GRONDEUSE [3], LA (The Grumbling Woman). AKA - "Ronfleuse (La)," "Ronfleuse gigue (La)." AKA and see "Casse-Reel Discord," "Gigue Adélard," "Reel à Raymond," "Sleepy Hollow Jig." French-Canadian, Reel. D Major. ADae tuning (fiddle). ABC (LaMadeleine): AA'BB'CC'DD' (Remon & Bouchard): AA'BB'CC' (Hart & Sandell): AAA'BC (Boulay). "La Grondeuse" or "La Ronfluese" (The Snorer) is a Québec standard, played in 'raised bass' or ADae tuning on the fiddle. It is irregularly metered, albeit some versions are more 'crooked' than others. It was first recorded by fiddler Arthur-Joseph ("A.J.") Boulay in Montreal in 1929 under the title "La Ronfluese" (The Snorer's Reel), which seems to have been the model for subsequent versions. The first and second strains of Vincent's Ouellet's "Grondeuse" are employed in André Alain's version, with the addition of the first strain of "Reel à Raymond." Ouellet's alternate title, "Gigue du grand slaque (La)" (Big Guy's Step-dance) is the title his group, Éritage, recorded the melody under, a name that referred to the groups rather tall step-dancer, Benoît Bourque, say Hart & Sandell.
Additional notes Source for notated version : - fiddler André Alain (St-Basile, Portneuf area, Québec) [Remon & Bouchard]; fiddler Vincent Ouellet (b. 1964, near Québec city) [Hart & Sandell].
Printed sources : - Demers (1000 airs du Québec et de l'Amérique francophone), 2020; p. 105. Jean Duval (La Musique de J.O. LaMadeleine 1879-1973), 2019; No. 131, p. 59. Hart & Sandell (Danse ce soir!), 2001; No. 67, p. 101.
Remon & Bouchard (Airs Tordus: 25 Crooked Tunes, vol. 2), 1997; No. 9.
Recorded sources : - La Bottine Souriante – "Cordial" (2001).
C.P. 418, Les frères Brunet – "Magie" (1995).
Laurie Hart – "Gravity Hill" (1992).
André Alain – "Violoneux de St-Basile de Portneuf" (1986).
Fogarty's Cove Records, Vincent Ouellet & Éritage – "La fonde des vouageurs" (1982).
Starr 16140 (78 RPM), J.O. LaMadeleine (1938, as "La rondleuse gigue", complete with snoring on the record).
Victor 263638 (78 RPM), A.J. Boulay (1929).
See also listing at : Hear A.J. Boulay's 1929 recording at the Virtual Gramophone [1] and youtube.com [2]
Hear J.O. LaMadeleine's 1938 recording at the Virtual Gramophone [3]
