Annotation:Camptown Races (2)
Tune properties and standard notation
CAMPTOWN RACES [2]. Irish, Polka or Slide. A Major (Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham, Mallinson): A Mixolydian (Moylan). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham): AA'BB (Moylan). The west Kerry set dance versions are quite a bit removed from the Stephen Foster original, which is barely discernible in some versions. Editor Moylan states that O'Keeffe's recorded version is a link between the two.
Source for notated version: Jack Sweeney via accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan].
Printed sources: Mac Amhlaoibh and Durham (An Pota Stóir: Ceol Seite Corca Duibne/The Set Dance Music of West Kerry), No. 9, p. 15. Mallinson (100 Irish Polkas), 1997; No. 28, p. 11. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 346, p. 195.
Recorded sources: RTE CD174, "The Sliabh Luachra Fiddle Master Padraig O'Keeffe."