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''Laurence Flett of [the Métis community of] Ebb and Flow says his grandfather used to tell''  
''Laurence Flett of [the Métis community of] Ebb and Flow says his grandfather used to tell''  
''him “Don’t play those things. . . If you ever play them, he said, the devil will walk in''  
''him “Don’t play those things. . . If you ever play them, he said, the devil will walk in''  
''and take the fiddle off you, and maybe you’ll never, ever play a tune again.''  
''and take the fiddle off you, and maybe you’ll never, ever play a tune again.''<ref>Anne Lederman, "The Grandy Project:Fiddle repertoire of Metis elder Grandy Fagnan" [https://grandyproject.ca/tunes/].  </ref>
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Her source for the tune, Fagnan, did not relay such stories, but he did say that he learned the tune sometime in the 1940's from an elderly fiddler.  
Her source for the tune, Fagnan, did not relay such stories, but he did say that he learned the tune sometime in the 1940's from an elderly fiddler.  

Revision as of 02:05, 14 August 2024


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X:2 T:Devil's Waltz S:Grandy Fagnan (1902-1986, Camperville, Manitoba) M:C| L:1/8 R:Waltz N:AEac# tuning (fiddle). As usual with this tuning, drone frequently. N:"+" = pizzicato note N:A version of "Drunken Hiccoughs" D:Falcon FP 287, Fred McKay - "Old Native And Métis Fiddling in Manitoba, Vol. 2" (1987) D:https://grandyproject.ca/tunes/ Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz N:The key is 'A' Major K:C P:With fiddle tuned AEac# finger the following "as if" in standard tuning: S{ga}g4e2|c'4e2|g2- g^f-ga|g3e g2|[^c3e3] [ce] [c2e2]|[^c2e2]^F2B2| A3^F A2|D6|D2 B,-A,G,2|{ga}g4-e2|c'4-e2|g2- g^fa2| g3e g2|e3e e2|[M:C|]A3 A A2B2|[M:3/4]A3^F A2|D6| g4-e2| c'4-e2|g2- g^fa2|g3e g2|e4 ee|e2^F2B2| A3 ^FA2|D6|| "+"e2"+"A2"+"D2|"+"e2"+"A2"+"D2|[M:3/8]B,/A,/ G,2|[M:3/4] ^C3B,CE |D2^F2B2 |A3B^c2|D2B,A,G,2| [^C3E3]B,CE |D2^F2B2 |A3^F AB|A6!D.S.!||



DEVIL'S WALTZ. AKA and see "Drunken Hiccups (1)," "Jack of Diamonds (3)," "Rye Whiskey (1)." Canadian,Waltz (3/4 time).  Canada, Manitoba.  A Major. AEac# ('calico') tuning (fiddle).  AA'B.  "Devil's Waltz" is a Métis version of the tune widespread in America usually known as "Drunken Hiccups (1)," "Rye Whiskey (1)," or "Jack of Diamonds (3)," with its characteristic pizzicato notes and AEac# fiddle tuning. Fiddler and researcher Anne Lederman, who interviewed and collected the tune from Métis fiddler Grandy Fagnan in the mid-1980's explains that the AEac# and AEae tunings in Canadian Métis communities were reputed to be associated with the Devil, and that fiddlers who employed them took a chance. Anne writes:

Laurence Flett of [the Métis community of] Ebb and Flow says his grandfather used to tell him “Don’t play those things. . . If you ever play them, he said, the devil will walk in and take the fiddle off you, and maybe you’ll never, ever play a tune again.[1]

Her source for the tune, Fagnan, did not relay such stories, but he did say that he learned the tune sometime in the 1940's from an elderly fiddler.


Additional notes





Recorded sources : - Falcon FP 287, Fred McKay - "Old Native And Métis Fiddling in Manitoba, Vol. 2" (1987)

See also listing at :
Hear Anne Lederman's recording of Métis fiddler Grandy Fagnan playing the tune at 'The Grandy Project' [1]<br>



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  1. Anne Lederman, "The Grandy Project:Fiddle repertoire of Metis elder Grandy Fagnan" [2].