Annotation:Allemande Swiss
X:1 T:Allemande Swiss M:4/4 L:1/8 S:Henry Livingston's manuscript copybook, late 18th century S:The Allemande, by George Cruickshank (1797). Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D B2 dB c2c2 | B2 dB Tc4 | dfdB cecA | B2F2D2B,2 :: d2 fd e2e2 | d2 fd Te4 | dfdB cecA | B2F2D2B,2 :: b2bg a2af | g2 g^e Tf4 | dfdB cecA | B2F2D2B,2 :||: d2d2e2e2 | d2d2 Te4 | dfdB cecA | B4B,4 :|
ALLEMANDE SWISS. The music first appeared as "Cotillon allemand Swiss" in the English publication The Compleat Tutor for the Guitar (Thompson, London, 1770). A formerly well known contra-dance tune in America, it appears in several musicians manuscripts of the late 18th century. Dancing master John Griffiths published directions for a dance to it in his 1794 Collection (Northampton, Mass.), and Elizabeth Van Rensselaer included it in her 1782 music copybook in Boston. It also appears in the music manuscript copybook of Henry Livingston, Jr. Livingston purchased the estate of Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1771 at the age of 23. In 1775 he was a Major in the 3rd New York Regiment, which participated in Montgomery's invasion of Canada in a failed attempt to wrest Quebec from British control. An important land-owner in the Hudson Valley, and a member of the powerful Livingston family, Henry was also a surveyor and real estate speculator, an illustrator and map-maker, and a Justice of the Peace for Dutchess County. He was also a poet and musician, and presumably a dancer, as he was elected a Manager for the New York Assembly's dancing season of 1774-1775, along with his 3rd cousin, John Jay, later U.S. Chief Justice of Governor of New York. The first two phrases are musically identical to the tune known as "The Faithful Shepherd."
