Annotation:Boyne Water (2)
X:1 T:Boyne Water [2] M:2/2 L:1/8 K:Fmix d=e | f2g2f2d2 | cBAG F2 d=e | f2g2f2g2 | a2f2d3=e | f=efg f2d2 | cBAG F2 GA | B2G2A2F2 | G4 G2 || z2 | A2F2G2=E2 | F4 F2GB | A2F2F2 GB | A2F2F2 GA | B2G2A2F2 | G2G2c3B | A2F2G2=E2 | F4 F2 || cd | f=efg f2d2 | cBAG F2 d=e | f2g2f2g2 | a2f2d3=e | f2g2f2 =ed | cBAG F2 GA | B2 AG d2c2 | G2G2 || c3B | A2F2G2=E2 | F4 F2 GB | A2F2F2 GB | A2F2F2 GA | B2G2A2F2 | G2G2c3B | A2F2G2=E2 | F4 F2 ||
BOYNE WATER [2]. English, Sword Dance; New England, Polka. F Mixolydian (Karpeles, Raven): F Major (Miller & Perron). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABCD (Karpeles, Raven): AABB (Miller & Perron). "Boyne Water [2]" was collected by folklorist and dance and music collector Cecil Sharp, from the playing of English musician John Locke (Leominster, Hereford) described as a "gipsy fiddler". The performance was captured by Sharp on a cylinder machine in 1909 for the earliest sound recording of the melody. "Boyne Water [2]" bears little relation to "Boyne Water [1]" save for one brief descending melodic line. The mode shifts between major, mixolydian and dorian, and the tonic note between 'F' and 'G'.
Cecil Sharp employed "Boyne Water [2]" for the fourth figure in the sword dance from the village of Sleights, England.
There was a military march of this name used in the British army in the Revolutionary War period, though it may be the tune in version #1.