Annotation:Message (The)
X:1 T:Message, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig B:A.S. Bowman – “J.W. Pepper Collection of Five Hundred Reels, Jigs, B:etc.” (Phila., 1908, No. 75, p. 17) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:A ((3e/f/g/|a)gf edc|Bcd cBA|FAA EAA|Bcd e2 ((3e/f/g/| a)gf edc|Bcd cBA|aec ABc|BAB A2:| |:c|B2c def|ecB AGF|EGB dcB|ABc B2E| B2c def|ecB AGF|EAc efe |dcB A2:|]
MESSAGE, THE. American, Jig (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune is characterized as an "Irish Jig" (i.e. 6/8 time) in the J.W. Pepper collection, but this is only to differentiate the genre from the "straight jig", a duple time, reel-like piece popular in the late 19th century. There is nothing of Irishness in the character of the melody, nor is the tune meant to be masquerading as a jig from Ireland; the term "Irish Jig" only serves to clarify the meter.
