Annotation:Aerial Flight (The)
X:1 T:Aerial Flight, The M:C L:1/8 R:Country Dance Tune B:Bland & Weller - Favorite Country Dances, Hornpipes & Reels (1803, No. 14) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:C g|{f}e2 dc GBce|fdec fdec|{f}e2 dc GBcd|egde c/c/c c:| |:f|ecce fddf|ecgc (B/c/d) BG|ecce fdgf|ecdB c2c:|]
AERIAL FLIGHT, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. There are two other tunes in Bland and Weller's 1803 volume that refer to the exploit of French parachutist André-Jacques Garnerin, "Parachute (The)" and "Garnerins Waltz." Perhaps this tune as well was named after his exploit (for which see note to "Annotation:Parachute (The)").
Garnerin and his wife were touring England in 1802 during the Peace of Amiens. André-Jacques ascended in his balloon from the Volunteer Ground in Grosvenor Square and made a parachute descent to a field near St Pancras. The feat was much celebrated, including in a popular doggerel that went:
Bold Garnerin went up
Which increased his Repute
And came safe to earth
In his Grand Parachute.
He also made his second English balloon ascent with Edward Hawke Locker on 5 July, 1802, from Lord's Cricket Ground, traveling the 17 miles from there to Chingford in just over 15 minutes and carrying a letter of introduction signed by the Prince Regent to give to anyone should he crash land.
