Cushion Dance (1) (The)

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Theme code Index	5652 6L5L42
Also known as	Harlequin in the Parlor
Composer/Core Source
Region	Scotland
Genre/Style	Scottish
Meter/Rhythm	Jig/Quadrille
Key/Tonic of	A
Accidental	3 sharps
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	6/8
History
Structure	AABB
Editor/Compiler	Nathaniel Gow
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Complete Repository Part 3
Tune and/or Page number	p. 27
Year of publication/Date of MS	1806
Artist
Title of recording
Record label/Catalogue nr.
Year recorded
Media
Score ()

CUSHION DANCE [1], THE. Scottish, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The cushion dance is a kissing game/dance. The dance was mentioned by a lawyer and antiquary named Selden (d. 1654) in his "Table Talk": "...the court of England is much altered. At a solemn dancing you had the grave measures, then the corantoes and galliards, and this kept up with ceremony, at length to the Trenchmore and the Cushion Dance then all the company dances, lord and groom, lady and kitchen maid, no distinction. So in our court in Queen Elizabeth's time gravity and state were kept up. In King James' time, things were pretty well, but in King Charles' time there has been nothing but the Cushion Dance, omnium gatherum, tolly polly, hoity come toity" (Robin Williamson). Chappell (1859) describes the dance fully, quoting from Playford's Dancing Master, and quotes references to it from Elizabethan times to a political parody of 1704 called "The Cushion Dance at Whitehall, by way of Masquerade. To the tune of 'Joan Sanderson.'" See also the note for "Babbity Bowster."

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 417. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; p. 27.

X:1
T:The Cushion Dance [1]
M:6/8 
L:1/8
R:Jig
S:Gow - 3rd Repository  (1806)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:A
e3 f3 {ef}|edc B2A|~F>GA E2c|{c}d2c B2A|
e3f3 {ef}|edc B2a|ecA F2E|~F3 A2:|
|:e|(ac')e (ac')e|bd'e bd'e|ac'e ac'e|gbe gbe|
ac'e ac'e|bd'e bc'd'|c'ba f2e|(f3 {ef} a2):||