TTA:About

Although we are not trained musicologists and make no pretense to the profession, we have tried to apply such professional rigors to this Semantic Abc Web as we have internalized through our own formal and informal education.

This demands the gathering of as much information as possible about folk pieces to attempt to trace tune families, determine origins, influences and patterns of aural/oral transmittal, and to study individual and regional styles of performance.

Many musicians, like ourselves, are simply curious about titles, origins, sources and anecdotes regarding the music they play. Who, for example, can resist the urge to know where the title Blowzabella came from or what it means, or speculating on the motivations for naming a perfectly respectable tune Bloody Oul' Hag, is it Tay Ye Want?

Knowing the history of the melody we play, or at least to have a sense of its historical and social context, makes the tune 'present' in the here and now, and enhances our rendering of it.


All rights shared.


This is a public Every part of this work can be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilm and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author. Requests for permission or further information are therefore useless.

• Inquiries can also be made
  • Andrew Kuntz, c/o Staggerin' Willie Music Publishing, 8 Veatch St., Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590 or e-mail to [Andrew Kuntz]
  • Valerio M. Pelliccioni, Via Ca' Bernardo 16 - 24040, Fornovo San Giovanni (BG) - ITALY, or e-mail to [Valerio M. Pelliccioni].