Czar of Russia's Favorite

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Theme code Index	1H355 1H355
Also known as	West's Hornpipe
Composer/Core Source
Region	United States
Genre/Style	Contra
Meter/Rhythm	Hornpipe/Clog
Key/Tonic of	F
Accidental	1 flat
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	4/4
History
Structure	AABB
Editor/Compiler	Biography:William Bradbury Ryan
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Ryan's Mammoth Collection
Tune and/or Page number	p. 151
Year of publication/Date of MS	1883
Artist	Biography:James Bryan
Title of recording	Lookout Blues
Record label/Catalogue nr.	Rounder 0175
Year recorded	1983
Media
Score ()

CZAR OF RUSSIA'S FAVORITE. AKA and see "West's Hornpipe." American, Hornpipe. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The Czar of Russia just prior to the tunes publication in 1883 by Boston publisher Elias Howe (Ryan's Mammoth Collection) was Alexander II (1818–81), who sold Alaska to the United States in 1867. After his assassination he was succeeded by his son, Alexander III (1845–94). The hornpipe perhaps commemorates one or the other. However, the melody is printed in Kerr's Merry Melodies vol. 1 as "West's Hornpipe," a title N.Y. musician and researcher Don Meade suggests may refer to the dancing partner of American variety stage performer Johnnie Queen (who toured Britain in the 1880's). Charles Gore dates "Wests" to a c. 1790 publication, so perhaps there is an ancestral tune and title to be found, with both "Czar of Russia" and "West's" titles becoming attached much later.

Source for notated version: James Bryan (Ala.) [Phillips].

Printed sources: Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 114. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; p. 189. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 151.

Recorded source: Rounder 0175, James Bryan - "Lookout Blues" (1983).

X:1
T:Czar of Russian's Favorite
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Hornipe
S:Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1883)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:F
[A2f2] AB cAcA | [A2f2]AB cAcA | dcBA G2(ga) | bgaf fedc | [A2f2]AB cAcA | 
[A2f2]AB cAcA | dcBA G2(ga) | bgfe f2z2 :: a2 fa fafa | gee g egeg | a2 fa fafa | 
gfed {d}c2 cd | fdfd ecec | fdfd ecec | fagf edc=B |1 cGEG Cefg :|2 cGEG Cgfe ||