
‘top’ being nearest the band/caller, ‘bottom’ usually the end of the hall/dance.

Active & Inactive couples: Those couples with their back to the band/caller are designated ‘active’, those facing are ‘inactive’, though not completely true… The ‘call’ is in the main directed to the ‘active’ couples. Some callers choose to count off from the top ~ 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 ~ etc., or odd, even, odd, even, odd, even… Then designating all #1 or odd couples as ‘active’, and #2 couples, evens, as ‘inactive’.
B
A ~ M1 - W2…M1 - W2…M2 - W2…M1 - W2…M1 - W2 ~
N ~W1 - M2…W1 - M2…W1 - M2…W1 - M2…W1 - M2 ~
D
Progression: At the end of each time through the dance the couples will have progressed one place in the direction they are facing, ready to start the dance again with a new couple below/above… When you reach the top or the bottom of the set you will wait one turn through the dance, but will need to ‘cross over’, making sure the man is on her left, the woman on his right. From the ‘bottom’ of the longways set you will now be ‘inactive’, from the top your responsibilities will change to ‘active’ as you come back into the swing of the dance.

CW = clockwise / ACW = anti-clockwise or counter-clockwise

The call / Music-Bars / The description

A/AA-PART OF MUSIC ~

W2 ~ M2

M1 ~ W1

"Actives turn to the right"
A: 1 - 2 = 4 steps turning CW and traveling ACW 1/4 of the way…
Woman 1 turning between and just beyond couple 2,
Man 1 turning to just in front of couple 2 ~
Woman 1 facing up the set toward the band, Man 1 facing down…
Couple 2s, partners facing across the set, move up slightly,
both couples take hands-four ~

……W1
W2……M2
……M1

"All balance"
A: 3 - 4 = All four, to the Right and then to the Left ~ variations exist…

"All turn to the right"
A: 5 - 6: = All four, 4 steps turnig CW and traveling ACW 1/4 of the way round…

……M2
W1……M1
……W2

"All balance" ~ A: 7 - 8

"All turn to the right" ~ AA: 1 - 2

……M1
M2……W2
……W1

"All balance" ~ AA: 3 - 4

"All turn to the right" ~ AA: 5 - 6

……W2
M1……W1
……M2

"All balance" ~ AA: 7 - 8

B/BB-PART OF MUSIC

B: 1 - 3: "Actives down the center"
= Couple 1 lead down the center of the set, 6 steps /
Couple 2 turn CW to return to places, 4 steps…

W2 M1~ W1 M2

"Turn"
B: 4: = Couple 1 turn in toward your partner, 2 steps…

"Come back - " ~ B: 5 - 6

W2-M1…W1-M2

B: 7 - 8: "- and cast off"
= M1 takes an open hold with W2 / W1 takes an open hold with M1,
All facing up, they turn 3/4 round, M1-W2 CW / W1-M2 ACW,
to face each other across the set…

M1…W1
.|……..|
W2…M2

"Right and left across"
BB: 1 - 4: = give R-hands across, M1-W1 / W2-M2,
give L-hands to your opposite, M1-W2 / W1-M2,
the man places his free R-hand in the small of the woman’s back,
side-by-side the couples then ‘courtesy turn’ ACW,
the man backing / the woman moving forward,
to end up facing each other across again…

M2…W2
.|……..|
W1…M1

B-Part 13 - 16: "Right and left back"
BB: 5 - 8= Repeat ‘R & L’ back to your own side ~

The progression is complete,
with the next below/above ~ begin the dance,
there is a couple out at the ‘head’ (top) and the ‘feet’ (bottom) ~
"cross over at the head and the feet"…

.|……..|
M1…W1

M2…W2

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Info/RRTuneBk/tunebook.html
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Info/RRTuneBk/gettune/00000870.html

I like your little diagrams. They make nice patterns on the screen 🙂

K: Dmaj
|: A/G/ |
F2 AF E2 AF | D2 C2 D2 A2 | d2 cd e2 d2 | cdBc A2 dA |
F2 AF E2 AF | D2 C2 D2 F/G/A| d2 cd e2 c2 | d4 A2 D :|
|: d/A/ |
F2 fd A2 af | g2 gf edcB | A2 ec A2 ge| f2 fd AdAF |
D2 fd A2 af | g3 f edcB | A2 ec Agec| d4 c2 d :|

|: d/A/ |
FG AF E2 AF | D2 D/D/D D2 F/G/A | d2 cd e2 d2 | c2 B/c/B AB AG |
F2 F2 E2 E2 | DA, F,A, D3 A| d2 cd e2 c2 | dA FA D :|
|: f/d/ |
F2 fd A2 af | g3 f edcB | A2 ec Agec | f2 fd AdAF |
D2 fd A2 af | gagf edcB | A2 ec A2 ge| d4 A2 D :|

Is this related to the English tune "Ironlegs"?

Sorry I was lazy - I just checked and it is.

…………….X
………..XXXXX
……..XXXXXXXX
……XXX XX XXX
……XXXXXXXXXX
……XXXX XXXXX
…..XXXXXXXXXX
…..XX XXXX XX
…..XXX XX XXX
…..XXX…….XXXX
…..XXXXXXXXXX
…..XXXXXXXXXX
…..XXXXXXXXXX
…XXXXXXXXXX
..XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX

Why can’t it come out as it appeared before ‘post’? I think ‘THE WIZARD’ designed it this way. That sock puppet is in desperate need of darning…

That’s what I need - a sock puppet… for when I’m in a bad mood and happen to be online.

Hey at least I read your comments. I might not be able to dance (too busy sitting in the corner getting fat on beer), but I can always imagine. There’s a lot of research gone into your posts. It’s nice to know there’s someone geekier and verbal diarrhoeaier than me on thesession.org!

Geekier than you? Yeah, and my Aunt Sally is Queen of Rhodesia… ~ and, on that other point ~ I eat loads of healthy fiberous information don’t you know, my s**t is brick hard, solid stuff, you could build houses with it…

Link to Ironlegs: https://thesession.org/tunes/4693.

"The Phillips Colection of Traditional American Fiddle Tunes
Volume One: Hoedowns, Breakdowns, & Reels"
Stacy Phillips
Mel Bay Publications, 1994 - #MB94711
ISBN 1-56222-582-0

Page 183 "Petronella"

Page 105 "Green Mountain Petronella"
https://thesession.org/tunes/4695

These two pair up well for the dance…

"The Fiddler’s Tune-Book:
A classic Collection of 200 tunes essential for every traditional musician"

Hornpipes - Reels - Schottisches - Polkas - Waltzes - Jigs

Compiled and edited by Peter Kennedy
ISBN: 1-899512-14-4
Dave Mallinson Publications
http://www.mally.com/
West Yorkshire, 1994

page 29, tune #114

~ | gg/f/ e/d/c/B/ | Ae/c/ a/g/e/c/ | d2- d :|

"The Ruffwater Fakebook:
The Growing Library of Dance Tunes Played by
The Olde Michigan RUFFWATER STRINGBAND,
Ruff-Draft v.3.5"

Edited by Judi Morningstar
White Lake,Michigan, U.S.A. 1991

page 41 & listed as "Scottish"

|: dA | FA/F/ EA/F/ | DD DA | dc/d/ ed | ~

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on November 6th 2006 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6333

Introduced by Nathaniel Gow at his Annual Ball in Edinburgh, 1820, & described in "The Ballroom", 1827…

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on May 14th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7205

"Introduction to Fiddle Playing: Beginner Lesson"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDrMIWodGq8&mode=related&search=

play video

http://www.davidkaynor.com/

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on July 16th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7498

I’ve seen it referred to as a Scottish Country Dance.

No s**t! 😏

😉 - It has history…

X: 2
T: Petronella
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: DMaj
|: A/G/ |\
F2 AF E2 AF | D2 C2 D2 A2 | d2 cd e2 d2 | cdBc A2 dA |
F2 AF E2 AF | D2 C2 D2 F/G/A| d2 cd e2 c2 | d4 A2 D :|
|: d/A/ |\
F2 fd A2 af | g2 gf edcB | A2 ec A2 ge| f2 fd AdAF |
D2 fd A2 af | g3 f edcB | A2 ec Agec| d4 c2 d :|

X: 3
T: Petronella
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: DMaj
|: d/A/ |\
FG AF E2 AF | D2 D/D/D D2 F/G/A | d2 cd e2 d2 | c2 B/c/B AB AG |
F2 F2 E2 E2 | DA, F,A, D3 A| d2 cd e2 c2 | dA FA D :|
|: f/d/ |\
F2 fd A2 af | g3 f edcB | A2 ec Agec | f2 fd AdAF |
D2 fd A2 af | gagf edcB | A2 ec A2 ge| d4 A2 D :|

X: 4
T: Patronella
T: Petronella (in the ‘Contents’)
B: "Kerr’s First Collection of Merry Melodies", Glasgow, 1870s, page 22
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: country dance
K: DMaj
|: d/A/ |\
FA/F/ EA/F/ | DD DF/A/ | dc/d/ ed | c/d/B/c/ Ad/A/ |
FA/F/ EA/F/ | DD DF/A/ | dc/d/ ec | d2- d :|
|: d/A/ |\
Ff/d/ Aa/f/ | gg/f/ e/d/c/B/ | Ae/c/ Ag/e/ | ff/d/ A/d/A/F/ |
Df/d/ Aa/f/ | gg/f/ e/d/c/B/ | Ae/c/ A/g/e/c/ | d2- d :|

This is not a polka. It is a reel, standard set dance, that has been used in New England for generations. If you want to know how to play it, simply find the standard dance instructions. This tune is not used for any dance other than Petronella. Callers and musicians have jealously protected against its bastardation for generations. It is like La Bastringue — one tune, one dance. Don’t corrupt it!

Setting as played at the Golden Guinea pub session, Bristol, UK

According to the linear notes of the Chris Duncan & Catherine Strutt album Carriages at Midnight, this is composed by Nathaniel Gow.