Annotation:Good for the Tongue

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GOOD FOR THE TONGUE. AKA and see "Blueskin's Hornpipe," "Jenkin's Hornpipe," "Stoney Steps (The)," "Stony Steps (The)," "Washington Hornpipe (1)." American, Breakdown or Hornpipe. USA; Nebraska, Missouri. B Flat Major (Christeson, Cole, Ford, Howe, Phillips, White): A Major (Silberberg, Songer). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Silberberg): AABB (most versions). The title and the melody's presence in Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1883) suggests this was once employed as a brass band tune (as was, for example, "Ned Kendall's Hornpipe"), a genre popular in the mid-19th century, and originally meant to be played on an instrument that featured 'tonguing' articulation of notes, like a coronet. However, Scottish sources ("Jenkins' Hornpipe") seem to predate brass band usage, and it appears as an untitled tune in a manuscript from the North East of England dating the the early 19th century [1], set in the key of 'C'. The manuscript is signed "C.J. Surtees" but entries are in many hands. It was printed by London publisher James Alexander in his Alexander's 50 New Scotch & Irish Reels & Hornpipes (c. 1826), attributed to the mysterious "W.J." who is credited with a half-dozen tunes in the publication, and who may be the editor of the volume. The volume was edited by a "professional musician," who is presumably "W.J." himself. Missouri fiddler Cyril Stinnett (1912–1986) thought it one of the more difficult tunes in his repertoire. Northwest U.S. fiddlers have changed the original key to A major. See also the closely related tune "White Fish in the Rapids."

Source for notated version: Bob Walters (1889–1960, Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson, Phillips]; Deborah and Creighton Lindsay (Portland, Oregon) [Songer]; Cathie Whitesides [Silberberg].

Printed sources: Alexander (Alexander's Fifty New Scotch & Irish Reels and Hornpipes), c. 1826; No. 35, p. 17 (as "Blueskin's Hornpipe"). R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddler's Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; p. 25. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 92. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 96. Howe (The Musician's Companion, vol. 1), 1842; p.44. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 80. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 195. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; p. 85. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883. Silberberg (Fiddle Tunes I Learned at the Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 54. White's Unique Collection, 1896; No. 142, p. 25.

Recorded sources: Great Meadow Music CD 2008, Bob McQuillen and Friends – "Old New England" (1996). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Bob Walters – "Drunken Wagoneer." Laurie Andres – "Fantastic Hornpipe" (1991. learned from Bob Childs and Greg Boardman, who had the tune from Maine dance musician Otto Sopher).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]

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