Annotation:Emperor of the Moon (The)
Tune properties and standard notation
EMPEROR OF THE MOON, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). G Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody was first published by John Playford's son, Henry Playford, in his Dancing Master, 8th edition (1690), and appeared in subsequent editions of that work through the 18th and final edition of 1728 (then published in London by John Young). Henry also included it in the 7th edition of his First Book of Apollo's Banquet (London, 1793). "Emperor of the Moon" was also printed in the Walsh's Compleat Country Dancing Master in 1718, and in later editions of 1731 and 1754. The melody was included by London musician Thomas Hammersley in his music manuscript collection dated 1790.
The title of the dance and tune is taken from the play Emperor of the Moon by Aphra Behn, one of the first English playwrights, produced in London in 1690.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Barlow (The Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford's Dancing Master), 1985; No. 308, p. 75.
Recorded sources: