Annotation:Drop (The)

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DROP, THE. AKA - "Ward's Drop." English, Slip Jig. England, Northumberland. B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The melody was printed by John Johnson in his Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, after c. 1750), and makes several appearances in London publisher John Walsh's collections: Caledonian Country Dances (London, 17), The Third Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (London, 1735), and The Compleat Country Dancing-Master, Volume the Third (London, 1749). It was included in the music manuscript collections of Northumbrian musician William Vickers [1] (1770), and London musician Thomas Hammersley (1790).

The title "The Drop" or "Ward's Drop" refers to a notorious medical quack of the first half of the 18th century, "Spot" Ward (an indelicate nickname that referenced a claret-colored birthmark on his cheek).

Source for notated version: The 1770 music manuscript collection of Northumbrian musician William Vickers [Seattle].

Printed sources: Johnson (Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2), c. 1759; p. Seattle (Great Northern/William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 318. Walsh (Caledonian Country Dances),

Recorded sources:

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