Annotation:Rags (The)

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RAGS, THE (Les Guenilles). AKA – "Guenille (La)," "Guénille (La)," "Reel de la guénille." French-Canadian, Reel and Air. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCCC (Phillips): AA'BB'CC' (Reiner & Anick). A common French-Canadian reel, according to David Green in the liner notes to “Louis Beaudoin” (Philo Records, 1973). The title refers to a piece of cloth, not 'ragtime' rhythm. The tune was popularized through the performances of accordion player Alfred Montmarquette (1871–1944) and singer Mary Travers (La Bolduc), who set words to it. It was also recorded by fiddlers Joseph Allard and Isidore Soucy and by numerous accordion players.

Alfred Montmarquette

Source for notated version: Dennis Mathieu via Louis Beaudoin (1921–1980, Burlington, Vt.) [Reiner & Anick]; Ken Kosek [Phillips].

Printed sources: Hart & Sandall (Dance ce soir!), 2001; No. 14, p. 47. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 194. Reiner & Anick (Old-Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; p. 64.

Recorded sources: Bluebird B-4887 (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1936). Folkways Records RBF 111, Alfred Montmarquette – "Masters of French-Canadian Music, Vol. 2" (1980). Grooveless Records, Arm & Hammer String Band – "Stay on the Farm" (1978). Philo 2000, "Louis Beaudoin" (1973. Learned in Burlington, Vt., from Dennis Mathieu). Calvin Volroth – "Tunes From My Past." Philo Records, Louis Beaudoin" (1973). RCA Victor CGPS-215, Isidore Soucy – "La veillée chez Isidore" (1968). SOCAN MPCD 2039, La Bottine Souriante – "En spectacle" (1996). Starr Records 15491 (78 RPM), Alfred Montmarquette (1928). Victor 263593 (78 RPM), Tezraf Latour {1888–1932, accordion} (1929).

See also listing at:
Hear Fernando Soucy's 1972 recording on youtube.com [1]
Hear Alfred Montmarquette's recording on youtube.com [2] [3] and at the Virtual Gramophone [4]
Hear Tezraf Latour's 1936 recording at the Virtual Gramophone [5]

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