The Seven Step barndance

This tune is named after the London-based East Galway fiddle player, Lucy Farr who sadly died on Tuesday, 7 January at the age of 91 years. It’s a simple but very effective tune with a great melody. Emphasis is placed on on the G and B crotchets in the first and third bars respectively and this gives the tune a very special character. I’m not certain whether or not Lucy composed the tune herself.

The name of the tape Lucy recorded was Heart and Home.
Quote from her obit on concertina.net by Roger Digby, "She had a repertoire which included a number of untitled tunes and these are regularly referred to as Lucy’s Polka No 1, etc."

I have just been taught this tune, with the variation that the 1st and 3rd bars of the A part are |G4 G4| and |B4 B4|, which gives even more emphasis to the character of these bars. BTW, I was taught it in A, so the 1st and 3rd bars for me were in fact |A4 A4| and |c4 c4|. I’m also informed that Martin Hayes plays it in B-flat.

This is a tape transcription of the A major version I;ve been taught. In addition to the A4’s and c4’s there are one or two other minor differences.
|:A4 A4|ABcA F2 E2|c4 c4|cdec B3B|
cdec B2 A2|ABcA F2E2|EFAB ceec|B2 A2 A4:||
|:cdec B2 A2|ABcA F2 E2|EFAB ceec|c2 B2 B3B|
cdec B2 A2|ABcA F2 E2|EFAB ceec|B2 A2 A4:||

OR - SEVEN STEP…really if anything, Deutch, or ‘German’…of it you like - ‘The Ulster 7-Step’…

There’s a good chance that this and the ‘Germans’, which also incorporated the ‘7-step’, are responsible for what was eventually stylized for stage in the last decade of the 1800s by the dance cadre associated with the Gaelic League, that ‘Irish 7-Step’. Anyway, it was the style before that time. I’ll come back and give you another version of the melody and the actual dance, which was pretty consistant across the many countries where it found its way…

In the earliest traditions of this little number, it isn’t 32 bars, but, using the version above:

|(3DEF|G2 G2 G2 G2|GABG E2 D2|
B2 B2 B2 B2|BcdB A2 G2||
|:BcdB G2 G2|GABG E2 D2|DEGA BddB|1 B2A2 A4:|
2 A2 G2 G2||

As it is most likely, by carbon dating, that the ‘7-Step’ is the mother of all ‘Germans’, it is only natural that it find a more identifiable count, 32 bars. All subsequent ‘Germans’ have tended to fit that mold. The dance went the same way, but in two flavours, the ‘Long German’ and the ‘Short German’… The original 7-step as went with this tune mates perfectly with the 12 bar version I’ve given…

K:G
|:G2 G2 G2 G2|F>GA>F G2 D2|
B2 B2 B2 B2|A>Bc>A B2 G2|
e2 e2 d3 B|c2 c2 B3 G|
F2 A2 A3 G|F>DE>F G>AB>d|
e2 e2 d3 B|c2 c2 B3 G|
E2 A2 A3 G|F>DE>F G2 D2:|

I first learned this Shetland version from the excellent fiddler and teacher Pam Swing. This can be found on page 8 of her book "Haand Me Doon De Fiddle" by Pam Swing and Tom Anderson, ISBN 0-901636-25-8.

The following is a translation of Tom Anderson’s Shetland dialect and written after the tune in the book:

"Seven Step Polka - This tune was used for an old Shetland dance called by the same name. What way it came to Shetland we do not know. There is a version of it in England used for a different dance."

by Peter Cooke, page 78:

"-one seldom sees a polka dance in Shetland today, and three tunes are today regarded as traditional Shetland polkas - ‘The Bonnie Polka’, ‘The Seven STep Polka’ and ‘Sister Jean’-."

This was played by and heard in variation from a number of different players, even the Shetland version given previously is closer to this Irish one than the Lucy Farr version is. So, different melody and a different bar count and historically older as well,

BARNDANCE - The Ulster 7-Step ( - some sources: Mick Hoy - Fermanagh; The Cassidys - Donegal; The McCuskers - Armagh; etc…)

The Ulster 7-Step

|:(3DEF|G2 G2 G2 G2|F>GA>F G2 D2|
B2 B2 B2 B2|A>Bc>A B2 G2|
B>cd>B G4|A>Bc>A E4|D>EF>G A>Bc>d|e2 d2 B4|
B>cd>B G4|A>Bc>A E4|D>EF>G A>B (3cBA|B2 G2 G:|

I’ll try to put together a short notation of the dance to place here later for those interested…

The Seven-Step (originally 12 bars) / The German (short/long) / The German Schottische / The Seven-Step Polka / The Ulster 7-Step

https://thesession.org/tunes/3371/comments

|:(3ABc|d2 d2 d2 d2|c>de>f d2 A2|f2 f2 f2 f2|e>fg>f e2 e2|
f>ga>f d2 e2|e>fg>f e2 e2|e>fe>d c>AB>c|d>ef>g a2 af|
g>ab>g e2 e2|f>ga>f d2 d2|e>fe>d c>AB>c|d2 f2 d2:|

Messed that up and I’m not even under any influence tonight -
bars 5 - 8:

f>ga>f d2 d2|e>fg>f e2 e2|e>fe>d c>AB>c|d>ef>g a2 a>f|

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/farr.htm

Lucy Farr herself seems to have played it in D, though, at least on the tape Heart and Home.

http://www.volksmusik.cc/

There are a load of different ‘folkdance’ tunes here, and some great MP3s scattered throughout, including some relatives to things ‘Irish’, such as a take on the "7-Step", "Siebenschritt":

http://www.volksmusik.cc/volkstanz/siebenschritt.htm

And a few other familiars…

The following are versions all in keeping with the actual 12 bar dance:

K: G Major
|: (3DEF |
G2. G2. G2. G2. | G>AB>G (3EFE D2 | B2. B2. B2. B2. | B>cd>B A2 G2 |
B>c (3dcB A2 G2 | G>A (3BAG E2 D2 | D>EG>A B>d (3ddd | B2 A2 A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 E2 | D>EG>A B<dd>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

K: G Major
|: D2 |
(3GGG G2 (3GGG G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB | (3Bcd d>B A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A B2 d>B | B2 A2 A4 |
B2 d>B G4 | G2 B>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A (3BcB d>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

K: G Major
|: G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 B2 B2 B2 | A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
e2 e2 d2 B2 | c2 c2 B2 G2 | F2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G>AB>d |
e2 e2 d3 B | c2 c2 B3 G | E2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G2 D2 :|

K: G Major
|: D>F |
G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 (3BBB B2 (3BBB | A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
B>cd>B G4 | A>Bc>A E4 | D>EF>G A2 (3Bcd | e2 d2 B4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | A>Bc>A E2 E2 | D>EF>G A>B (3cBA | B2 G2 G2 :|

K: A Major
|: A4 A2 (3AAA | ABcA F2 E2 | c4 c2 (3ccc | cdec B4 |
cdec B2 A2 | ABcA F2 E2 | EFAB c>e- e2 | (3cdc B^A B3 B |
cdec A4 | ABcA F4 | (3EEE AB c2 ec | (3BcB A2 A4 :|

K: D Major
|: (3ABc |
d2. d2 d2. d2 | c>de>f d2. A2. | f2. f2 f2. f2 | e>fg>f e2. e2 |
f>ga>f d2 d2 | e>fg>f e2 e2 | e>fe>d c>AB>c | d>ef>g a2. a>f |
g>ab>g e2 e2 | f>g (3agf d2 d2 | e>fe>d c>ba>g | f2 d2 d2. :|

X: 1134
T: Siebenschritt
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
Q: 1/8 =126
O: Salzburg, Austria
R: Austrian Folk Dance
K: G Major
|: DG GG | F/G/A/F/ G2 | DB BB | A/B/c/A/ B2 |
dd e2 | cc d2 | BB cc | AA B2 |
dd e2 | cc d2 | BB cc | AA G2 :|

"Folktanz in Salzburg"
128 pages ~ dance descriptions & music
Salzburger Landes-Arbeitsgemeinshaft Für Volkkstanz
Salzburg, 1993 & an English translation is in prepation…

A slip, not an ‘f’ but a ‘v’ ~ "Volkstanz in Salzburg"

Ceolachan sent me an mp3 of this tune earlier, and I thought it reminded me of a tune I used to play at school. I started singing it in my head and it seemed kind of half-finished, but I didn’t think there was any more to it. I tried googling the abc and kept being brought back here. I thought "that tune’s so similar but it’s not the same". Well, I should have read ceolachan’s comments. Thanks for all the info on this tune, ‘c’. I realised that it was the Shetland 7 Step version we used to play - perhaps a bit faster than they’d take it in Donegal - about 90-95bpm, and with a bit less swing.. maybe more of a 2/4 feel? I don’t know why we played it like that, but I suspect it was because we were playing a lot of 2/4 march type tunes. I think we put Da Boannie Polka with it https://thesession.org/tunes/5559.

X: 1
T: Shetland 7-Step Polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Gmaj
D|GG GG|F/G/A/F/ GD|BB BB|A/B/c/A/ BG|
ee d>B|cc B>G|EA A>G|F/D/E/F/ G/A/B/d/|
ee d>B|cc B>G|EA A>G|F/D/E/F/ G:|

It’s the same as your setting, ‘c’, but we played an E at the start of bar 7. Our teacher had connections with Tom Anderson and we used to play some tunes out of his book, plus other Shetland tunes, and some Scandinavian ones too. We did exchanges to Norway and there’d be some tune swapping going on. I suppose the adults did the tune swapping, and then our teacher gave the tunes to us to learn.

Childhood memories, I love it…

You drew my attention to Tom Anderson’s comment about the dance for it being different between the Shetlands and England, and that started a search. Again I came up empty. I do have notes for the Shetland dance, but not here. While I’ve heard and played English takes on the tune, I can’t remember ever dancing anything strikingly different. I’d love to hear from others on this…

This unusual 12 bar tune is not a polka in the Kerry sense, but more like a type of barndance. It is usually played swung, like this:

X: 1
T: Da Seven Step Polka
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Gmaj
D2|G2G2 G2G2|F>GA>F G2D2|B2B2 B2B2|A>Bc>A B2G2|
e2e2 d3B|c2c2 B3G|E2A2 A3G|F>DE>F G>AB>d|
e2e2 d3B|c2c2 B3G|E2A2 A3G|F>DE>F G2:|

This usually follows another Shetland "polka", Da Boannie Polka https://thesession.org/tunes/5559.

~ only in a session and ‘nowadays’. The dance that went with this tune was also 12 bars long… The other contemporary way with this is to force it into compromise by expanding it to 16 measures in length…

I’ve even heard some awful 32 bar takes on it… :-P

Heh, heh, heh ~ 8-)

same ‘A’ but different ‘B’ and with swing a la schottishe.
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: G
| G2G2G2G2 | F>GA>F G2 | B2B2B2B2 A>Bc>A B2 |
c>de>c A2A2 | b>cd>b G2G2 | A>Bc>A F>DE>F | G>AB>c D2D2 |
c>de>c A2A2 | b>cd>b G2G2 | A>Bc>A F>DE>F | G2B2G4 ||

Have played this for a specific dance whose name escapes me.

sorry about missing out the G2 in bar 2 and the bar line between 3 & 4.

Me old mucker, Peter Kennedy - rest his soul - kept trying to persuade me to play this. Actually, I *did* play it a fair few times, but only when he absolutely needed it for the particular dance he was either calling or demonstrating.

I never liked the tune, but he did. And besides, it had its own dance …

hetty, hetty, hetty ~ you must be losing sleep again. There’s the shorted sheets of bars 2 & 4 of the A-part, now doubled from 2 to 4, if that was waht you’d meant, and then there’s those notes in the B-part, the 2nd and 6th measures, the bs, and the D2 D2 in the 4th, which I suspect are an octave out? Let’s see, is this what you meant to add, the added spacings and second ending are my way with this tune and its ABCs:

X: 1
T: Da Seven Step Polka
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: seven-step
K: G Major
G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G4 | B2 B2 B2 B2 | A>Bc>A B4 ||
c>de>c A2 A2 | b>cd>B G2 G2 | A>Bc>A F>DE>F |[1 G>AB>c d2 d2 :|
[2 G2 B2 G4 |]

It has a bit of "The Thunder Road" about it… 8-)

One missed b ~ the B-part, bar 2:

~ | B>cd>B G2 G2 | ~

Thanks ‘c’ I must have been half asleep. yea B>cd>B G2G2 it is.
Ben! if you are at the session on Wednesday I might be tempted to start playing it!!

Don’t know that one. It’s not here is it, I’ve just looked. How does it Go?

http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/easyrider/data/av-files/bthundrd.wav

*splorf*

Yes! I know it well and have it as the starter of a 16 bar schottishe set which gets used almost every week. I have it as "The Swedish Schottishe" The set comprises - "TSS" + "Over the Hills to Glory" + Castles in the Air" + "Hunt the Squirrel". We use it for a dance called ‘Danish Hornpipe" or one called "The Butterfly Hornpipe".
Must say that I would not link it with "Da Seven Steps P" or "P on the W"

"P on the W", I love it… I may post it just for the hell of it. It is one of the earliest schottisches I was ever exposed to, and I also have it as being of ‘Swedish origin’, though it was one of those that also seems to have featured in North American circles, as with their polka bands and early American dance. The schottische used to be an integral part of most dance socials, there and here, and including Eire & Alba as well…

I’m not sure exactly why your take on it reminded me of the tune, but maybe after a transcription arrives the correlation may be clearer either way. I do know that the two, this tune and dance, and the old Swedish schottische, often came together in the one night of dance, including on ‘these isles’!? That may have been all of a memory jog this wildly wired head needed… ;-)

Besides, it allowed me to add that link to one of Dow’s contributions of question ~ no disrespect meant of course… 8-)

Whaddya mean, "contributions of question"??!!

No disrespect intended… Aren’t all contributions to be questioned? If not, where would you be?

You should be thanking me, I’ve pushed you on to page 2 of 660…

That’s great, now we can start organising things around here and nobody will notice :-)

Ok, who’s first?

Thought it worth linking up with the other related tunes to this one.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1307

Ah, I see Hetty is with us… ;-)

https://thesession.org/tunes/7298

A very frequently played set of polkas in Shetland goes:

Da Boannie Polka
Seven Step Polka
Sister Jean

Some of the first tunes they teach beginner fiddlers too.

S

The Seven-Step (originally 12 bars) / The German (short/long) / The German Schottische / The Seven-Step Polka / The Ulster 7-Step

https://thesession.org/tunes/3371/comments

“The Fiddlecase Book of 101 Polkas”
Compiled and edited by Jack Perron & Randy Miller
Fiddlecase Books, 1978
Tune #29 ~ the book is out of print…

X: 29
T: Seven Step
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka ~ 7-step
K: G Major
GG GG | F/G/A/F/ GD | BB BB | A/B/c/A/ BG ||
|: ee d>B | cc B>B | AA A>G | F/D/E/F/ G/A/ (3B/c/d/ :|

https://thesession.org/tunes/1307/comments

Here’s another interesting way with this, transcribed from the playing of "The Dorset Trio", Charlie Pond on fiddle, Bill Hooper on melodeon and Perce Damer on cello, as recorded on the 17th of September, 1954, by Douglas Cleverden, and circulated on the recordings BBC 6778 & Topic 12T240, and currently available on "Rig-a-jig-jig: Dance music of the south of England", part of Reg Hall’s "The Voice of the People" series, Topic records TSCD 659, and a recommended purchase and listen… Here’s that transcription ~

X: ~
T: The Italian Schottische
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance / 7-step
K: C Major
c2 c2 c2 c2 | B>cd>B c3 d | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d e4 ||
|: e>fg>e d4 | e>fg>e c4 | d>ef>d B>GA>B |[1 c>de>f g4 :|[2 c2 c2 c4 |]

X: 17
T: Seven Step, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Dmaj
A |\
d2 d2 d2 d2 | c>de>c A2 A2 | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d A3 f |
g>fg>e c2 g2 | f>=f^f>d A2 f2 | e>de>c A>ce>f | e2 d2 d3 |]

The transcription given above is taken directly from the slip of paper I was given. It does not show the usual repeat:

X: 18
T: Seven Step, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Dmaj
A |\
d2 d2 d2 d2 | c>de>c A2 A2 | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d A3 ||
|: f |\
g>fg>e c2 g2 | f>^ef>d A2 f2 | e>de>c A>ce>f | e2 d2 d3 :|

More troubling to me is that I can’t find the details or remember who gave this transcription to me. As some will no doubt know, that bothers me, and it is why i hadn’t submitted this previously. Here’s hoping someone might know a source ~ and here’s more information from that slip of paper to help:

Source: Moulton Fulton, Pleasant Plains, Illinois, U.S.A. ~ "For the Illinois tunes, they are the original traditional sources. Most of them I learned from the playing of Garry Harrison of Charleston, Illinois, fiddler for the ‘Indian Creek Delta Boys’.

This particular tune was marked with an ‘x’, signifying that the person who wrote it out had ‘collected’ it…

As said, sadly all I found was just a slip of paper, a few inches worth of the bottom of a full sized sheet, U.S. sized, originally 8 1/2" x 11"… :-/

X:965
T:Eight Step Polka, The
S:Donegal Fiddle Tutor Vol.3
Z:Nigel Gatherer
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:D
(ABc | d2 d2 d2 d2 | cdec dcBA | f2 f2 f2 f2 | efge f2 d2 |
fgaf e2 e2 | fgaf d2 d2 | efge c2 c2 | B2 A2 B2 A2 |
fgaf e2 e2 | fgaf d2 d2 | B2 g2 e2 d2 | Bgec dcBA :|

X: 2
T: Lucy Farr’s
Z: # Posted on February 23rd 2003 by Trevor Jennings
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: AMaj
|: A4 A4 | ABcA F2 E2 | c4 c4 | cdec B3 B |
cdec B2 A2 | ABcA F2 E2 | EFAB ceec | B2 A2 A4 :|
|: cdec B2 A2 | ABcA F2 E2 | EFAB ceec | c2 B2 B3 B |
cdec B2 A2 | ABcA F2 E2 | EFAB ceec | B2 A2 A4 :|

X: 3
T: Seven Step
T: Seven Steps
T: Lucy Farr’s
Z: # Posted on July 23rd 2004 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
(3DEF |\
G2 G2 G2 G2 | GABG E2 D2 | B2 B2 B2 B2 | BcdB A2 G2 ||
|: BcdB G2 G2 | GABG E2 D2 | DEGA BddB |[1 B2 A2 A4 :|[2 A2 G2 G2 |]

X: 4
T: Shetland 7-Step Polka
B: "Haand Me Doon De Fiddle" by Pam Swing and Tom Anderson, page 8
S: Pam Swing
Z: # Posted on July 25th 2004 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 B2 B2 B2 | A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
e2 e2 d3 B | c2 c2 B3 G | F2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G>AB>d |
e2 e2 d3 B | c2 c2 B3 G | E2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G2 D2 :|

X: 5
T: Ulster 7-Step, The
T: Seven Steps
T: Lucy Farr’s
O: Donegal, Fermanagh, Armagh
Z: # Posted on July 25th 2004 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: (3DEF |\
G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 B2 B2 B2 |A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
B>cd>B G4 | A>Bc>A E4 | D>EF>G A>Bc>d | e2 d2 B4 |
B>cd>B G4 | A>Bc>A E4 | D>EF>G A>B (3cBA | B2 G2 G2 :|

X: 6
T: Ulster 7-Step, The
T: Seven Steps
S: The McCusker Brothers
Z: # Posted on September 15th 2004 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: DMaj
|: (3ABc |\
d2 d2 d2 d2 | c>de>f d2 A2 | f2 f2 f2 f2 | e>fg>f e2 e2 |
f>ga>f d2 d2 | e>fg>f e2 e2 | e>fe>d c>AB>c | d>ef>g a2 a>f |
g>ab>g e2 e2 | f>ga>f d2 d2 | e>fe>d c>AB>c | d2 f2 d2 :|

X: 7
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: (3DEF |
G2. G2. G2. G2. | G>AB>G (3EFE D2 | B2. B2. B2. B2. | B>cd>B A2 G2 |
B>c (3dcB A2 G2 | G>A (3BAG E2 D2 | D>EG>A B>d (3ddd | B2 A2 A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 E2 | D>EG>A B<dd>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

X: 8
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: D2 |
(3GGG G2 (3GGG G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB | (3Bcd d>B A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A B2 d>B | B2 A2 A4 |
B2 d>B G4 | G2 B>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A (3BcB d>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

X: 9
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 B2 B2 B2 | A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
e2 e2 d2 B2 | c2 c2 B2 G2 | F2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G>AB>d |
e2 e2 d3 B | c2 c2 B3 G | E2 A2 A3 G | F>DE>F G2 D2 :|

X: 10
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: D>F |\
G2 G2 G2 G2 | F>GA>F G2 D2 | B2 (3BBB B2 (3BBB | A>Bc>A B2 G2 |
B>cd>B G4 | A>Bc>A E4 | D>EF>G A2 (3Bcd | e2 d2 B4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | A>Bc>A E2 E2 | D>EF>G A>B (3cBA | B2 G2 G2 :|

X: 11
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: AMaj
|: A4 A2 (3AAA | ABcA F2 E2 | c4 c2 (3ccc | cdec B4 |
cdec B2 A2 | ABcA F2 E2 | EFAB c>e- e2 | (3cdc B^A B3 B |
cdec A4 | ABcA F4 | (3EEE AB c2 ec | (3BcB A2 A4 :|

X: 12
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: DMaj
|: (3ABc |\
d2. d2 d2. d2 | c>de>f d2. A2. | f2. f2 f2. f2 | e>fg>f e2. e2 |
f>ga>f d2 d2 | e>fg>f e2 e2 | e>fe>d c>AB>c | d>ef>g a2. a>f |
g>ab>g e2 e2 | f>g (3agf d2 d2 | e>fe>d c>ba>g | f2 d2 d2. :|

X: 13
T: Siebenschritt
T: Seven Step
S: Salzburg, Austria
B: "Folktanz in Salzburg"
O: Austria
N: with inroduction & second part
Z: # Posted on April 18th 2007 & October 31st 2012 by ceolachan
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
R: German / Austrian couple dance
K: GMaj
"intro"
D[B,G] [B,G][B,G] | [A,/F/][B,/G/][C/A/][A,/F/] [B,G][DB] | [Fd]>[Ec] [DB][CA] | [B,2G2] z2 ||
"dance"
|: D[B,G] [B.G][B,G] | [A,/F/][B,/G/][C/A/][A,/F/] [B,2G2] | D[GB] [GB][GB] | [F/A/][G/B/][A/c/][F/A/] [G2B2] |
[Bd][Bd] [c2e2] | [Ac][Ac] [B2d2] | [GB][GB] [Ac][Ac] | [FA][FA] [G2B2] |
[Bd][Bd] [c2e2] | [Ac][Ac] [B2d2] | [GB][GB] [Ac][Ac] | [CA][CA] [B,2G2] :|

X: 14
T: Shetland 7-Step Polka
Z: # Posted on May 11th 2007 by Dr. Dow
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Gmaj
|: D |\
GG GG | F/G/A/F/ GD | BB BB | A/B/c/A/ BG |
ee d>B | cc B>G | EA A>G | F/D/E/F/ G/A/B/d/ |
ee d>B | cc B>G | EA A>G | F/D/E/F/ G :|

X: 15
T: Seven Step
B: “The Fiddlecase Book of 101 Polkas”, Jack Perron & Randy Miller
Fiddlecase Books, 1978
S: U.S.A., New England contra & couple dancing
Tune #29
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka / 7-step
K: G Major
GG GG | F/G/A/F/ GD | BB BB | A/B/c/A/ BG ||
|: ee d>B | cc B>B | AA A>G | F/D/E/F/ G/A/ (3B/c/d/ :|

X: 16
T: The Italian Schottische
T: Seven Step, The
Z: # Posted on June 26th 2007 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance / 7-step
K: C Major
c2 c2 c2 c2 | B>cd>B c3 d | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d e4 ||
|: e>fg>e d4 | e>fg>e c4 | d>ef>d B>GA>B |[1 c>de>f g4 :|[2 c2 c2 c4 |]

X: 17
T: Seven Step, The
Z: # Posted on September 2nd 2009 by ceolachan
O: Illinois, U.S.A.
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Dmaj
A |\
d2 d2 d2 d2 | c>de>c A2 A2 | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d A3 f |
g>fg>e c2 g2 | f>=f^f>d A2 f2 | e>de>c A>ce>f | e2 d2 d3 |]

X: 18
T: Seven Step, The
Z: # Posted on September 2nd 2009 by ceolachan
O: Illinois, U.S.A.
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Dmaj
A |\
d2 d2 d2 d2 | c>de>c A2 A2 | e2 e2 e2 e2 | d>ef>d A3 ||
|: f |\
g>fg>e c2 g2 | f>^ef>d A2 f2 | e>de>c A>ce>f | e2 d2 d3 :|

X: 7
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: (3DEF |\
G2. G2. G2. G2. | G>AB>G (3EFE D2 | B2. B2. B2. B2. | B>cd>B A2 G2 |
B>c (3dcB A2 G2 | G>A (3BAG E2 D2 | D>EG>A B>d (3ddd | B2 A2 A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 E2 | D>EG>A B<dd>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

X: 8
T: Seven Steps, The
Z: # Posted on July 8th 2006 by ceolachan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: D2 |\
(3GGG G2 (3GGG G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB (3BBB | (3Bcd d>B A4 |
B>cd>B G2 G2 | G>AB>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A B2 d>B | B2 A2 A4 |
B2 d>B G4 | G2 B>G E2 D2 | D>EG>A (3BcB d>B | A2 G2 G2 :|

I was wondering if there is another barn dance that goes nicely with Lucy Farr? Or is it a solo piece?

Lucy Farr, herself, actually called the tune "The Kilnamona Barndance"

This is a different tune from the other ‘Kilnamona" barndance, i.e. https://thesession.org/tunes/163

It actually makes sense in its earliest and original form, rather than some of the fudging that has happened over the years to turn it into a 16 bar or 32 bar tune. The dance and the tune fit perfectly, and 12 bars just doesn’t go into 16 or 32. One pleasant way to play it as it is historically, and internationally known - and was also know across Ireland, as 12 bars dance and tune, is to play it changing keys… It is also nice to play and dance to at a more relaxed tempo than as some take it in its adjusted 16/32 bar forms… Related dances/tunes are what are sometimes called ‘Germans’, the dance being the long or short German, The 7-Step being their parent…

Similar things have happened to highland fling, a good 16 bar tune being worked into a single or double reel when the 2, 3, and 4-hand dances, etc., were either less common or forgotten. There’s a certain sense there too, if known, that can suss out the classic form of the highland flings in those reels…

With just a slight variation this tune, in its 12 bar origin, can work with the dance "Salty Dog Rag". :-D

Two more Irish takes on this melody, based on the playing of several sources…

Another way of transcribing Nigel’s notes on this…

Another way of transcribing Nigel’s notes on this ~ X: 18

7-Step, German, Schottische, German Schottische, Barndance, etc…

Dance descriptions & videos:
The McCusker Brothers’ Barndance
https://thesession.org/tunes/3371

"The Curlew Hills" / "The Glenbeigh"
https://thesession.org/tunes/670

"Kitty’s Wedding"
https://thesession.org/tunes/869

"If We Hadn’t Any Women In The World"
https://thesession.org/tunes/1376

"The Kerry Mills’ Barn Dance"
https://thesession.org/tunes/3180

"The Durham Rangers"
https://thesession.org/tunes/3376

"The International Schottische"
https://thesession.org/tunes/6398

"Biddy Barry’s"
https://thesession.org/tunes/7108

"Con Cassidy’s"
https://thesession.org/tunes/9205

"The German"
https://thesession.org/tunes/10066

"The German"
https://thesession.org/tunes/14378

& ~ you can use many of the variations familiar with a schottische, including with both partners facing in the line-of-direction/anti-clockwise (ACW/CCW). As two examples, as a couple you can separate on the first 7-step, then return on the second, the man dancing his 7-step to his left and away from his partner, then to his right and back to her / the woman to her right and then back to her left, both moving slightly forward as they dance these steps.

You can also take weight on the stamp and, dropping hold, the gent can do the first 7-step to his right, crossing behind his partner/the woman moving to her left and in front of him; and then, again taking weight on the stamp, a ‘cheat-step’, the gent crossing back to his left and in front of his partner/the woman moving to her right and behind him ~ then the usual 2 x 3s and 4 x step-hops, and that repeated…

It is the 7-step that defines the only real difference between the ‘German’/’German Schottische’ and the common and more usual schottische(s).

Oh how I wish my teacher and sometimes partner Frau Dunsing, the ‘little general’, were still alive to learn more from. Her specialty was German dances, from all areas of Germany and Germanic Europe. I’ll have to look for her extensive notes and see if there’s anything else I can add here. Dear Gretel, remembering you always makes me smile, you are missed, thanks for the dance and the smiles:

http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/teachers/dunsing_gp.htm

This is likely the root melody to a group of tunes and associated dancing called ‘Germans’ in Ireland, especially in Ulster and Donegal, barndanced that use the old-style step-together 7-step: step (1), together (2), step (3), together (4), step (5), together (6), step (7), and if you’re starting off moving to the Left = L, R, L, R, L, R, L. This is also the likely root to the more modern and stylized Irish 7-step or sidestep, as classic to Irish ceili dances and likely getting that sylization and exaggeration in the late 1800s through competition and performance/exhibition, and a desire to remove any so-called foreign influences, especially thought of as being somehow ‘English’. :-/

The dance specific to this 12 bar tune, as I’ve collected it, and the tune, all across Ireland in the 1970s, including Ulster and Donegal, and beyond and before, has always been remembered by the older dancers and musicians, some memories going back to the late 1800s, as ABB(444=12), 12 bars in total. Lucy Farr and some others took it on themselves to ‘even out’ the tune and make it fit their expectations for 32 bars/AABB, as for hornpipes and other related melodies, including those barndances also called ‘Germans’. a title that might be suggesting the origin of both the melody and the dance? ~ ‘German’, possibly part of the dance crazes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1868 - 1908)?

It seems that Lucy Farr may have further confused things by referring to it as "The Kilnamona Barndance". As already mentioned earlier, a different melody is associated with that name:
https://thesession.org/tunes/163
I have yet to hear a reliable source say where Lucy originally learned the melody, her source, England or Ireland?. But, as already said, it was at one time known, tune and dance, all across Ireland, and England, and beyond… :-D