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Country: Wales

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The Gower Reel

Beth T » Audio » The Gower Reel
The Gower Reel

The Gower Reel



style or instrument: Folkcraft Series H walnut/Engelmann spruce


musician/member name: Beth Thomas


streams: 27



Description:

The Gower Reel is a traditional Welsh dance tune associated with the Gower Peninsula in south Wales. The best-known performer associated with it is Phil Tanner (1862-1950), the celebrated Gower folk singer. When local fiddle players had disappeared, Tanner preserved dance music traditions by performing tunes through mouth music or “diddling” rather than on an instrument. Tanner recorded a version of The Gower Reel in the 1930s, and later recordings were archived by the BBC and the Lomax collection. You can listen to it here: https://archive.culturalequity.org/field-work/england-and-wales-1951-1958/bbc-disc-dubs-1951/gower-reel-0
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Beth T
09/25/26 05:27:49PM @beth-t:

Dusty Turtle:


Really nice playing, Beth.  I had never heard Phil Tanner before, but that diddling is darn cool.


Doesn't this tune sound a lot like Rickett's Hornpipe ?


yes, it’s the same tune Dusty! Phil Tanner learned this among other old tunes from one of the Gower fiddlers and, when the old man died, took his place lilting or "diddling" the music for the dances. But this tune is known in England as Manchester Hornpipe and in America as Rickett's Hornpipe. As an admirer of yours, I’m pleased you like the playing. 😊


Dusty Turtle
09/25/26 03:54:49PM @dusty:

Really nice playing, Beth.  I had never heard Phil Tanner before, but that diddling is darn cool.

Doesn't this tune sound a lot like Rickett's Hornpipe ?
Beth T
09/23/26 09:27:32AM @beth-t:

Robin Thompson:


Wonderfully played, Beth!  


Thanks Robin nod



Beth T
09/23/26 09:26:44AM @beth-t:

DavisJames:


Yes,Beth that does tickle my ears.You sent me the link to Mr.Tanner's version a couple years back which I quite enjoyed.I used to live on Gower street in St.John's,NL.The city is built on a steep hill.Water street at the bottom,then Duckworth(named after some British admiral or other),then Gower street.I always wondered where the name came from.


I’m glad it did tickle your ears Jamies, because I always enjoy your recordings of dance tunes. In case it is of interest, there is also a recording of Phil Tanner singing another version of the Gower Reel, but with the sound of dancers shuffling in the background. You can find it with other versions here: https://veterantapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-gower-nightingale
DavisJames
09/22/26 02:17:17PM @davisjames:

Yes,Beth that does tickle my ears.You sent me the link to Mr.Tanner's version a couple years back which I quite enjoyed.I used to live on Gower street in St.John's,NL.The city is built on a steep hill.Water street at the bottom,then Duckworth(named after some British admiral or other),then Gower street.I always wondered where the name came from.
Robin Thompson
09/22/26 01:11:50PM @robin-thompson:

Wonderfully played, Beth!  
Beth T
09/22/26 12:44:12PM @beth-t:

@Davisjames I thought you'd like this one. I'm quite pleased that I've managed to play it, though it doesn't hold a candle to Phil Tanner's 'diddling' version recorded in the 1930s!