BIG BEN HORNPIPE. English(?), American; Hornpipe (whole or cut time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. If the title refers to the famous English clock and tower Big Ben, it dates post 1859, the date the tower was first constructed. The tower is nicknamed "Big Ben", a name which was originally applied only to the largest bell of the clock. However the tower was officially called the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower, in honor of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. "Big Ben" is, of course, a common enough nickname for an individual of a certain size.
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 61. Jean White (100 Popular Hornpipes, Reels, Jigs and Country Dances), Boston, 1880; p. 10.
