Annotation:Sussex Polka (2)

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X: 1 T:Sussex Polka [2],aka. JMP.026 M:2/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=80 C:"27" B:John Miller MS. Perth, 1799.(for the fife) A:Perth N:Quick Step in Walsh MS(1800), H:1799 Z:Village Music Project, C. Graebe F:http://www.cpartington.plus.com/Links/Miller/MILLER(12-4-2016).ABC K:G Major G/A/ | BB B/d/c/e/ | dGGG | G/A/B A/B/c | e/d/c/B/ AG/A/ | BB B/d/c/e/| dG G g/f/ | (e/d/)(c/B/) (c/B/)(A/G/) | A2 G :| |:B/c/ | ddd e/f/ | gdd e/f/ | (g/f/)(e/d/) (e/d/)(c/B/) |(c/B/)(A/G/) A G/A/ | BB B/d/c/e/ | dG G g/f/ |(e/d/)(c/B/) (c/B/)(A/G/) | A2 G :|

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SUSSEX POLKA [2]. AKA - "Aylmore Polka," "William Aylmore's Polka," "Belfast Volunteers." English; Polka, Hornpipe, March (4/4 or 2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune appears in at least three music manuscript collections dating (at the earliest) from the last decade of the 18th century. The melody can be found earliest as an untitled tune in the 1796-1818 manuscript collection of William Aylmore, a clarinetist from West Wittering. The Aylmore manuscript is held in the archives of the Sussex Archaeological Society, Barbican House, Lewes, as part of the MacDermott collection of Sussex Music. Fifer John Miller (Perth) entered it into his c. 1799 manuscript, as did John Buttery, a 13 year old fifer when he joined the 34th Regiment in Lincolnshire (serving the next nineteen years). Although it is an untitled tune in both the Aylmore and Miller manuscripts, Buttery's name for the melody was "Belfast Volunteers." It can also be found in the Welch Family Manuscript (c. 1800, Bosham, Sussex).

The name "Sussex Polka" stems from association with the Aylmore and Welch manuscripts from Sussex and is a modern appellation. Nor was the tune originally a wikipedia:polka, a musical form not originated until the mid-19th century. The military associations of "Belfast Volunteers" indicate Buttery employed the tune as a march, as probably did John Miller. The modern band Blowzabella characterized it as a 'hornpipe'.

"Sussex Polka [2]" was also printed in Vic Gammon's Sussex Tune Book (No. 52. OOP).

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