Annotation:Old Polka (The)

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OLD POLKA, THE. Scottish, Polka. Scotland, Orkney Islands. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A traditional tune from Orkney. Phillip Heath-Coleman [1] finds cognates in Beatrice Hill's "Three Hand Reel" (not the "Three Handed Reel (2)" printed by Lionel Bacon), Louis-Antoine Jullien's "Moldavian Schottische", Charlie Batchelor's "George Parkin's Schottische" (CS AFM 002) and Dennis Crowther's 'No.3' as collected by John Kirkpatrick. "It is referred to in Norfolk," notes Phillip, "as a "very old schottische" by Walter Geary, who nonetheless diddled it as a quick march (while stepping)."

Source for notated version: fiddler Tommy Mainland (b. 1938, Orkney) [Martin].

Printed sources: Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 102.

Recorded sources: Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society - "Orkney Fiddle Music" (1976). Attic Records, The Wrigley Sisters with David Campbell - "Orkney after Sunset" (2000). Folkways Records FW 8470, Hugh Inkster & Allie Windward - "Music from the Orkney Islands" (1979). Orkney Strathspey & Reel Society - "Itchy Fingers."

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