X:1
T:True Blue [1]
M:C|
L:1/8
C:A.M. Hope
N:One of three hornpipes in the MS by Hope, including “The Grams Reformation”
N:and “North Shore.” Hope was probably a local composer
R:Hornpipe
S:John Rook music manuscript collection (Waverton, Cumbria, 1840, p. 220)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
ag|fd'af dfaf|gfed cdef|gfga bagf|e2A2A2 ag|
fd'af dfaf|gfed cdef|gbag fedc|d2d2d2:|
|:AG|FAdf gedc|dfac' d'afd|gfga bd'c'e'|d'2d'2d'2 ag|
fd'af dfaf|gfed cdef|gbag fedc|d2d2d2:|]
TRUE BLUE [1]. English, Hornpipe (cut time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody was entered into the Brown family music manuscripts (Lake District) and in the Cumbrian musician John Rook’s manuscript book ("Multum in Parvo, or a Collection of old English, Scotch, Irish, Welsh Tunes", p. 226), dated 1840. The title perhaps refers to a naval or nautical stage character, a patriotic entity, or simply a loyal person. The True Blue was also at one time the name of a pub in Cambridge[1]. Barry Callaghan (2007) notes there was an entertainment (composer unknown) staged in London in 1790 by the name “True Blue,” although no direct connection has been established to the melody. There were also at least two famous thoroughbred race horses named True Blue in the 18th century.
Additional notes Source for notated version : - the Browne family manuscripts (Book 12) of Troutbeck, Cumbria, in England’s Lake District [Callaghan, Offord].
Printed sources : - Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; p. 25. Offord (Bonny Cumberland), 2018; p. 67.
