Annotation:Cane Brake (1)

Back to Cane Brake (1)

---

CANE BRAKE [1]. AKA - "Canebreak," "Canebrake," "Down in the Canebreak." Texas-Style, Breakdown. D Major ('A' and 'B' parts) & B Flat Major ('C' part). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABBC. "Canebreak" has been a popular 'choice' tune at modern Western fiddle contests, though often only the first two parts are played (sometimes the 'A' part is repeated in the key of G Major as a third part, and the tune is played ABCA). The tune was derived from a two-part classical piece composed by Samuel Gardner entitled "From the Canebrakes" (perhaps recorded by Heifitz on a 78RPM), although fiddle versions have evolved with an added section in 'G'. The melody was apparently being played at a Texas jam session attended by fiddler Benny Thomasson when the guitar players began playing G Major chords during the piece and Thomasson simply followed them, "creating" the third part. The tune was recorded by Dale Morris (with the third part in G Major).

Source for notated version: Argel Walker [Phillips].

Printed sources: Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; p. 29.

Recorded sources: Dale Morris - "New for 78."

---