L’Inconnu De Limoise mazurka

A lovely French mazurka.

Not forgetting the origins… ;-)

K: C Major
|: G c>d |
e2- e>c f>d | e2- e>e f>g | f2- f>e d>c | G2- G>G c>d |
e2- e>c f>d | e2- e>e f>g | f2- f>e d>c | d3 :|
|: e f>g |
a2 c’>b a>b | g2- g>f e>d | c>B c>d (3edc | G2- G>c c>B |
A2- A>B c>d | c2 B2 A2 |1 B2- B>A B>c | d3 :|
2 B>A B>c d>e | c3 ||

K: G Major
|: D G>A |
B2- B>G cA | B2- B>B c>d | c2- c>B A>G | D2- D>D G>A |
B2- B>G cA | B2- B>B c>d | c2- c>B A>G | A3 :|
|: B c>d |
e2 g>f e>f | d2- d>c B>A | G>F G>A B>G | D2 G2 F2 |
E2- E>F G>A | G2 F2 E2 |1 F2- F>E F>G | A3 :|
2 F2 F>G A>B | G3 ||

~ forgive me Maxou Heintzen… ;-) Take your choice:

K: g minor
|: D G>A |
B2- B>G c>A | B2- B>G c>d | c2- c>B A>G | A2- A>D G>A |
B2 B>G c>A | B2 B>G c>d | c2 c>B A>B | G3 :|
|: B c>d |
e2 g>f e>f | d2- d>c B>A | G2 G>A B>G | D2- D>G G>F |
E2- E>F G>A | G2 F2 E2 | F2 F>G A>B | G3 :|

K: e minor
|: B, E>F |
G2 G>E A>F | G2 G>E A>B | A2 A>G F>E | F2- F>B, E>F |
G2 G>E A>F | G2 G>E A>B | A2 A>G F>G | E3 :|
|: G A>B |
c2 e>d c>d | B2 B>A G>F | E2 E>F G>E | B,2- B,>E E>D |
C2 C>D E>F | E2 D2 C2 | D2 D>E F>G | E3 :|

K: b minor
|: F B>c |
d2- d>B e>c | d2- d>B e>f | e2- e>d c>B | c2- c>F B>c |
d2 d>B e>c | d2 d>B e>f | e2 e>d c>A | B3 :|
|: d e>f |
g2 b>a g>a | f2 f>e d>c | B2 B>c (3dcB | F2 B2 A2 |
G2- G>A B>c | B2 A2 G2 | A2 A>B c>d | B3 :|

Thanks,I didn’t know anything about the tune, I learned it by osmosis at Flemish sessions and volksbals.

Flemish sessions and Volksbals ~ lucky you…
So, have you tried it minorish yet ol’ friend? ;-)

It sounds good in the minor.My French is almost non-existent,but I thought that the title meant something like "The Stranger From Limoise". The French for bagpipe is cornemuse, and a Google search reveals only that Limoise is a town in France.

Puzzled of Belgium.

The alternate title given is something it just seems to have picked up…probably because the stranger from Limoise was a Limoisine piper…my guess…a lovely tradition in itself…

Have just been playing it in both major & minor and definitely prefer it in the minor. Any idea how old it is Daffyd?

20th Century…

The name has a story behind it, as you might guess (although I’m hazy on the details). When they were doing some roadworks, or demolition, or moving a graveyard, or something like that in Limoise they came across a grave containing both a skeleton and the remains of a set of pipes. The grave was un-named, so the identity of the piper was unknown, but the story caught the imagination of the French folk world and M Heintzen penned the tune in the piper’s honour. There are apparently (french) words to it somewhere out there.
Incidentally, there is no truth in the rumour that the piper was found staked through the heart with his chanter. This would be entirely unnecessary as all that is required to stop a piper rising again is to cut off their head and stuff their bellows with garlic… ;-)

Apparently, "Maxou" is a nickname. The real name of the composer is Jean François Heintzen.

Further to the inspiration for the tune, here is the explanation (in French!)

" Voici quelques années, l’employé communal de Limoise (Allier), occupé à déplacer des sépultures, eut la surprise de découvrir un défunt enterré avec une cornemuse à ses côtés. Il m’est difficile de décrire l’avalanche de réflexions et d’émotions que cela a suscité dans ma p’tite tête. Cet air fut composé sur ces entrefaites, avec l’intention délibérée de faire pleurer en majeur."

And here are the lyrics (also in French, of course!)

Il doit dormir, depuis tout ce temps
Bien gentiment, sous trois pieds de terre
V’là qu’on le dérange, impoliment
Quelle drôle d’idée, d’changer d’cimetière
Dedans sa tombe, tout contre sa tête
On a trouvé son seul bagage
Sa cornemuse, sa chère musette
Qui accompagne son grand voyage

Car on n’a pas pu les séparer
Et c’est peut-être beaucoup mieux ainsi
On les a trouvés, ils dorment dans le même lit
C’était peut-être pas un maître-sonneur
Mais il aimait ce sacré bout de bois
un peu comme une soeur que l’on veut garder près de soi

This tune is sometimes played at the "Navy Volunteer" pub session in Bristol (England) - in G Major. (The original setting was of course, C Major).

Here is my best attempt at a free translation of the lyrics:

He must have slept, for all this time
Very soundly, under three feet of ground
Until he was irreverently disturbed
What a bizarre idea, to disturb a cemetery.
Inside his tomb, all against his head
His only luggage was found
His bagpipe, its cherished sack
Accompanying him on his great voyage
Because one could not separate them
And he is perhaps much better thus.
They were found together
They sleep in the same bed
He was perhaps not a master piper
But he cared for his treasured instrument
A little like a sister
That one wants to keep close to oneself.

Great tune played all over european contries with many different instruments and style
Beauty dont wait for many notes…
the translation of the words here ( that can be song with the music) is very good can give an other dimension of
the meaning of the tune for those who dont understand french language. thanks

A video where you can see the composer of the tune ( the second from the left , with the boots..) playing with friend for a dance session. a tune is played here with a third part .. its traditionnal and alive music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f51k2j5oJDg

play video

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