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Annotation:Bit of Ginger

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Sheet Music for "Bit of Ginger"Bit of GingerLilting Fisherman12Source: Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor (c. 1940)Notes: The title is Paddy Killoran'sTranscription: AK/Fiddler's Companion



BIT OF GINGER. AKA and see "Fisherman (1) (The)," "Fisherman's Lilt (2)," "Joe Derrane's Jig (1), "Lilting Fisherman, "Paddy's Resource (2)." Irish, Jig (6/8 time). G Major ('A' part) and D Major ('B' part). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB' The tune is attributed to New York fiddler Paddy Killoran in Boston button-accordion player Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor (c. 1940). O'Brien was Boston accordion player Joe Derrane's mentor, and both recorded it in duet on a 78 RPM recording. However, as researcher Conor Ward points out, the tune predates Killoran, appearing as the fourth tune in the set "Lancer's Quadrilles" in Köhler's Violin Repository Book 1 (1881, p. 25, see "Lancers Quadrilles Fourth Figure"). Ward suggests that the tune originated as a light classical piece, as the other figures in Köhler's "Lancer's Quadrilles" are derived from that repertory[1].

The jig is sometimes called "The Lilting Fisherman."


Additional notes



Printed sources : - O'Brien (Irish Folk Dance Music). O'Brien (Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor), Boston, 1949; No. 49.

Recorded sources : - Copley Irish Records COP 5009, Jerry O'Brien & Joe Derrane - "Irish Accordion Masters" (1995. Reissue recording).




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  1. Ward points out that this piece was not one of the five tunes in the "Original Lancer's Quadrilles."
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