Annotation:Parson upon Dorothy

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PARSON UPON DOROTHY. AKA – “Shepherd's Daughter (2) (The)," "Beautiful Shepherdess of Arcadia.” English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). G Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. “Parson upon Dorothy” first appears in the second edition of John Playford’s Dancing Master [1] (London, 1652). The melody was retained in all subsequent editions of the long-running Dancing Master series, through the 18th, published in 1728 by John Young. It also appears in John Walsh’s Compleat Country Dancing Master (London, 1718, and later editions of 1731 and 1754), and is the vehicle for songs in several ballad operas, including John Gay’s Polly (1729), Ebenezer Forrest’s Momus Turn’d Fabulist, or Vulcan’s Wedding, and George Lillo’s Silvia (1731). The melody was also included by London musician Thomas Hammersley in his c. 1790 music manuscript collection.

The meaning of the title is as yet unexplained (best guess is the title of a ballad or song air), however, it was a popular tune (given the number of times it was printed in the 18th century), and, as the custom, was used as the vehicle for other songs. "The Beautiful Shepherdess of Arcadia" is the name of a c. 1693 Roxburghe ballad [Roxburghe 2.30-31] set to the tune, although versions of the text of that ballad are yet older, dating to the close of the 16th century (c.f. "The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter"). The South Carolina Gazette of April 20, 1738, gives:

In a short time will be published an excellent new ballad entitled Parson upon page. To the old tune of Parson upon Dorothy. Price half a bitt.

Kate Van Winkler Keller astutely points out (in Dance and its Music in America, 1528-1789, p. 93) that this is not a creditable announcement, but is rather a satiric comment in the guise of an advertisement. No doubt referring to some incident well-known to the small Charleston, S.C., community of the time.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Barlow (Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford’s Dancing Master), 1985; No. 107, p. 37. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; p. 99.

Recorded sources: Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-44, Oxford Waits - "Switter Swatter." Dorian DOR-90238, The Baltimore Consort - "A Trip to Kilburn" (1996, as "The Beautiful Shepherdess of Arcadia"). Rootbeat Records, Hannah James & Sam Sweeney - "State and Ancientry" (2012). Wildgoose Records WGS 304CD, Belshazzar’s Feast – “John Playford’s Secret Ball” (2001).

See also listing at:
Hear the tune played by Hannah James and Sam Sweeney on youtube.com [2]
Hear the Baltimore Consort's performance of "Beautiful Shepherdess of Arcadia" on youtube.com [3]

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