Annotation:Sleepy Maggie (1)

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X:1 T:Sleepy Maggy [1] M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel S:McGlashan – Reels (p. 35) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D e|f2 de fBde|f2 df eAce|f2 de fBde|f^gaf eAce| f2 Bb fBde|f2 Bb eAce|f2 Bb fBde|f/e/f/^g/ af eA c|| e|fBdB fBde|fBdB eAce|fBdB fBde|f^gaf eAce| fB d/B/A/B/ fBde|fB d/B/A/B/ eAce|fB d/B/A/B/ fBde|f/e/f/^g/ af eA c|| e|f2 Bb Bfde|f2 db aAce|f2 Bb Bfde|fbaf eAce| f2 Bb bbde|f2 Bb bbde|f2 Bb bbde|f/e/f/^g/ f/g/a/f/ eA c|| e|fBbB fBde|fBbB aAce|fBbB fBde|fbaf eAce| fBbB fBde|fBbB aAce|gBbB aB^gB|fB^gB aAce||

SLEEPY MAGGY/MAGGIE (Mairgreadin Codluigteac/Codaltac). AKA and see “All the go,” "Drousy/Drowsie/Drowsy Maggie (1),” “Irishman's Fancy,” “Jenny's Chickens,” “Jolly Robin,” “Lovely Robbie,” “Malcolm's Wedding,” "Sleeping Moggy." Scottish (originally), Irish, English; Reel. B Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Neill/1850 & 1001, Surenne): AAB (Gow, Hunter, Köhler, Martin, Skye): AABB (Athole, Kerr/vol. 3): AABBCC (Kennedy, Kerr/vol. 4, Raven, Williamson): AABBAACC’ (Cranford/Fitzgerald): AABBCCDD (Cole). The earliest record of the tune is in David Young's Duke of Perth Manuscript (also known as the Drummond Castle MS), from 1734, predating John Glen’s (1891) earliest finding of the printing in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 48). It also appears in Oswald’s Caledonian Pocket Companion, book 10, c. 1760, in Northumbrian musician William Vickers’ 1770-72 music manuscript (under the title “Sleeping maggee”), and in Cumbrian musician John Rook’s 1740 music manuscript. The tune is sometimes mistakenly called “Drowsy Maggie,” due to the similarity of titles, however, “Drowsy Maggie” is usually the name for a different tune, popular in Irish tradition. Further confusing the issue, "Sleepy Maggie" is found in Ireland under its original title, as well as in the variants "Lough IsleCastle," "Seán sa Cheo" and "Tullaghan Lassies." It is the precursor to “Jenny’s Chickens,” famously recorded in New York in the 78 RPM era by Sligo-born fiddler Michael Coleman. Paul Cranford (1997) remarks there is a strathspey setting of the tune in Capt. Simon Fraser’s unpublished works called “Malcolm's Wedding.” Cape Breton fiddlers Johnny Wilmot, The Five MacDonalds and Ashley MacIsaac have recorded the melody. See Northumbrian versions in the key of A dorian under the title “Small Coals and Ready Money.” See also the song "O Are Ye Sleepin', Maggie” (words credited to poet Robert Tannahill).

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]; fiddler Peter Turbit [Feldman & O’Doherty].

Printed sources : - Anonymous (A Companion to the reticule), 1833; p. 7. Bremner (Scots Reels), c. 1757; p. 48. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 19. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 113, p. 46. Feldman & O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 240. Gow (Complete Repository, Part 1), 1799; p. 38. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 220 (arranged by James Hunter). Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune Book, vol. 2), 1951; p. 20 (appears as "Sleeping Moggy"). Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 3), c. 1880’s; No. 34, p. 6. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 4), c. 1880’s; No. 164, p. 19. Laybourn (Köhler’s Violin Repository, Book One), 1881; p. 73. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 62. Martin & Hughes (Ho-re-gheallaidh), 1990; pg. 11. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 135. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1424, p. 264. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 661, p. 118. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 161 (appears as "Sleeping Moggy"). Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 44. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Colleciton), 1884; p. 130. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; p. 63. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; p. 62.

Recorded sources: - Breton Books and Records BOC 1HO, Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald - “Classic Cuts” (reissue of Celtic Records CX 17). Celestial Entertainment CECS001, Brenda Stubbert (Cape Breton) - “In Jig Time!” (1995). Celtic CXS 17, Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald - “Canada’s Outstanding Scottish Fiddler.” Culburnie COL 113D, Aladair Fraser & Tony McManus – “Return to Kintail” (1999). Green Linnet SIF 3037, Silly Wizard - "Golden, Golden" (1985). Rounder 82161-7032-2, Bill Lamey – “From Cape Breton to Boston and Back: Classic House Sessions of Traditional Cape Breton Music 1956-1977” (2000). Shanachie Shan 79017, John & Phil Cunningham "Against the Storm" (1980).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [ ]
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [ ]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [ ]

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