The New High Level hornpipe

This hornpipe was written by Robert Whinham (1814-1893) and named after the High Level Bridge over the River Tyne, which was completed in 1849. James Hill’s “High Level Hornpipe” would have been written around the same time, but presumably JH got there first with the name.

There are a few very different settings of this tune, some of which are recent developments by modern composers.

The setting transcribed here is close to the original version, except for the key (watch change to D for B-part). The original key was Bb, and it sounds nice in that key, but I decided to post it in G because that’s how it’s commonly played today. For anyone who wants to have a go at the Bb version, I’ve transposed it below (watch change to F for B-part):

K:Bb
|:B2FB d2Bd|f=egf _edcB|A2FA c2Ac|fgag f=e_ec|
B2FB d2Bd|f=egf _edcB|ABcd egAc|1 B2BA B2F2:|2 B2BA B2cB||
K:F
|:Acfc acfc|Acfc acfc|Bdfd bdfd|Bdfd bdfd|
Acfc acfc|Acfc acfc|gabg ecde|1 fefg f2cB:|2 fefg fe_ec||

A more common setting is the one that appears in the Northumbrian Piper’s Tune Book. This has a similar ending but the B-part (whilst still in the key of D) is quite different. My transcription below is taken from a recording of Billy Pigg:

K:G
|:G2DG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|F2DF A2FA|d2fe dcBA|
G2DG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|F2DF AcAF|1 G2B2 G2D2:|2 G2B2 G2AG||
K:D
|:FAdA fAdA|FAdA fAdA|cAce gecA|cAce gecA|
FAdA fAdA|FAdA fAdA|cAce gece|1 dcde d2AG:|2 dcde d=cBA||

Another common setting is one written by Andrew Rankine. This one has a completely different B-part with no key change. It is sometimes referred to as “The New High Level Reel”. It’s also a nice tune I think, and probably should be classed as a separate tune to Whinham’s. However, since many people mix up the two tunes on both sides of the border, the best approach is probably to learn both and go with whatever’s being played at the time.

K:G
|:D2|G2DG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|F2DF A2FA|d^cde d=cBA|
G2DG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|FDFA dcBA|G2B2 G2:|
|:Bc|d2Bd gdBd|e2ce gece|d2Bd gdBd|c2fe dcBc|
d2Bd gdBd|e2ce gece|dgfe dcBA|G2B2 G2:|

Lastly, here’s another setting of Rankine’s tune from the playing of Will Atkinson:

K:G
|:GA|BGDG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|AFDF A2FA|dcde dcBA|
BGDG B2GB|d2ed cBAG|FDFA dcBA|G2B2 G2:|
|:Bd|gdBd gdBd|e2ce gece|d2Bd gdBd|A2fe dcBc|
d2Bd gdBd|e2ce gece|dgfe dcBA|G2B2 G2:|

The last few notes of the B-part should be d^c=cA. abc edited.

The High Level Ranters published a tune-book (I had a copy in th 1970s and think it is still in print) which included their re-arrangement of the original High Level Hp. going into the New High Level then going into the trad jazz standard High Society, the highlight of which was the clarinet break on accordion.

I was visiting a friend of mine who wasn’t doing so well today. He’s an older fellow , a fiddler none-the-less. Anyhow, he played me this tune while I was there. The guy has no internet.. spooky

Pádraig O’Keeffe gave Denis Murphy an unnamed hornpipe whose first part is almost identical to the New High Level but its turn is unrelated. See CRE5.219