Annotation:Dumb Waiter (The)

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DUMB WAITER, THE. AKA and see "Dumb Glutton (The), "Princock." English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The melody appears in the 1770 music manuscript copybook [] of Northumbrian musician William Vickers, about whom little is known, unfortunately. "The Dumb Waiter" was published in David Rutherford's Compleat Collection of 200 of the Most Celebrated Country Dances (vol. 1, c. 1756), while "The Dumb Glutton" appears in James Aird's Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 1 (Glasgow, 1782). However, the tune had appeared earlier as "Princock" in London publisher John Walsh's Caeldonian Country Dances, vol. II (c. 1737). The tune was contained in the Northumbrian music manuscript collection of John Smith, dated 1752, which is unfortunately now lost. The contents were copied by 19th century folk-music collector John Stokoe in 1887, when the manuscript was in the possession of Lewis Proudlock. Stokoe's volume Northumbrian Minstrelsy had been printed five year prior, and his interest in Smith’s ms. demonstrates Stokoe's continuing commitment to older Northumbrian music.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Seattle (Great Northern/William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 489.

Recorded sources:

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