FISHER'S RANT [1], THE. AKA and see "Drumnagarry." Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Kerr): AA'B (Athole, Skinner). J. Scott Skinner (1904) attributes the melody to J. Hardy. He notes in his manuscript [1] "The late John Strachan..."Drumnagarrow," is said to have had a hand in this tune." The tune has some currency among Donegal fiddlers. Anne Gilchrist ["Old Fiddlers' Tune Books of the Georgian Period", JEFDSS, vol. 4, No. 1, Dec. 1940, p. 18] noted that, in her experience, the Rant was a name rather loosely applied of various lively dance-tunes, but properly seemed to her to have belonged to a quick 2/4 time melody. However, as "Fisher's Rant" proves, it was not exclusive to fast duple meter tunes.
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Joseph Lowe (Lowe's Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Jigs, book 4), 1844–1845; p. 13. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 2), c. 1880's; No. 124, p. 15. Skinner (Harp and Claymore), 1904; p. 56. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 169.
Recorded sources : - Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
