Annotation:Merry Dancers (The)

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MERRY DANCERS, THE. AKA and see "Bonny Lass (2)," "Ellingham Hall." English, Scottish; Jig. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. The John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of a melody by this name in print in Scottish collections in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection, though in also appears in the (James) Gillespie Manuscript of Perth, 1768. As might be surmised the title "The Merry Dance" or "The Merry Dancers" was a popular one in country dance literature and many dances and tunes can be found with this name in England, Scotland and America. One American dance with this title is included in Clement Weeks' dance MS (Greenland, New Hampshire, 1783). See also "Ryan's Rant."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Bremner (Scots Reels), c. 1757; p. 94. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 181.

Recorded sources:

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