Annotation:Winster Gallop

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X:1 T:Winster Gallop S:Claire McLaughlin, Edinburgh 9/4/03 Z:Nigel Gatherer M:2/4 L:1/8 K:G GB GB | GB d2 | AB/c/ BA | GB d2 |ce fe | dB d2 | AB/c/ BA | G2 G2  :| gf ed | gf ed | gf ed | cB A2 |fe d2 | fe d2 | d2 A>c | BG G2 :|]

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Winster morris dancers at the time of Sharp's visit in 1908. Sharp's photographs were taken by T. Lennox Gilmour, leader writer and photographer on the Morning Post

WINSTER GALLOP. English, Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Barnes): AABB (Raven, Sweet, Wade). “Winster Gallop”, both dance and tune, were originally collected by wikipedia:Cecil_Sharp (1859-1924) when he visited the Derbyshire village of Winster in 1908. The first mention of the morris at Winster is in 1863, however, it was considered to have been well-established at the time. Morris dance teams have continued to perform at Winster to the present day, with hiatuses during the World Wars.

A rather simple tune in its bare-bone state, it is frequently the first tune learned by beginning Northumbrian pipers, and indeed, in modern English sessions in general it is considered a ‘beginner’s tune’. It is sometimes compared with "Rakes of Mallow (The)." Nevertheless, the tune has had modern-era longevity, is considered part of the core repertory and has been recorded numerous times by well-regarded performers. The tune is used for either a polka or a single step in the North West (England) morris dance tradition, and has been characterized for session play as both as an ‘English reel’ and as a polka.

As is the custom, the basic melody is meant to be varied and embellished by the player to establish interest.

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