Annotation:Rolling Hornpipe (The)
X:0 T:Rolling Hornpipe, The M:3/2 L:1/8 Q:1/2=100 S:D.Wright, Extraordinary Collection, London 1713 Z:Pete Stewart, 2004 <www.hornpipemusic.co.uk> K:D V:1 clef=treble name="0." [V:1] FDF2ECE2DEFD|EFGEC2F2EFGE|F2DEFDE2CDEC|AGFE DEFD EFGE|| ABcA BcdB c4|GEC4F2EFGE|ABcA BcdBd4|AFD2DEFD EFGE|| DEFD EFGE DEFD|E2C4G2F2E2|DEFD EFGE DEFD|AF D2DEFD EFGE|]
ROLLING HORNPIPE, THE. English, Triple Hornpipe (3/2 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC. The melody appears in dancing master Daniel Wright's An Extraordinary Collection of Pleasant and merry Humours never before Published, Containing Hornpipes, Jiggs, North Cuntry Frisks', Morris's, Bagpipe Hornpipe's, & Round's with Severall Additonal fancis added. fit for all those that play Publick (London, c. 1715). There are similarities to the Northumbrian “Sailors are all at the bar (The),” and the “Drunken Hornpipe” from David Young's MacFarlane manuscript]].
The Rolling Hornpipe is named in 19th century articles and books as a favorite country dance, particularly among the young. For example, Colonial Children (1902, p. 193), by Albert Bushnell Hart and Blanche Evans Hazard, in speaking of older New Hampshire pastimes records:
The principle amusements of the young men were wrestling, running and jumping, or hopping three hops. Dancing was considered an important thing to know. Dancing to step-tunes, such as Old Father George, Cape Breton, High Betty Martin and the Rolling Hornpipe were favorites.
Similarly, it is mentioned by Estelle M. Hart in her article "In the Days of Old Father George and High Betty Martin" (Connecticut Magazine, vols. 1-2, 1895, p. 52): <blockqoute> There are other names of old contra dances handed down to us, the very sound of which is suggestive of the abandon of mirth and good spirits--the Rolling Hornpipe, Miss Foster's Delight, Petty-caotee, The Ladies' Choice, and Leather the Strap. Hearts were young and feet were light, even in those stern old times of our New England ancestors, and though King George was on the throne of England, it was Old Father George who held a mystical rule over the hearts of youthful Puritans.