Annotation:Oh how they frisk it

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OH, HOW THEY FRISK IT. AKA and see "Leather Apron," "Under the Greenwood Tree." English, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. The melody appears in Playford's Dancing Master, 7th edition [1] of 1686 and later editions (under different titles, "Leathern Apron" and "Under the Greenwood Tree") in two versions, one in duple and one in triple time. Playford printed the tune only, and not dance instructions in 1686. The tune also appears in Thomas D'Urfey's Pills to Purge Melancholy as well as many ballad operas, according to Chappell (1859). That writer also speculates that the "air in its original form may belong to the reign of Elizabeth I," on the strength of lyrics printed by Ashmole around 1634. The tune is sometimes called "Caper and firk it" and "Caper and jerk it" and is so cited in the Bagford Colletion, and appears as the tune to a Christmas carol in A Cabinet of Choice Jewels; or, The Christian's Joy and Gladness: set forth in sundry pleasant new Christmas Carols (1688).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), vol. 2, 1859; pp. 53-54.

Recorded sources:




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