Companion Tune Book Companion Tune Book 65 transcriptions in standard notation 65 transcriptions in standard notation with mandolin TAB & chords for accompaniment with mandolin TAB & chords for accompaniment Volumes 1 & 2 Volumes 1 & 2 Fast & slow for learning Fast & slow for learning Charlie Walden’s Charlie Walden’s Charlie Walden’s Missouri Fiddle Tunes Missouri Fiddle Tunes Missouri Fiddle Tunes
100
Embed
Charlie Walden’s Missouri Fiddle Tunes · A & E Waltz – This waltz came from Taylor McBaine of Columbia, MO. I suspect Taylor learned this from some recording or other. In the
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Companion Tune BookCompanion Tune Book 65 transcriptions in standard notation65 transcriptions in standard notation
with mandolin TAB & chords for accompanimentwith mandolin TAB & chords for accompaniment
MISSOURI FIDDLE TUNES VOLUME 1 & 2 - FAST & SLOW FOR LEARNING
This is the companion book to the recordings Missouri Fiddle Tunes – Vol. 1 & 2 Fast & Slow for Learning. The book contains a transcription of all 64 tunes from the CDs. The original recording has been around for nearly 20 years. Many of my students have used it as a guide to building repertoire and technique in playing Show-Me style fiddling. I’ve always contended that anyone who wants to fiddle should school themselves in the “standards” and many of these are presented here. These transcriptions are provided as an additional aid in learning the tunes from the recordings. Anyone who notes differences between the recordings and the transcriptions should be patted on the back for being an active and attentive listener. Standard notation and TAB for mandolin is provided for each tune. Chords are indicated as a guide to the accompanist. For those interested in the origin of these tunes I’ve included a few comments about each, from whom I learned it, alternate recorded and printed sources, etc. Lastly, a brief list of available recordings and books which might prove useful for learning more great Missouri fiddle tunes is provided. Charlie “Possum” Walden
Copyright 2010 Charlie Walden Music
Unauthorized duplication may limit future projects.
ii
Volume 1 Tunes A & E Waltz --------------------- 1 Angus Campbell --------------------- 4 Arkansas Traveler --------------------- 5 Arkansas Traveler (Hi/Lo) --------------------- 6 Bill Cheatum --------------------- 7 Billy in the Low Ground --------------------- 8 Black Velvet Waltz --------------------- 9 Brickyard Joe --------------------- 11 Caton's Hornpipe (Jeff City or Katon’s Hornpipe) --------------------- 13 Clark's Waltz --------------------- 14 Comin' Down From Denver --------------------- 16 Country Waltz --------------------- 17 Cowboy Waltz --------------------- 19 Devil's Dream --------------------- 21 Down Home Rag --------------------- 22 Down Yonder --------------------- 24 Durang's Hornpipe --------------------- 25 East Tennessee Blues --------------------- 26 Eighth of January --------------------- 28 Fever in the South --------------------- 29 Fiddler's Dream --------------------- 30 Fire on the Mountain --------------------- 31 Fisher's Hornpipe --------------------- 32 Flop-Eared Mule --------------------- 33 Ford One Step --------------------- 34 Forked Deer --------------------- 35 Golden Slippers --------------------- 36 Goodnight Waltz --------------------- 38 Granny Will Your Dog Bite --------------------- 40 Haste to the Wedding --------------------- 41 I'll Be All Smiles Tonight --------------------- 42 Lamplighter's Hornpipe --------------------- 44
iii
Volume 2 Tunes Leadout --------------------- 45 Liberty --------------------- 46 Lost Indian --------------------- 47 MacCleod's Reel --------------------- 48 Marmaduke's Hornpipe --------------------- 49 Mississippi Sawyer --------------------- 50 Missouri Mud --------------------- 51 MO Waltz --------------------- 52 Mockingbird Hill --------------------- 54 O’er the Waves --------------------- 55 Old Joe --------------------- 57 Old Joe Clark --------------------- 58 Old Molly Hare --------------------- 59 Peek-A-Boo Waltz --------------------- 60 Rachel --------------------- 62 Ragtime Annie --------------------- 63 Red Fox Waltz --------------------- 66 Red Wing --------------------- 68 Rickett's Hornpipe --------------------- 70 Rose Waltz --------------------- 71 Shenandoah Valley Waltz --------------------- 73 Soldier's Joy --------------------- 74 Spanish Two-Step --------------------- 75 St. Anne's Reel --------------------- 77 Sugar in the Coffee --------------------- 78 Sweet Bunch of Daisies --------------------- 79 TN Waltz --------------------- 80 Wagner --------------------- 82 Walk Along John --------------------- 83 Walking in my Sleep --------------------- 84 Westphalia Waltz --------------------- 86 Whiskey Before Breakfast --------------------- 89 Woodchopper's Breakdown --------------------- 90
iv
Comments A & E Waltz – This waltz came from Taylor McBaine of Columbia, MO. I suspect Taylor learned this from some recording or other. In the early 1960s several Missouri fiddlers trekked out west to the National Fiddle Championship in Weiser, ID. They undoubtedly brought back some of those American Heritage fiddle LPs. Taylor had a copy of the Lloyd Wanzer LP Waltz Wonderland and I think he learned this tune from that recording. Wanzer was from Idaho and among the kingpins in early days of the Weiser contest. Angus Campbell – This is an old Scottish reel that was played by most of the fiddlers around mid-Missouri and in the Missouri Valley region. I learned this version from Cyril Stinnett of Oregon, MO. Several Missouri fiddlers I knew had copies of a K-TEL record called “25 Old Time Fiddle Hits”. It was sold over television and featured a variety of unidentified fiddlers from Nashville and Canada. Angus Campbell was on this record and it’s my guess that this might be the origin of the tune among the fiddlers I knew playing it. Arkansas Traveler – This is a classic fiddle piece that everyone should know. I’ve also included a transcription with the high part played low and the low part played high. I heard Kelly Jones of Vienna, MO, do this in fiddle contests to good effect on many occasions. Bill Cheatum – This is another classic that everyone should know. The version presented here is fairly generic. The best Missouri rendition I ever heard was by Pete McMahan of Harrisburg, which can be heard on the reissue of his old fiddle LPs by Voyager Recordings entitled Pete McMahan: 50 Fiddle Gems (VRCD 366). Billy in the Lowground – This is another great fiddle piece that should be high on any list of important old-time fiddle tunes. I learned this rendition from Cyril Stinnett. Black Velvet Waltz – This is a waltz of Canadian origin that I learned from Jake Hockemeyer of Mokane, MO. It appears on the K-TEL record cited above and was recorded by numerous Canadian fiddlers in the 1960s. Brickyard Joe – This piece comes from the playing of Lyman Enloe as he learned it from Tony Gilmore of Jefferson City. Lyman’s version can be heard on the recording Fiddle Tunes I Recall (County 2707-CD). It was recorded on an early 78 rpm record by Doc Roberts, which may be the original source of the tune. A recording of Tony Gilmore playing the tune can be found on the out-of-print Old Time Fiddlers Repertory LP, which was issued by University of Missouri Press to accompany R. P. Christeson’s first volume of fiddle tunes. Caton's Hornpipe (a.k.a. Jeff City or Katon’s Hornpipe) – This tune has been ascribed to Bill Caton, a black fiddler from Tebbetts in Mid-Missouri. He performed over radio station WOS in Jefferson City during the 1920s with his guitarist Ola Gathright. This tune had vanished from the scene, but was brought back from extinction when published in R. P. Christeson’s Old Time Fiddler’s Repertory (University of Missouri Press, 1973). The tune has attained considerable popularity among younger fiddlers throughout the Midwest and eastern United States. Clark's Waltz – This is a Pete McMahan tune which he attributed to his mentor Clark Atterbury, a farmer and fiddler who resided at Portland, MO. I heard Pete play this in a lot of contests. Pete’s rendition can be heard on the Voyager CD cited above. Comin' Down From Denver – This was a popular tune in Mid-Missouri and often performed by Taylor McBaine and Jake Hockemeyer. Country Waltz – This is another tune which most likely came into Missouri via Canadian vinyl. I learned it from Cyril Stinnett. It is on the K-TEL record.
v
Cowboy Waltz – This is Cyril’s version of a classic waltz. Devil's Dream – This is a generic rendition of a tune that every fiddler should know. It appears in Cole’s 1000 Fiddle Tunes (M. M. Cole Publishing, Chicago), an out of print volume that has been reissued by Mel Bay Publishing (Kirkwood, MO) in its original incarnation as Ryan’s Mammoth Collection. It would be hard to overstate the importance of the Cole book to the development of the modern fiddle repertoire in Missouri, especially around Columbia. Dozens of tunes came from this source as performed by Taylor McBaine, Pete McMahan and Cleo Persinger as well as players in the generation before them such as George Morris, Luther Caldwell, and Ed Tharp. Taylor McBaine kept a copy right on his nightstand despite his claim that he could not read a note. Down Home Rag – This tune is from the playing of Lyman Enloe. Lyman was originally from around Eldon in the Central Ozarks. In his later years he lived near Kansas City and fell in with the Bluegrass Association, one of the top bands in the area. His hard-driving style fit nicely in a Blue Grass setting and as a result he became quite popular playing with this group. Lyman has been honored by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America, the International Blue Grass Music Association and was a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts prestigious National Heritage Award. Al Murphy, a fine and versatile fiddler from Eastern Iowa, enjoyed a long association with Lyman and plays many of his tunes. This tune employs the infamous “double-shuffle”. I’ve done my best to notate it so the transcription might be helpful for anyone who has been struggling to figure out this little trick. Down Yonder – Every fiddler should know this old piece, so here ‘tis. Durang's Hornpipe – This tune is among the most widespread and appears in 19th century fiddle tune collections, such as Coles 1000. The version here is somewhat middle-of-the-road, especially on the 2nd part as there have been as many renditions of this tune as there have been performers over the years. Joe Wilson informed me that this tune can be attributed to a German dwarf named Hoffmaster who composed music for the stage in New York City during the 1700s. East Tennessee Blues – This tune is from to Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith. It is similar to Clark Kessinger’s Poca River Blues and has also been recorded as Kelly Boy Rag. Eighth of January – This tune commemorates Andrew Jackson’s victory over the British in New Orleans during the War of 1812. It’s a good tune for a square dance. Fever in the South – This piece comes from Vee Latty of Fulton, MO, another performer over WOS Radio during the 1920s. It has a bit of a raggey feel. Anecdotes suggest it may have originated with Black fiddlers in Mid-Missouri. Fiddler's Dream – This is another tune attributable to Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith. This version I play is a little bit Cyril Stinnett and little bit Pete McMahan. Fire on the Mountain – This tune was played by Jake Hockemeyer and is a popular old hoe-down. Fisher's Hornpipe – This tune is most often heard in the key of D, but most Missouri fiddlers play it in F, the original key in which it was published. Jake Hockemeyer and Cyril Stinnett (both lefties, by the way) had particularly nice renditions. It appears in Cole’s 1000. Flop-Eared Mule – The version played here is close to what I learned from Pete McMahan. He called it Peach Tree Limb and attributed it to Ed Tharp, a well-known fiddler from Columbia, MO. Ford One Step – This is another Pete McMahan tune and is for couple dancing. Forked Deer – This is a standard that every fiddler should know.
vi
Golden Slippers – This tune was often played at dances when a couple dance (a.k.a. “belly-rubbin” music) was requested. It can also be used for a square dance. Goodnight Waltz – This waltz was played by many old time fiddlers in Mid-Missouri. I learned it from R. P. Christeson. Granny Will Your Dog Bite – This tune was popular up in the Missouri Valley Region. I learned it from a recording of Bob Walters of Nebraska. Haste to the Wedding – This tune in 6/8 time could be called a jig or quadrille (the latter term being popular in the Missouri Valley Region). Tunes in 6/8 time are not common in Missouri, but of those that are played Haste to the Wedding and Irish Washerwoman were collected often and one or both was know by most old-timers. This tune and Irish Washerwoman both appear in Cole’s 1000 fiddle and can also be found in various “self-tutors” for the violin, which were included with the thousands of violins shipped all over the country by Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward during the early 1900s. I'll Be All Smiles Tonight – This is an old song in ¾ time which works well for dancing. Lamplighter's Hornpipe – I learned this one from Cyril Stinnett. It is one of many 19th century “book” tunes played by Missouri fiddlers. It appears in Cole’s 1000. Leadout – I call this piece “the tune with a thousand names”. That’s a bit of exaggeration, but the tune seems to have more titles than Carter had Little Liver Pills. I’ve seen it on recordings, in books, or announced when performed as Too Young to Marry, My Love is But A Lassie-O, Hornet’s Nest, Soapsuds Over the Fence, Hell on the Wabash, Chinquapin, Chinky-Pin, &c. The title Leadout comes from Tommy Jackson. This rendition is from Cyril Stinnett. Liberty – This is a fine old square dance standard that every fiddler should know. When I first started playing contests in Mid-Missouri in the 1970s it was customary for all the contestants to get on stage together and play this tune for entertainment while the judges made their final tabulations. Lost Indian – This is one of the best tunes I have found for a square dance. This version I borrowed from several players, among them Kenny Baker. MacCleod's Reel – This is an old Scottish tune, also known as Uncle Joe in some parts. This tune appears in Cole’s 1000. Marmaduke's Hornpipe – Often called the “national anthem” of Missouri fiddling, this tune commemorates John. S. Marmaduke. He was a Confederate general and later served as Governor of Missouri. It is related to Cricket on the Hearth. Mississippi Sawyer – One of the best tunes for a square dance, Mississippi Sawyer is must know tune for any old-time fiddler. Missouri Mud – This is a Missouri Valley Region tune that comes from the playing of Cyril Stinnett and Bob Walters. R. P. Christeson cited an alternate title as “Stuck in the Mud”. MO Waltz – The official state song of Missouri, this version with the minor key section is how I heard Bob Holt of Ava play it. Mockingbird Hill – This is just an old traditional song you can play for waltzing.
vii
O’er the Waves – This is one of the big waltzes that any self-respecting fiddler should know. I can recall this being a preferred selection for contest play by Henry Thompson, a classically trained “fiddler” from Rolla. Henry had a tendency to run a bit long in his performance of this piece which always prompted my dad to say, “Get out your seasick pills.” Old Joe – This tune I first heard from R. P. Christeson. I learned this version from Cyril Stinnett. It appears in Volume 1 of the Old Time Fiddlers Repertory. Old Joe Clark – We play this tune a little differently in Missouri by staying away from the “modal” notes. Old Molly Hare – Recorded by Cyril Stinnett as Old Mother Blair, this is a great old tune with Scottish origin. Peek-A-Boo Waltz –The best performance I ever heard of this was by Jake Hockemeyer of Mokane. He had a way of rolling the notes in the first part that always put me in mind of a slowly turning water wheel at an old mill. Rachel – This tune is also known as Missouri Quickstep. I first learned this from Taylor McBaine and then borrowed a little from Cyril Stinnett. Ragtime Annie – This is another classic tune that belongs in every fiddler’s toolkit. Red Fox Waltz – I believe this waltz came to Missouri by way of recordings imported from “out West”, especially of the early Weiser contests. I learned this from Taylor McBaine and it likely came from the previously referenced Lloyd Wanzer LP. Red Wing – “There once was an Indian Maid who said she wasn’t afraid…” Rickett's Hornpipe – This is another of those 19th century fiddle tunes. It can be found in Cole’s 1000. Rose Waltz – I learned this from Cyril Stinnett. Shenandoah Valley Waltz – This tune comes from Virgil Smith. He learned it from Vee Latty of Fulton, MO. It has been played and sung by various Blue Grass bands. Soldier's Joy – An old standard that can still work for a square dance. Spanish Two-Step – This is a traditional tune that was recorded and popularized by various Western Swing bands. This version comes from Cyril Stinnett. St. Anne's Reel – This is a Canadian tune that undoubtedly came into Missouri on a Ned Landry record or via the previously referenced K-TEL LP. Sugar in the Coffee – This is a good beginner’s tune and nice little ditty. I learned this from Bill Graves of Lebanon in the Missouri Ozarks. Sweet Bunch of Daisies – A fine old song, it works well as an instrumental waltz. TN Waltz – This is another classic waltz. Wagner – This is one of the best square dance tunes around. R. P. Christeson once remarked to me that when he was growing up in Dixon if you didn’t hear Wagner being played when you rode up to a square dance you had just as well turn around and go home.
viii
Walk Along John – This is nice hoe-down I learned from Bob Holt. Walking in my Sleep – This is an old Arthur Smith tune. Westphalia Waltz – Every fiddler should know this time-worn favorite. Whiskey Before Breakfast – This is a popular fiddle tune I learned from Cyril Stinnett and Taylor McBaine. Woodchopper's Breakdown – This is another Canadian import, which I learned from Cyril.
Recommended Books & Recordings Some of the items referenced below may prove useful in your quest to become a Show-Me Style fiddler. BOOKS
The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory 245, Compiled and edited by R. P. Christeson, ISBN 978-0-8262-0439-4, 224 pages. Reissued by University of Missouri Press, 2010.
The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory Volume 2, Compiled and edited by R. P. Christeson, ISBN 978-0-8262-1907-7, 188 pages. Reissued by University of Missouri Press, 2010. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1050 Reels and Jigs (Hornpipes, Clogs, Walk-arounds, Essences, Strathspeys, Highland Flings and Contra Dances, with Figures), Mel Bay Publications. (previously published as Cole’s 1000 Fiddle Tune, M. M. Cole Publishing, Chicago) RECORDINGS Missouri Fiddle Tunes (fast & slow for learning) Volumes 1 & 2. Go to www.cdbaby.com and search: Missouri Fiddle Tunes. The following two sites maintain an excellent selection of recordings of Missouri fiddlers. Voyager Records - www.voyagerrecords.com County Sales - www.countysales.com Check www.missourifiddling.com for reviews and information on new recordings of Missouri fiddlers. For more of my recordings and books please visit www.charliewalden.com.