Annotation:Emile Arsenault's

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Sheet Music for "Emile Arsenault's"Emile Arsenault'sBook: Corfield - "Tunes from New Brunswick" (2024, p. 39)Source: Devon Leger (Tune of the Day 62)Discography: Notes: The tune is sourced originally to fiddler Oscar Melanson (N.B.),Melanson, who learned the tune from Rogersville, N.B., fiddler Arsenault in the1930's when the latter visited the family. Melanson in turn taught it toGerry Robichaud.'f/F' notes are sharp unless otherwise indicated.Transcription: AK/Fiddler's Companion



EMILE ARSENAULT'S.   Canadian, Reel (cut time). Canada, New Brunswick.  G Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB.  An older mixed mode (major and mixolydian) tune from the repertory of Rogersville, New Brunswick, Acadian fiddler Emile Arsenault, via St-Paul fiddler Gerry Robichaud.  The tune is quite possibly a distanced version of "Reel du cordonnier (Le)," as played, for example, by Jean Carignan [1]. According to fiddler Frank Ferrel and Mark Wilson, who produced Robichaud's 1996 recording, the tunes in Gerry's repertory attributed to Emile Arsenault were remembered by a neighbor and fiddler named Oscar Melanson. Oscar was a skilled musician, however, by the time Gerry knew him he was suffering from progressive infantile paralysis and was bedridden and no longer able to play. Oscar well-remembered the one winter week around 1930 when Emile Arsenault came to St-Paul to visit, and his visit was remembered in the community:

Gerry wasn’t yet born, but his older brother Fred recalls Emile’s visit vividly. They had no piano in the house, but a portable organ was borrowed from the village for a cousin, Heni Robichaud, and they had the most wonderful all night soirees. Oscar retained a perfect memory for Emile’s tunes and was able to pass these along to Gerry years later. These wonderful melodies, it seems to us, rank among the Robichauds’ most priceless heirlooms.[1]


Additional notes



Printed sources : - Peter Corfield (Tunes from New Brunswick), 2024; p. 39.

Recorded sources : - Rounder Records 7016, The Robichaud Brothers - "The Slippery Stick: Traditional Fiddling From New Brunswick" (1996).

See also listing at :
Hear the tune played by Devon Leger at youtube.com [2]



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  1. Frank Ferrel & Mark Wilson, liner notes to Rounder CD 7016, The Robichaud Brothers, "The Slippery Stick: Traditional Fiddling from New Brunswick" (1996).