Four comments
Lairds Of Ryton / Over The Border
This is one of my favourite tunes. I originally learnt it as a 9/4 tune called "Over The Border". I got it from a recording of Northumbrian pipes music entitled The Wind In The Reeds, but later learnt this simplified 2-part slip jig setting. I’ve transcribed some 9/4 settings below:
X: 1
T: Over The Border
M: 9/4
L: 1/8
R: Nine-four
S: John Peacock MS (1800-1805)
Z: Dow
K: Gmaj
~B4G2 BABcde g2d2B2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|~B4G2 BABcde f2d2B2|c3dc2 g2e2c2 ~e4g2:|
|:f2d2B2 d2efgf gfedf2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|f2d2B2 d2efgf gfedB2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:~f4d2 d2Bcd2 d2Bcd2|g2Bcd2 d2Bcd2 f2d2g2|~f4d2 d2Bcd2 g2d2B2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:G2BcdB dcBcdB dcBcdB|G2BcdB dcBcdB edefg2|G2BcdB dcBcdB g2B2d2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:Bcd2f2 Bcd2g2 Bcd2f2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|Bcd2f2 Bcd2g2 Bcd2f2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
The 1st four parts of this were later copied into the Northumbrian Minstrelsy, albeit with discrepancies in bar 3 of the A-part and bar 2 od the D-part:
X: 2
T: Ower The Border
M: 9/4
L: 1/8
R: Nine-four
S: Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1st 4 parts only)
Z: Dow
K: Gmaj
~B4G2 BABcde g2d2B2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|~B4G2 BABcde g2d2B2|c3dc2 g2e2c2 ~e4g2:|
|:f2d2B2 d2efgf gfedf2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|f2d2B2 d2efgf gfedB2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
|:~f4d2 d2Bcd2 d2Bcd2|g2Bcd2 d2Bcd2 f2d2g2|~f4d2 d2Bcd2 g2d2B2|c3dc2 gfedc2 ~e4g2:|
Source for the 2-part setting is John Bell (c1812).
My favourite thing to do with this tune is place emphasis on different notes so that it alternates between 3/2, 3/4 and 9/4. It does your head in to play, but it’s good fun:
M:3/2 B2B2 G2BA Bcde|M:3/4 g2 d2 B2|M:9/4 d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|M:3/2 B2B2 G2BA Bcde|M:3/4 f2 d2 B2|M: c3d c2|M:3/2 g2e2 c2e2 e2g2:|
|:f2d2 B2d2 efgf|M:3/4 gf ed f2|M:9/4 d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|M:3/2 f2d2 B2d2 efgf|M:3/4 gf ed B2|c3d c2|M:3/2 gfed c2e2 e2g2:|
|:M:9/4 G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|d2g2f2 d2g2B2 d2efg2|G3ABc d2g2f2 d2g2B2|M:3/4 c3d c2|M:3/2 gfed c2e2 e2g2:|
|:f2f2 d2d2 Bcd2|M:3/4 d2 Bc d2|g2 Bc d2|M:3/2 d2Bc d2f2 d2g2|f2f2 d2d2 Bcd2|M:3/4 g2 d2 B2|c3d c2|M:3/2 gfed c2e2 e2g2:|
The 2-part John Bell setting is as follows:
X: 3
T: The Lairds Of Ryton
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: Slip Jig
S: John Bell MS (c1812)
Z: Dow
K: Gmaj
B2G Bdg fdB|dgf dgB deg|B2G Bdf gdB|cdc gec e2g:|
|:f2d dBd dBd|f2d dBd fdg|f2d dBd gdB|cdc gec e2g:|