Annotation:Royal Albert (1)
X: 1 % T:88 Untitled Jig (The Royal Albert [1]) C:Thomas Shoosmith MS (Arlington, Sussex, early 19th c.) I:abc2nwc M:6/8 L:1/8 K:G GAG BAG|d2d d2g|d2g d2c|B2A G2D| GAG BAG|d2d d2g|fgf edc|d3d3:| a2d c'2b|agf gfg|a2d c'2b|agf g3| eaa dbb|caa g2G|cBA d2F|G3G3:| B3ABA|G2G GBd|d3cdc|B2B B2g| g2f f2e|e2d d2c|Bcd dcB|B3A3| g3gec|BcB B3|c'3c'af|gag g2d| g2f e2d|e2d c2B|ABA d2F|G3G3:|
ROYAL ALBERT [1]. AKA – “Prince of Wales Contre Dance.” AKA and see “Mignonette (1) (La)," “Sicilian Dance (1) (The)].” Scottish, English; Jig (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). The Royal Albert is a Scottish country dance whose figures are described by Flett & Flett (Traditional Dancing in Scotland) for a 40 bar melody. The tune has taken the name of the dance, however, it has appeared under different titles. The earliest version so far found is in a late 18th century volume issued in Edinburgh by fiddler-composer and bandleader Alexander "King" McGlashan as "Mignonette (La)." At the beginning of the 19th century the jig was included in dancing master Thomas Wilson's Companion to the Ball Room as "Sicilian Dance (1)," and under that title it was entered into several early 19th century fiddlers' manuscripts. Contemporaneously with the "Sicialian Dance" name, it was also called "Royal Albert," and under that title can also be found in early 19th century fiddlers' manuscripts, such as the James Nuttal manuscript (c. 1830, Rossendale, East Lancashire). Musician Thomas Shoosmith (Arlington, Sussex) entered it as an untitled jig in his early 19th century music manuscript, writing "Royal Albert" in parenthesis, indicating it was to be played for the dance.