Annotation:Old Reel of Eight

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X:1 T:Old Reel of Eight N:From the playing of Gilbert Anderson (1934-2011, resident N:of Edmonton, Alberta). Tune taught by Bruce Molsky at N:Fiddle Hell, Nov., 2019 O:Mėtis M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel D:Gilbert Anderson - "Drops of Brandy" (2001) Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:D [Bf][Ba]z[Ba] [Ba][Bb][Ba][Bg]|fdef gfed| cAeA cAzd|cAeA cAFD|FE2E E2E2| [Bf][Ba]z[Ba] [Ba][Bb][Ba][Bg]|fdef gfed| cA2A ABAG|1FD D2 D2z2:|2FD D2 D2|| |:AG|FDAD FDAD|[M:3/2]FAFA d2ef gfed |[M:C|]cAeA cA2d| cAeA cAFD|FE2E E2 AG|[M:3/2]FAFA d2ef gfed |[M:C|] cA2A ABAG|1FD D2 D2:|


OLD REEL OF EIGHT. Canadian, Reel (cut time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A 'crooked' tune of Métis origin, in traditional repertory. "Reel of Eight" is the name of a dance for four couples, with dancers facing each other in two lines (one of men, one of women). Anne Lederman continues the description[1]: "Each alternate couple moves (man forwards, lady backwards) to create a new set of four couples beside the first. The dance proceeds with an alternation of jigging on the spot to one part of the tune, and ‘travelling’ on the other in a figure of 8 pattern with the corresponding couple in the other set." A number of tunes were called "Reel of Eight" in association with dance whose names (if any) were lost in the tradition. "Old Reel of Eight" was recorded in the field from the playing of Métis fiddler Gilbert Anderson (1934-2011, Edmonton, Alberta), but it was well-known among older Métis fiddlers.
Gilbert Anderson competing at Weiser, Idaho.


Additional notes





Recorded sources : - Gabriel Dumont Institute, Gilbert Anderson - Drops of Brandy and Other Traditional Métis Tunes Disc 1" (2001, Various artists). Tree Frog Institute, "Molsky's Mountain Drifters" (2016). John Arcand - "La Celebration '92" (1992. Cassette).

See also listing at :
Hear the tune played by Patti Kusturok on youtube.com [1]
See a 2001 interview with Gilbert Anderson by John Arcand on youtube.com [2]

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  1. ↑ Anne Ledermann, "Aboriginal Fiddling", in Crossing Over: Fiddle and Dance Studies from around the North Atlantic, Elphinstone Institute Occasional Publications 7, 2010, p. 138.
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