Annotation:Morpeth Rant (2)
X:1 T:Morpeth Rant [2] M:C L:1/8 S:An anonymous early 19th century ms. in Cock's Collection [Northumberland] F:http://www.asaplive.com/archive/detail.asp?id=R0504401 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Bb FGA|B2 FE DB,DF|GEGB AFGc|B2 gf edcB|A2c2c2 d>c| B2 FE DB,DF|GEGB AFAc|Bbag fedc|B2B2B2:| |:(3fga|bfe[Bd] BAGF|fdec BAGF|egec dfdB|A2c2c2 (3FGA| GEGB edcB|AFAc fedc|Bbag fedc|B2B2B2:|]
MORPETH RANT [2]. AKA and see "Old Morpeth Rant." English, Reel. B Flat Major: G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Morpeth Rant [2]" is an older version of the well-known "Morpeth Rant (1)" from the north east of England, different enough to warrant listing as a separate variant. In fact there were many different versions of the tune recorded in various 19th century fiddlers' manuscript books, and, while the first strain seems to have survived intact in most, the second strain shows more variation. Occasionally, members this group of older versions will go by the title "Old Morpeth Rant" to differentiate it, although most were set down in the copybooks simply as "Morpeth Rant." See, for example, versions in Cock's Collection [1] (Northumberland, early 19th century), John Moore's 1841 Tyneside music manuscript (p. 33), and versions collected and by Northumbrian musician John Bell [2] (1783-1864) in his c. 1812 manuscript, and printed by John Robson [3] (1874).
The American reel "Old Time Billy in the Lowground" seems to have been derived from "Morpeth Rant [2]," particularly in the first strain. The second strain of the American tune is less clearly related, but retains a general similarity to the Northumbrian tune.
