Annotation:Châteauguay Reel
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CHÂTEAUGUAY REEL (Le Reel de Châteauguay). AKA and see "Bull Run Picnic," "Chatagee Reel," "Chateau Gai," "Chateagaie," "Reel de Châteauguay," "Reel de la caserne," "Reel de la flotte." French-Canadian, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Carlin, Messer, Miller & Perron): AA'BB' (Cuillerier). The reel is from the repertoire of Québec fiddler Joseph Allard (1873–1947), who recorded it twice; first in in 1928 as "Reel de Châteauguay," and again in 1942 as "Reel de la caserne." Allard, who worked for much of his life as a fisherman, lived for a time in the United States, where he toured the northeast and was influenced by Irish and Scottish-style fiddlers. He returned to Canada in 1917 and settled near Montréal, later recording for the Victor and Bluebird labels. The reel was also recorded by other influential Québécois fiddlers, including J.O. LaMadeleine and Isidore Soucy (who called it "Reel de la flotte").
The tune was collected in the American Midwest by R.P. Christeson as an untitled reel (a Virginia-born friend told him the title was "Bull Run Picnic").
Source for notated version: Bill Christopherson and Tom Phillips with the Fish Family [Phillips].
Printed sources:
Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; p. 50, No. 73 (appears as "Reel de Châteauguay").
Cuillerier (Joseph Allard), 1992; p. 14 (appears as "Reel de Châteauguay").
Jarman (Jim Magill's Square Dance Tunes), 1952; p. 6.
Messer (Way Down East Fiddlin' Tunes), 1948; No. 11 (appears as "The Chatagee").
Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 31, p. 27.
Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler's Repertoire), 1983; No. 151 (appears as "Chatagee Reel").
Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 338 (appears as "Chateau Gai").
Recorded sources:
Bluebird B-1225-B (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1942, as "Reel de la caserne").
Heritage Music HCD 4511, Jim McGill – "Jim McGill and the Northern Ramblers" (2006. Reissue recording).
Rounder Records, April Verch – "Take Me Back" (2006).
Victor 263578-b (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1928).
See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear Joseph Allard's recording at the Virtual Gramophone []
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