Annotation:Ronfleuse Gobeil

Back to Ronfleuse Gobeil

X:1 T:Ronfleuse Gobeil M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel K:D a2fd Adfa|gece fddf|a2fd Adfa|gece d4:| ||A2f2 fef2|B2g2gfg2|A2c2 efec|dcde (3fga fd| A2f2 fef2|B2g2gfg2|A3c efec|d2e2f4|| |:faab afde|fdad bdfd|efga bgef|gebe geeg| fgaf bfaf|defd efde|fBBA BcdB|AFEF D4:|

RONFLEUSE GOBEIL, LA. AKA and see "Gigue des vieux souliers," "Quadrille de Matane Figure 2," "Reel des mineurs," "Reel St-Siméon," "Snoring Mrs. Gobeil," "Snoring Gobeil." French-Canadian, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Miller & Perron): AABBCC {40 bar reel} (Bégin, Carlin, Hinds). The 'A' and 'B' parts are French-Canadian, the 'C' part is the 'B' part of "Judy's Reel" (AKA - "Maid Behind the Bar (1) (The)"), printed in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection/Cole's 1000. The tune was first recorded in 1927 on 78 RPM by fiddler Wellie "biography:Willy Ringuette [1] (1898-1969) of Trois-Rivières, one of the great Montréal fiddler Jean Carignan’s teachers. According to the authors, Ringuette composed two parts of the tune, then added the second strain of the Irish reel “Maid Behind the Bar” (AKA "Judy's Reel") as a third part. Jean Carignan further modified the first part, but kept Ringuette’s second part and the adopted (“Maid Behind the Bar”) third part. The first two strains in were the repertory of fiddler Jos (Joe) Bouchard (1905-1979) who recorded the reel in Montreal in 1938 for Victor Records (issued on their subsidiary label, Bluebird). It was titled "Reel St-Siméon" on Bouchard's recording, and omitted the Irish third strain. Montreal fiddler Isidore Soucy (1899-1962) recorded his version in 1929; it was much like Ringuette's, albeit slightly 'crooked' or irregular', but was issued as "Gigue des vieux souliers" (Old Shoes Jig). Fiddler J.O. LaMadeleine recorded a two-part version in 1928 as the second figure of "Quadrille de Matane Figure 2." J.A. Boucher published a two-part setting of the melody in his Le Repertoire du Violonneux [sic] (Dec., 1933) under the title "Reel des mineurs."

Jean Carignon popularized the melody in the second half of the 20th century, followed by la Bottine Souriante on their 1978 album “Ya bend u changement.”

Additional notes

Sources for notated versions: - fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Bégin]; Jean Carignan (Montreal, Canada) [Brody].

Printed sources : - Bégin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 49, p. 58. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1993; p. 260. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 78, p. 52. Hart & Sandell (Dance ce Soir), 2001; p. 74. Hinds/Hebert (Grumbling Old Woman), 1981; p. 17. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler’s Repertoire), 1983; No. 154.

Recorded sources: - Columbia 34109-F (78 RPM), Willie Ringuette (1927). Compo Records, Joseph Bouchard – “Reel carnaval” (1968. Appears as “Saint-Siméon”). ELK-266/EKS-7266, Jean Carignan - "The Folk Fiddler who Electrified the Newport Folk Festival" (1964). Folkways FG3531, "Old Time Fiddle Tunes Played by Jean Carignan" (1968). Folkways FTS 31098, Ken Perlman - "Clawhammer Banjo and Fingerstyle Guitar Solos." Front Hall FHR 024, Fennig's All Star String Band - "Fennigmania" (1981). Legacy LEG 120, Jean Carignan - "French Canadian Fiddle Songs" (1975). Philo 2001, "Jean Carignan" (learned from French Canadian fiddler Willy Ringuette or Three Rivers, Quebec). Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend "Le Violin/ The Fiddle" (appears as "Ronfleuse Gobeil"). La Bottine souriante – “Y a ben du changement” (1978). Voyager 320 S, Frank Ferrel "Fiddle Tunes."

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear Willie Ringuette's 1927 recording on youtube.com [3]
Hear Joe Bouchard's 1938 "Reel St-Siméon" at youtube.com [4][5]
Hear Bottine souriante's recording on youtube.com [6]