Annotation:Sister Jean (1)

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X:1 T:Sister Jean [1] S:John Stickle (1875-1957, Lerwick) M:6/8 L:1/8 B:Pat Shuldham Shaw - "A Shetland Fiddler and His Repertoire: John Stickle 1875-1957" B:Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, vol. 9, No. 3, Dec. 1962, p. 136. Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Ddor D2E F2G|ABA G2F|E2C C2G|{EF}E3D2C| D2E {FG}F2G|ABA A2G|A2d d2c|1d3D3:|2d3A3|| A2B c2d|e^fe e2c|A2B c2G|E3 C3| A2B c2d|e^fe e2d|^f2d d2^c|d3 A3| A2B c2d|e^fe e2c|A2B c2G|E3 C2c| A2A ^F2A|A2A ^F2A|A2d d2^c|d3 D3:|]



SISTER JEAN [1]. Shetland (originally), Jig. D Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Shetland jigs are a rare breed, but this is "a very attractive and unusual 6/8 tune from Unst. Can be used as a tune for 'Boston Two-Step'" (Anderson). Pat Shuldham-Shaw remarked that this type was used as a Brides’ March, or perhaps dance tunes in former times, but that in the latter capacity “they have fallen into disuse to-day with the possible exception of the Foula Reel (and except for some keen members of the Shetland Folk Society who use them at ordinary dances for such things as the Boston Two-Step)”[1] Shetland fiddler John Stickle from Unst (one of the most northerly Shetland islands) played this tune, noted from his playing by collector Patrick Shuldham-Shaw in 1947. The melody has been characterized as a Scandinavian-accented elaboration of "Up in the Morning Early,” thought to be a derivative of a seventeenth-century tune published by Playford as "Lulle me beyond thee/Lull Me Beyond Thee.”

Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : - Anderson (Ringing Strings), 1983; p. 27. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 96. Pat Shuldham-Shaw (“A Shetland Fiddler and His Repertoire: John Stickle, 1875-1957”, Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society), vol. 9, No. 3, Dec. 1962; p. 137.

Recorded sources: - Culburnie CUL110, Abby Newton – “Crossing to Scotland” (1997). Front Hall 018, How to Change a Flat Tire - "Traditional Music From Ireland and Shetland" (1978).



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  1. Pat Shuldham Shaw, “A Shetland Fiddler and His Repertoire: John Stickle, 1875-1957”, Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society), vol. 9, No. 3, Dec. 1962; p. 136.