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Breakdown reel

Also known as The Breakdown.

There are 12 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with The Dashing White Sergeant (a few times) and Staten Island (a few times).

Breakdown has been added to 49 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Three settings

X: 1
T: Breakdown
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:(3efg|a2A2 AcBA|E2A2 AcBA|F2B2 BcBA|GABc defg|
a2A2 AcBA|E2A2 AcBA|GABc defg| aece A2:|
|cB|A2a2 A2a2|A2AB c2BA|E2e2 E2e2|E2Bc d2cB|
A2a2 A2a2|A2AB c2BA|E2Bc edcB|A2c2 A2:|
# Added by rog .
X: 2
T: Breakdown
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
a2 A2 AcBA | E2 A2 AcBA | F2 B2 BcBA | GABc defg |
a2 A2 AcBA | E2 A2 AcBA | GABc defg | a6 :|
A2 a2 A2 a2 | A2 AB cB A2 | E2 e2 E2 e2 | E2 GB edcB |
!A2 a2 A2 a2 | A2 AB cB A2 | E2 GB edcB | A2 a2 A2 :|
X: 3
T: Breakdown
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:ceee ceee|dfff dfff|ceee ceee|d2 B2 B2 e2|
ceee ceee|dfff dfff|eagf edcB|A2 a2 A4:|

Twelve comments

A glee club special, perhaps?

I was unable to set the note length appropriately (the ABC was using L:1/4, so I’m afraid the sheet music won’t come out correctly…)

Posted by .

Sheet music looks fine, and the ABC uses L:1/8, which is the default on this site for virtually all the tunes posted.
Trevor

Some kind person has changed the note lengths.

Posted by .

Mason’s Apron

Sounds like a version of Mason’s Apron to me.

Re: Mason’s Apron

Related, but definitely not the same tune - it has quite a different character when played for a session/dance. The second part really stands out. Some people add a third part which I don’t think adds much to the whole thing.

Posted by .

Breakdown

An arrangment of this tune is published in Stephanie Curcio’s book Reel Tunes, arranged for harp. It is subtitled Owen’s Birthday.

rojean

The Breakdown

Most bands I’ve heard playing this tune always play a third part.

Well Free Reed, where’s that third part? ~ waiting! ;-)

“The Breakdown” ~ rescued duplication

Submitted on October 20th 2012 by OsvaldoLaviosa.
~ /tunes/12249

X: 2
T: Gan Ainm
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amaj
|: e/f/g |\
a2 A2 AcBA | E2 A2 AcBA | F2 B2 BcBA | GABc defg |
a2 A2 AcBA | E2 A2 AcBA | GABc defg | a6 :|
| : d/c/B |\
A2 a2 A2 a2 | A2 AB cB A2 | E2 e2 E2 e2 | E2 GB edcB |
!A2 a2 A2 a2 | A2 AB cB A2 | E2 GB edcB | A2 a2 A2 :|

3rd tune in a Circassian circle dance - I have an anonymous Scottish ceili band (see next) playing the following set:

1. ) Hill’s fancy (hornpipe)(aka The Circassian circle (reel))
2. ) Holyrood house
3. ) this Gan Ainm ("Breakdown")

This set is associated to "The Circassian Circle" dance.

# Posted on October 20th 2012 by OsvaldoLaviosa

Origins ~ “Jim McLeod: Welcome to My World”

Bonus Tracks:

Circassian Circle (the dance): "Circassian Circle" / "Waverley Steps" / "The Breakdown"

1. ) "Hill’s Fancy" / "Circassian Circle"
Submitted on September 26th 2007 by Dr. Dow.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7765

2. ) "Holyrood House" / "Waverley Steps"
Submitted on October 19th 2012 by OsvaldoLaviosa.
https://thesession.org/tunes/12247

3. ) "Breakdown" - this tune

Third part…

|:ceee ceee|dfff dfff|ceee ceee|d2 B2 B2 e2|
ceee ceee|dfff dfff|eagf edcB|A2 a2 A4:|

Which radio programme had this as theme music?

Too long ago……