Annotation:Black Boy (1) (The)

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X:1 T:Black Boy [1], The L:1/8 M:2/4 R:Country Dance Tune S:Harrison & Wall music/dance manuscript (c. 1762, Ashover, Derbyshire, England) F:https://archive.org/details/AshoverHarrisonWall18thcMusicDanceManuscriptBook K:A A2 c/B/A/G/|acea|gbed|c A2 B| ce^df|e g2 e|fa g/f/e/^d/|e2 E2:| |:e =g2 f|f/e/d/c/ d2|B d2 f|e/d/c/B/ c2| A c2 e|d/c/B/A/ GB|Ed c/B/A/G/|A2 A,2:| L:1/8 M:2/4 K:D A|d2d c2d|efe efg|d2d c2d|ecA A2A| d2d c2d|efd efg|afd gec|d2d d2:| |:e|f2f fdf|g2g geg|f2f fdf|ecA A2g| faf def|gbg efg|afd gec|d2d d2:||

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BLACK BOY [1], THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 and 6/8 times). A Major ('A' and 'B' parts) & D Major ('C' and 'D' parts). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCDD'. The tune appears in a music and country dance manuscript from the village of Ashover, Derbyshire, dated 1762 (also dated as 1764 or even 1770). Known as the Ashover Manuscript, it is a music copybook with community dance instructions and melodies with the first page inscribed: ""A Book Of Tunes Joshua Harrison, David Wall, 1762" and a second page inscribed: ""David Wall, His Book, 1775." According to Folkopedia [1], nothing is known of Joshua Harrison, however, David Wall was a bassonist. A memorial plaque at All Saints Church, Ashover, honors him:

To the memory of David Wall
Whose superior performance on the bassoon endeared him
To an extensive musical acquaintance.
His social life closed on the 4 of December 1796 in his 57 year.

Some of the contents (including "The Black Boy") were published published by the Sheffield branch of the English Folk Dance Society in 1927 in a small volume called Five Country Dances together with their tunes.