Hunting The Squirrel jig

Rhythm: March
Source: Baker’s Well
Transcription: gmp

Note: Also played in “A”

Another English tune!

Sorry

I have very few CDs, but an excellent memory. I know I have heard this played / recorded by some northern fluter. Barry Kerr?

Certainly English and from the John Playford collection of courtly dances from the 17th Century. Character of this tune is not Irish but within the Playford collection there are tunes which certainly have their origins in Irish Music e.g. Poor Robin’s Maggott,The Fit’s come on me now, The Maiden’s Blush, Juice of the Barley, and others.

Another English tune … but adopted into the Irish repertoire … listen for example to Bakerswell’s version (or to my and Cath’s occasional version at various sessions we go been to - played in D rather than G). No call for apologies Gian Marco. Good wee march - regardless of its ultimate provenance!

It wasn’t a criticism,just a comment.

…see: http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Grose-VulgarTongue/h/hunting-the-squirrel.html
(Some pearls at this website!)

This is the tune Barry Kerr called Ronan’s March on his CD: because he learnt it from Ronan Browne. -Where did Ronan get it from and what does he call it?
The published version -in one of Playford’s later editions- sounds so much more classical and square than the beautifully light footed/hearted version Barry recorded. So much so that the casual reader might be tempted to dismiss it as yet another, just about average, Playford dance.
Which comes as a strong vindication for both the Irish style of playing (not enough ‘nyah’ in England?) and a lateral rather than literal approach to scores, even in the hallowed world of Period and Classical music. (In case they’re listening)

joy and beauty be to all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRej2JNmXYI&feature=player_embedded#! Martin Hayes’ version at about 5:35.

play video

This is a version we use for Playford dancing. Being in the key of A helps projection in the dance hall.
There are some rhythmic differences over version 1:
in the A-part, the syncopated start to bars 1 and 5;
and in the B-part the syncopation in bars 5 and 6, which from what I see when playing for the dancers mirrors specific steps by the dancers, so it is important to get the rhythm right, especially in bar 5 which is so easy to play incorrectly as | ec2 ec2 |.

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

A strange thought in some of these comments that English players somehow play tunes “as written” or set in a Playford manuscript.

Firstly, English players have exactly the same relationship to written music as players in the Irish tradition. Secondly, this is a living tune, played for dancing in modern times. No-one playing for English ceilidhs is trying to emulate Playford or his settings. The idea is silly.

Nice to hear it taken up by Irish players, and the interpretation I’ve heard is nothing alien to the English end of these traditions.

Yes, I know those comments were made years ago, so I’m not exactly likely to get in to a discussion with anyone, it’s just that the ignorance was a bit annoying.