My Cape Breton Home waltz

Another Jerry Holland tune. I don’t know any anecdote about this tune, but it seems a special composition.

My transcription here is based on the version which appears on a unique recording “Birlin‘ Fiddlers” by three young Scottish fiddlers, Jennifer Wrigley, Alan Henderson, and Julia Legge. I didn’t know Blazin’ Fiddles also recorded it.

I think I heard it played several times in Scotland. It’s a really beautiful tune which makes both the players and listeners happy. Well, some flute players might be out of breath while playing this kind of slow waltz. Enjoy!

This tune is included in The Waltz Book, Vol. 1 by Bill Matthiesen.

There is a nice recording of this tune by James Galway,Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on their album - A Song of Home: An American Musical Journey.

Hope Jerry is fine now.

Jerry wrote this for his dad.

I really like tis tune. I had to memorize it once for a fiddle workshop.

Sara

In Gerry Holland’s first “Collection” book, the tune is listed as a “slow air” rather than a waltz.

At the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp a few years ago, Gerry mentioned that he wanted to give the tune a different name, but a friend wrote lyrics to the melody and called it “My Cape Breton Home”, so he stuck with that title.

Thans for the info. You can’t actually post any tune as a slow air on this site. And I believe you mean Jerry Holland, not Gerry.

Does anyone know where I can find the lyrics for this tune? I have heard them before but I don’t recall where.

I have notated “My Cape Breton Home” from the playing of Gerry Holland. (Utube) Because I do not do “ABC” music …I cannot post it on this site. If would like a copy please reply to this message with contact info:

I got an email from Lew Alpaugh who says:

“I wrote the lyrics to My Cape Breton Home shortly after recording it with Jerry Holland on his album, Lively Steps. Here they are - better late than never. ”

Home where the river flows
Home where the clover grows
Home where my dreams keep me longing to be
I’ve been away too long, so here’s a song
For my Cape Breton home by the sea.

Home where the fiddles ring
Making the mountains sing
Home where the music is calling to me
Someday before I die I will return
To my Cape Breton Home by the sea.

I’ll rosin the bow and go waltzing away
To the mountains and glens
By the sweet Margaree
I’ll play an air for the island so fair
And my Cape Breton Home by the sea.

Thanks to Jeremy and Lew Alpaugh for the lyrics to this tune

This is the setting from the Jerry Holland and John Doyle album called Helping Hands. They play it as a flat 3/4 with very little or no swing, and it’s really beautiful that way (no sugar).

Just stumbled over Jerry playing it here on youTube:
https://youtu.be/cI06gmU4t_U

play video

Almost exactly as transcribed here and very nice to try plaing along to.