Annotation:Agreeable Surprise (The)
X:1 T:Agreeable Surprise, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Country Dance/Jig B:Thompson - Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5 (London, 1788, No. 129, p. 65) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:A A2A E2E|F2F E3|A2A A2B|c3 e2E|A2A E2E| F2F E3|d2f ecA|B3 A3::ABc cdc|cdc ecA| GAB BcB|BcB BGE|ABc cec|cdc ecA| |1 ABA E2E|F3 E3:|2 def ecA|B3 A3:|]
AGREEABLE SURPRISE, THE. AKA and see "Jackey Bull," "Jacky Bull." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB'. In addition to the Thompsons' country dance collection (1788), the melody appears in Neil Stewart's A Select Collection of Scots English Irish and Foreign Airs Jiggs & Marches (Edinburgh, 1788, p. 74). The tune also was included in the music manuscript collection of William Patten (c. 1800, perhaps from Philadelphia, Pa.) and flute player Thomas Molyneaux (1788, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, his 2nd manuscript volume). In the latter manuscript it has the title "Oak Stick," with "Agreeable Suprise" given as an alternate title.
The Agreeable Surprise (1781) was a comic opera in two acts written by Dublin-born actor and playwright John O'Keefe [1] (1747-1833), with music composed by Dr. Arnold. It was performed in the Haymarket, and contains the song "Amo, Amas," an adaptation of "Frog and the Mouse (The)." The tune is from Sir Felix's aria in the first act.
