Annotation:Faint and Wearily

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FAINT AN WEARILY. English, Air or Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABA. The melody appears in the 1790 music manuscript collection of fiddler John Fife, compiled perhaps in Perthshire and/or at sea (as there are references to battles in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Oceans), and in an American fife manuscript begun around 1779 by John Treat (although added to in several hands). It was published in London in J. Ball's Gentleman's Amusement Book 3, editions of 1815 and 1830, and on an American song sheet, under the title "The Way Worn Traveller" ("Faint and wearily" being the first line). This latter indicates "Faint and Wearily" was a song from the 3-act musical play The Mountaineers (1793) by George Colman Jr., performed at the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, with music selected and composed by Dr. Arnold (1740-1802).

Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman].

Printed sources: Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 31a, p. 9.

Recorded sources:

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