Annotation:Bonaparte's Grand March (1)
X:1 T:Bonaparte's Grand March [1] M:4/4 L:1/8 S:Sergt. James O'Neill Z:Paul Kinder R:March K:D A2|d2 d>d d2 A/2B/2c/2d/2|e2 e>e e2 de|f2 e>f g2 f2|e2 e>e e2 A2| d>dA>A F>FA>A|d>dA>A F>FA>A|d3 f edef|d2 d>d d2|| f2|e>dc>B A>Bc>A|d>cd>e d>ef>d|e>dc>B A>Bc>A|d>cd>e d>ef>d B2 g>g g2 B2|A2 f>f f2 af|e2 e2 e>de>f|d2 d>d d2|| f>g|a2 a2 b2 b2|a3 g f2 a2|g2 g2 f2 af|e>de>f e2 ef| g2 g/2f/2e/2d/2 c2 A2|a>af>f d2 A2|f2 fa gfed|a2 a>a a2||
BONAPARTE'S GRAND MARCH [1]. AKA and see "Bonaparte's March (2)," "Cossack's March (The)," "Hanoverian March," "Napoleon's March," "Bonaparte's March (2)." Scottish, English, Irish; March (4/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC. Most titles for this march reference (albeit with different spellings) Napoleon Bonaparte. The tune appears in numerous English fiddlers' manuscripts of the 19th century. Ironbridge, Shropshire, musician John Moore included it in his music manuscript as "Hanoverian March." J. Winter (Stanton, Gloucestershire) had it in his 1833 manuscript, as did Cumbrian musician Henry Stables (Waithwaite, Cumbria, 1881). Likewise, William Irwin (Langdale, Cumbria, 1838) and John Clare (Helpstone, Northants, c. 1820) also noted it into their copybooks (see "Napoleon's March"). As "Napoleon('s March)" it was played in an 1884 Melbourne, Australia, concert given by Irish uilleann piper John Coughlin, records O'Neill (1913). Melodeon player George Tremain of Yorkshire recorded the march on a 78 RPM record in the 1950's (BBC 1862B:RW), and also recorded by whistle player Billy Conroy (Northumberland) and fiddler Billy Pennock (Goathland, north Yorkshire moors). It was also in the repertoire of Gloucestershire fiddler Stephen Baldwin (1873-1955), recorded (as "Napoleon's Grand March") by Peter Kennedy for the BBC in the early 1950's.
O'Neill (1922) says: "In the heyday of Bonaparte's renown, early in the nineteenth century, many song, marches, hornpipes etc were named in his honor in Ireland. Most of the tunes, being traditional, retain their popularity. It is not claimed that "Bonaparte's Grand March" is an Irish composition. In fact we have no information concerning its history or origin, but there can be no question as to its circulation and popularity in Ireland in former times. Its rescue from the oblivion of faded manuscript to the publicity of the printed page may endow this spirited march with renewed vitality."
