Annotation:Mile to Ride (A)

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MILE TO RIDE, A. AKA and see “Fleet's a Coming (The)," “Riding a Mile,” "Stannerton Hopping," "Stamfordham Hopping” Scottish, English, Irish; Slip Jig. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody appears in London publisher Henry Playford's 1698 Dancing Master (Part II). "This tune has several titles by which it is known to pipers, such as 'Stannerton (or Stamfordham) Hopping', 'Stanhope i' Weardale' and 'The Fleet's a Coming'" (Bruce & Stokoe). As "The Fleet's a Coming" the melody was published in Robert Topliff's A Selection of the most popular Melodies of the Tyne and the Wear [1] (c. 1815, p. 38). Northumbrian musician William Vickers printed the melody three times in his 1770 music manuscript collection (as “A Mile to Ride” [2], “Stanhope in Weardale,” and “Stannerton Hopping”). The slip jig also appears in the 1800-1805 manuscript (as “A Mile to Ride”) of Northumbrian smallpiper John Peacock [3] (1754-1817), with variations, and that of 1812 from John Bell (c. 1864) (appears as “Stamfordham Hopping”). Early nineteenth century Northumbrian small-piper Lionel Winship included it in his music manuscript copybook.

The tune is a popular three-part slip jig in Ireland, most often appearing under the title “Riding a Mile.” .

Source for notated version: John Peacock [Bruce & Stokoe].

Printed sources: Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; p. 181.

Recorded sources:

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