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The Lads Of Alnwick three-two

Also known as Apprentice Lads Of Alnwick, The Apprentice Lads Of Alnwick.

There are 13 recordings of this tune.
This tune has been recorded together with

The Lads Of Alnwick has been added to 7 tune sets.

The Lads Of Alnwick has been added to 110 tunebooks.

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Four settings

1
X: 1
T: The Lads Of Alnwick
R: three-two
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:{g}a4 e2fg agfe|(3cdcA2 .a2(A2 cdec)|a4 e2fg agfe|d2B2 {g}.f2(B2 d2f2):|
|:ABcd (3efec2 (3efec2|ABcd (3efec2 e2{g}a2|ABcd (3efec2 (3efec2|Bcde {g}.f2(B2 d2f2):|
|:(e2.a2) (cdec .a2)(c2|e2.a2) cdec d2(3fgf|(e2.a2) (cdec .a2)c2|Bcde {g}.f2(B2 d2f2):|
|:ABcd efed cdec|efed cdec e2{g}a2|ABcd efed cdec|Bcde {g}.f2(B2 d2f2):|
2
X: 2
T: The Lads Of Alnwick
R: three-two
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:g4 d2ef gfed|B2G2g2G2 BcdB|g4 d2ef gfed|c2A2e2A2c2e2:|
|:GABc d2B2d2B2|GABc d2B2d2g2|GABc d2B2d2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:|
|:d2g2 BcdB g2B2|d2g2 BcdB c2e2|d2g2 BcdB g2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:|
|:GABc dedc BcdB|dedB BcdB d2g2|GABc dedc BcdB:|
3
X: 3
T: The Lads Of Alnwick
R: three-two
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:g4 d2ef gfed|B2G2g2G2 BcdB|g4 d2ef gfed|c2A2e2A2c2e2:|
|:GABc d2B2d2B2|GABc d2B2d2g2|GABc d2B2d2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:|
|:d2g2 BcdB g2B2|d2g2 BcdB c2e2|d2g2 BcdB g2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:|
|:GABc dedc BcdB|dedB BcdB d2g2|GABc dedc BcdB|ABcd e2A2c2e2:|
4
X: 4
T: The Lads Of Alnwick
R: three-two
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:{c}d4 A2Bc dcBA|(3FGFD2 .d2(D2 FGAF)|d4 A2Bc dcBA|G2E2 {c}.B2(E2 G2B2):|
|:DEFG (3ABAF2 (3ABAF2|DEFG (3ABAF2 A2{c}d2|DEFG (3ABAF2 (3ABAF2|EFGA {c}.B2(E2 G2B2):|
|:(A2.d2) (FGAF .d2)(F2|A2.d2) FGAF G2(3BcB|(A2.d2) (FGAF .d2)F2|EFGA {c}.B2(E2 G2B2):|
|:DEFG ABAG FGAF|ABAG FGAF A2{c}d2|DEFG ABAG FGAF|EFGA {c}.B2(E2 G2B2):|

Eleven comments

The site’s first triple, and my personal favourite. Fingers crossed that I’ve done the ABC correctly - it’s not something you do every day. Cross rhythms and bowing for the fiddlers seems to be really important in these tunes. I know nothing about bowing, but I’ve tried to include phrase marks and staccato to give an idea of how it’s supposed to sound.

This tune is often played in G and sometimes also F because of the tuning of the Northumbrian pipes, but a lot of people play it in A because it goes nicer on the fiddle.

Take it at about 120 beats/min as you would an average speed reel, so it ends up being like a reel with an extra half bar and lots of crotchets. It should have a lively, lilting feel to it, with only a very slight swing (like a reel and unlike a hornpipe).

This tune has personal significance for me since I was born in Alnwick and went to high school there, so I am a “Lad of Alnwick” myself. Alnwick is not pronounced “Oln-wick”, but “An-ick”. It’s a small market town in Northumberland, and its castle has often featured in films, e.g. Harry Potter (Alnwick Castle is his school).

A triple Hornpipe.

I never heard of a triple hornpipe until just now. I will check it out tonight. I’ll try it at a reel speed and I’ll take my lilt out.

Thanks for posting it.

Mark

Dow - isn’t Alnwick the county town of Northumberland?

David,
It used to be but not anymore. I think Morpeth is the county town these days.

Jerry O’Sullivan does a great version of this tune on “The Gift”.

if you’re twisted like me you want to play it two beats to the bar to make an ‘ancient’ souding march out of it! 😉

learned by kethrine Tichell
and also exist in G
X:27
T:The Lads of Anwick
C:Trad
S:Northumbrian Minstrelsy
M:3/4l
K:G
g4 d2ef gfed| B2G2g2G2 BcdB| g4 d2ef gfed| c2A2e2A2c2e2:: GABc d2B2d2B2|\
GABc d2B2d2g2|GABc d2B2d2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2::d2g2 BcdB g2B2|d2g2 BcdB c2e2|\
d2g2 BcdB g2B2| ABcd e2A2c2e2::GABc dedc BcdB| dedB BcdB d2g2|GABc dedc BcdB|\
ABcd e2A2c2e2:|

T:Lads Of Alnwick, The
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:G
|:g4 d2ef gfed|B2G2g2G2 BcdB|g4 d2ef gfed|c2A2e2A2c2e2:
|:GABc d2B2d2B2|GABc d2B2d2g2|GABc d2B2d2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:
|:d2g2 BcdB g2B2|d2g2 BcdB c2e2|d2g2 BcdB g2B2|ABcd e2A2c2e2:
|:GABc dedc BcdB|dedB BcdB d2g2|GABc dedc BcdB|ABcd e2A2c2e2:

(can anyone delete the previous post?)

Re: The Lads Of Alnwick

I once heard the Boys of the Lough play this, might have been at Sidmouth Folk Festival, dedicated to their resident Geordie, Dave Richardson

The Lads Of Alnwick, X:4

This is an old pipe tune, and old pipes tend to be in A. Although this is possible on a whistle it’s much easier for both the player and listener to have it in D.