Annotation:Mirrie Boys o' Greenland (Da)

Back to Mirrie Boys o' Greenland (Da)

MIRRIE BOYS O' GREENLAND, DA. Shetland, Shetland Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A traditional Shetland reel known throughout the islands, said to have originated from Shetland whalers. It is the best known of the Shetland reels and is to be found in many variants. Anderson & Georgeson (1970) say it bears a strong resemblance to a country dance tune from Jutland, Denmark. Purser (1992) notes that the dance "Mirrie Boys o' Greenland", attached to a tune similar to "Mirrie Boys", had spread from Shetland to the Netherlands at the time of his writing.

Source for notated version: Willie Hunter (Shetland) [Anderson & Georgeson]; fiddler Gilbert Gray [Purser].

Printed sources: Anderson & Georgeson (Da Mirrie Dancers), 1970; p. 16. Bain (50 Fiddle Solos), 1989; p. 21. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 217. Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaidh), 1990; p. 32. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 94. Purser (Scotland's Music), 1992; Ex. 2, p. 229.

Recorded sources: Olympic 6151, The Shetland Fiddlers' Society - "Scottish Traditional Fiddle Music" (1978).