Annotation:Boston Fancy (1)

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BOSTON FANCY [1]. AKA and see "Lamplighter's Hornpipe." New England, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. Burchenal prints a dance called "Boston Fancy" to this tune, which tune was more familiarly known to her by that title rather than its usual one ("Lamplighter's Hornpipe"). "Boston Fancy" was listed in the repertoire of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham, who was Henry Ford's champion in the late 1920's; the name was that of the dance, however, for when he recorded it under the above title for Victor in 1926 (Vi 20001), the tune was in fact "The Tempest." Apparently either a version of the dance or tune "Boston Fancy" was also called "Lady Walpole Reel (1)." It has been suggested (by, for one, Louie W. Attebery in his article "The Fiddle Tune: An American Artifact" {1979}) that the name change from "Lady Walpole's Reel" to Boston Fancy" came about due to anti-British sentiments during the War of 1812.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Burchenal (American Country Dances, vol. 1), 1917; p. 39.

Recorded sources:

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