Annotation:Batchelder's Reel

Back to Batchelder's Reel

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BATCHELDER'S (REEL). AKA and see "Atlanta Hornpipe," "Quigley’s Reel," "Quig's Reel." American, Canadian; Reel. F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune has sometimes been credited to the fiddler and instrument maker of the title, Alvah Batchelder (1879-1968) of Frankfort, Maine, but is also associated with Batchelder's friend and pupil Albert Quigley (1891-1961, New Hampshire), whose name also became attached to the reel. Both were noted dance fiddlers from the beginning through mid-2oth century, and Batchelder was leader of the Batchelder Orchestra that played the Knights of Pythias Hall dances in Frankfort for some forty years.

The reel predates Batchelder, however, and was printed in Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1883) and its succesor, Cole's 1000 (1940), as the "Atlanta Hornpipe." The tune has been a staple among North American contra dance circles, particularly associated with New Hampshire, but can be found in the Pacific Northwest as well as New England. "Ross's Reel No. 4" is often played as a change tune.

Additional notes

Sources for notated versions: - Jane McBride with Strathspey [Phillips]; accordion player Laurie Andres (Seattle) [Songer].

Printed sources : - Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 130. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 19. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; p. 24. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; p. 9.

Recorded sources: - Alcazar Dance Series FR 203, "New England Chestnuts" (1980). Kicking Mule KM216, Strathspey - "New England Contra Dance Music" (1977).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
See the well-researched site on the Batchelders by Emeline Dehn-Reynolds [2]