Cuckoo's Nest (1) (The): Difference between revisions

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Theme code Index	3b3b17b 5444
Also known as
Composer/Core Source
Region	England
Genre/Style	English, Morris
Meter/Rhythm	Country Dance
Key/Tonic of	G
Accidental	1 flat
Mode	Dorian
Time signature	4/4
History	ENGLAND(South Midlands)
Structure	AABB AABB AACC AACC AA
Editor/Compiler	Biography:Lionel Bacon
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Morris Ring (The)
Tune and/or Page number	86, 209, 256
Year of publication/Date of MS	1974
Artist	Biography:Ashley Hutchings et al
Title of recording	Morris On
Record label/Catalogue nr.	Carthage CGLP 4406
Year recorded	1983 (originally recorded 1972)
Media
Score ()

CUCKOO'S NEST [1], THE. English, Reel and Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Dorian (Playford version): G Major (Longborough, Ilmington versions): G Minor/Dorian (Bacon & Raven-Bledington version): E Minor (Mallinson-Bledington). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABA (Bacon-Longborough): AABB (Playford): AAB, x4, AA (Ilmington, Longborough): AABBCC (Raven-Bledington): AABB,AABB,AACC,AACC,AA (Bacon & Mallinson-Bledington). Sometimes known as "The Old Cuckoo's Nest" to differentiate it from what is perceived as newer airs with that title. The melody is said to appear in Playford's The English Dancing Master (1651), but I have not been able to verify the source. "The Cuckoo's Nest" has had great currency as a morris dance tune from many villages of England's Cotswold region, and is melodically similar in the areas of Ilmington, Longborough and Bledington, although it has a wide variation in other locales. John Kirkpatrick (1976) notes that the Longborough dancers were particularly proud of their jumps which occur after every bar of stepping, and that the music should reflect and allow for this practice. In folksong, the 'cuckoo's nest' is sometimes a euphemism for female genetilia (Simpson & Roud, "'Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore, 2000).

Source for notated version: Charles Benfield (Rollo Woods, England) [Bacon-Bledington]. Benfield (1841-1929) was born in Bould, a hamlet just down the hill from Idbury, Oxfordshire, who was the musician for the second 19th century revival of the Idbury/Bledington Cotswold morris team. He originally played a pipe and tabor but switched to the fiddle when "the position became open." Collector Cecil Sharp noted many tune from Benfield, although at the time the fiddler was quite elderly and had no playable instrument. Sharp first had to buy him a new fiddle to continue his collection work.

Printed sources: Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pp. 86, 209, 256. Mallinson, 1988, vol. 1; No. 45, p. 28. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), 1988, vol. 2; No. 26, p. 14. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 12 and p. 84 (two morris versions).

Recorded sources: Carthage CGLP 4406, Hutchings et al - "Morris On" (1983/1972). Topic TSCD458, John Kirkpatrick - "Plain Capers" (1976/1992).

X:1
T:The Cuckoo's Nest [1]
M:4/4
L:1/8
S:Charles Benfield (Bledington)
K:Gdor
A|B2B2G2f2|d2cB c2c2|BA G2 FFGA|B2G2G2:|
|:d2|g2g2g2a2|g2d2d2 de|f2f2f2g2|efed c2c2|
BcBA G2f2|d2 cB c2c2|BA G2 FFGA|B2G2G2:||
d4g4|g4g4|a2g2f4|d4d4|d2e2 f4|f4 f3g|efed c2c2|
BcBA G2f2|d2cB c2c2 BA|G2 FFGA|B2G2G2||

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |f_accidental=1 flat
 |f_mode=Dorian
-|f_history=<b>England</b>/South Midlands
+|f_history=ENGLAND(South Midlands)
 |f_structure=AABB AABB AACC AACC AA
 |f_book_title=Morris Ring (The)