Dick’s Maggot three-two

The tune is altogether more agreeable than the name. This is an attempt to transcribe the tune as played by Durham (UK) band Horseplay: they got it from Michael Raven’s “English Country Dance Tunes”. It’s a 3/2 whose setting demonstrates that you don’t have to go as far as the Balkans to find intriguing rhythms in a trad tune. (I don’t know how far Raven is responsible for this version, and how far the band!)

The triplets are played faster than on the midi. Maybe I should have entered the short notes with a / behind them, instead of with (3 in front of them.

But why have you written this in 3/4. 3/2 makes it easier to read and you loose the triplets in bar two replacing them with 2 quavers and a crotchet. Originally written down by John Playford. (cannot remember the date off hand) My ABC will follow 7 then you might like to amend yours, perhaps??

Sorry! my comment was written in haste but there is a problem somewhere, maybe in your designated note length.

I realise that you did stipulate 3/2 in your ABC but 1/8 as your note length. This had probably resulted in the notation turning out as it did. no doubt Jeremy would be able to explain.
here is my ABC
M: 3/2
L: 1/4
gd2 B2 A | B/c/d A/B/c B2 | gd2 B2 A | B/c/d GF G2 :||
fa2 f2 d | g/a/b e/f/g f2 | fa2 f2 d | d/e/f A/B/^c d =c | B/c/d B/c/d e2 | e/f/g e/f/g fe/f/ | gd2 B2 c | A_A G ||

When playing think 6 in the bar not three. Makes counting easier and by heck to play this tune, and many others in the Playford collection, you need to count.

The last 6 bars of ‘B’ music do not need to be there and the ‘B’ music is not repeated when played for the dance.

Note that in the last bar of the ‘B’ music I have tied the A’s so that the ready can count the three beats. Essential with this tune.

‘ready’ = reader

But the three beats gets you READY to start all over again.

hetty, I’ll work out the above, but regarding the last 6 bars of the B music, I simply put down what I heard on Horseplay’s album, which I assumed was bona-fide. I meant to enter it as a 3/2 - either I did it as a waltz by mistake, or the system altered it, as you suggest above.

Hetty, you beat me to it. I’d been searching my Playford sources. This notation didn’t fit either my ears or my shoes… Though it has been some time, I’ve been familiar with the music and the dance, and not just with my nose in books. Anyway, here are some online sources I’ve dug out for all to peruse, and valued sources these are ~

Milne Special Collections and Archives: University of New Hampshire Library
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/
University of New Hampshire Library Special Collections:
New Hampshire Library of Traditional Music & Dance
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/nhltmd/
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/nhltmd/indexes/dancingmaster/

“Dick’s Maggot”
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/nhltmd/indexes/dancingmaster/Dance/Play4351.htm

“Double the Cape”
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/nhltmd/indexes/dancingmaster/Dance/Play5553.htm

I had roughed out a transcription and will add it later, and possibly the dance too, if hetty doesn’t beat me to it… 😉

“Dick’s Maggot”
“Dancing Master, or Directions for Dancing Country Dances”
The Eleventh Edition, printed for H. Playford, 1701

“Double the Cape”
“The Dancing Master” Volume the Second, H. Playford
Printed by William Pearson and sold by John Young, 1710

The same dance description [Longways (proper) for as many as will] for both titles, roughed out from the originals:

The 1st couple cross over and the 2nd couple cast off _
Then change places across _
Then cast up in your own places,
Then back to back, then Right and Left and turn _

The Music ~
Note: (“Double the Cape”) The first strain is to be played twice, and the last but once.

“Dick’s Maggot” ~ 1701
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: G Major
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 AB c2 B4 |
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 G2 F2 G4 ||
f2 a4 f4 d2 | ga b2 ef g2 f4 |
f2 a4 f4 d2 | de f2 AB ^c2 d4 |
Bc d2 Bc d2 e4 | ef g2 ef g2 f4 |
g2 d4 B4 c2 | A4- A4 G4 ||

“Double the Cape” ~ 1710
M: 3/2
L: 1/8
K: G Major
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 AB c2 B4 |
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 G2 F2 G4 ||
f2 a4 f4 d2 | ga b2 ef g2 f4 |
f2 a4 f4 d2 | de f2 AB ^c2 d4 |
Bc d2 Bc d2 e4 | ef g2 ef g2 f4 |
g2 d4 B4 c2 | BA G2 A2 F2 G4 ||

As I remember it, Michael had it right…

Sadly, and here I am moaning again, someone else has my copy, on loan. But there were a lot sold…

Nicholas! the link that ‘c’ has given under “Dick’s Maggot” shows the notation as I know it and, hopefully, as my ABC indicates.

Playford 1701 & 1710 - 1728 ~ Two names but the same dance…

Longways proper, duple minor, for as many as will…

longways = couple behind or beside couple in a long set, often numbered from the ‘top’, nearest the music, alternately 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 ~ etc…, referred to as 1s & 2s or C1 & C2 (C = couple / M = man & W = woman)

proper = women form their own line opposite their partner and the line of men, facing the music the woman would be on the right, the man on the left, couple behind couple the length of the hall…however, this is partners facing…

duple minor = the progression for the active couple(s), after once through the dance, is one place down (every second couple, 2s, once place up, toward the music)

Steps, basic, 1 3/2 measure / bar = 3 steps (RLR or LRL)

Bars
A: 1 - 2 ~ M1 & W1 cross over R-shoulders (or half-turn), changing sides and lead down into 2s position / while C2 cast into 1s position

A: 3 - 4 ~ M1 & W1 / M2 & W2, partners cross over passing R-shoulders and exchanging sides and backing away from your partner into position ~ finishing with C1 proper & C2 improper

AA: 1 - 2 ~ M2 & W2 cross over R-shoulders (or half-turn), changing sides and lead back to place / while C1 cast up returning to places ~ finishing with all proper

AA: 3 - 4 ~ M1 & W1 / M2 & W2, partners pass back to back (do-sa-do)

B: 1 - 4 (the progression) ~ Partners facing and beginning passing R-shoulders, those four do a circular hey for three changes ~ finishing with C1 & C2 having exchanged places, C1 down & C2 up one place, all finishing proper

B: 5 - 8 ~ All, partners taking hands across, open or cross-hold, turn your partner twice and back into place to begin again with the next couple (when reaching the bottom or top you would wait out one turn and then become 2’s at the bottom and 1’s at the top)

A ~
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 AB c2 B4 | g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 G2 F2 G4 ||

AA ~
g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 AB c2 B4 | g2 d4 B4 A2 | Bc d2 G2 F2 G4 ||

B ~
f2 a4 f4 d2 | ga b2 ef g2 f4 | f2 a4 f4 d2 | de f2 AB ^c2 d4 |
Bc d2 Bc d2 e4 | ef g2 ef g2 f4 | g2 d4 B4 c2 | A4- A2 G2 G4 ||

My partner and I LOVE playing this tune. . . it’s on our album Night Dancer. I started with the harp on melody, then h. dulcimer took over, then we added some fiddle. It’s very music box like and unusual because of the time signature.

There’s a clip in MUSIC on our website:
heartwoodproductions.com

http://www.heartwoodproductions.com/

Saltburn Folk Festival 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttwmNfHiEvU

play video

Oh my! I just discovered this lovely three-two on an English country dance album and I just can’t get enough of it!