Annotation:Farewell to Devon

Back to Farewell to Devon

FAREWELL TO DEVON. English, Waltz. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed in 1959 by ethnomusicologist, musician, choreographer and teacher Pat Shaw (Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, 1917-1977). Barnes notes it is an alternate tune for (dance and tune) "Margaret's Waltz", however Shaw composed the pair as a medley to be played for a specific dance. They both honor Margaret Grant, and were composed on the occasion of her retirement as representative in Devon for the English Folk Dance and Song Society. The dance was first performed on a Country Dance Party broadcast from Clyst St. George on March 25th, 1959, dedicated to "Margaret Grant, who has done so much for English Country dance in the south west of England." The tune (along with "Margaret's Waltz") was first published in the journal English Dance and Song, vol. xxiii, No. 3 (June 1959).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; p. 42. EFDSS (Community Dance Manual, Book 6), 1964. Fennessy (Pat Shaw's Collection, Book 2), 1986.

Recorded sources: