Thank you so much, Lois! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and to let me know. In case I haven't told you this before, I'll do it now - you were one of my first dulcimer influences when I first started playing back in the mid-1990s. Thanks for sharing your music! :)
Aha! Actually, I did go through a samba phase in college when I listened to Jobim and Joao Gilberto a lot. More recently I listened intensively to Jacob do Bandolim and more modern choro music when I took a detour from the guitar and played mandolin for a year or two. Maybe that is why the chord sounded "right" to me.
No, not minor at all. It's a Dmajor7, pretty much only found in jazz, particularly Brazilian and Latin jazz. Do you listen to Antonio Carlos Jobim much?
Yeah, the way I play it there it is neither a dance nor a march, but perhaps it would be easier to sing John'snursery rhyme lyrics to it this way. I think the only chord I use that doesn't come from Brian's version is an 022 in place of an 002. That is some kind of minor, I assume.
I should probably have explained as well that I am tuned CGc.
OK folks, I've recorded an audio version of this song in a fingerstyle. I learned it from watching Brian's video ad infinitum, but it certainly sounds different than eitherBrian'sor Mark's version. AndI can't flatpick with their precision anyway.
Perhaps in a day or two I'll make a video, which I'll post here as well.
Thank you all for your comments, and for the information. John P - thanks for sharing those lyrics. I had not seen those before, and for some reason, I really like them. :)
Here's the words of the nursery rhyme as best I can remember, if any one would like to sing along
There was an old woman Tossed up in a basket Seventeen times as high as the moon. Where she was going I couldn't but ask it, For in her hand she carried a broom.
Old woman, old woman, Old woman, said I, Oh wither, Oh wither, Oh wither so high?" To sweep the cobwebs Down from the sky, May I go with you ? Yes, by and by.
Well, played, and it really is a fun tune. It's interesting to here different versions as well, and my what a history! One of my favorite versions is by The Chieftains from their live album "An Irish Evening" so I'm always expecting a nice Bodhran in the background everytime I hear it.
Thanks, Mark, John, and Brian. This is indeed a case where a single melody seems to have many distinct lives, if you will.
And yes, John, the melody uses both the dominant and the major 7th, or the 6 and the 6-1/2 fret in 1-5-8 tuning.
Given that the tune has lent itself to so many interpretations, I think I won't hesitate to add a soft fingerstyle version. You can't pollute something that isn't pure to begin with. (The truth is that my flatpicking version has some sloppiness in technique that isn't an issue in the fingerstyle version. Like water flowing down the mountain, I take the path of least resistance.)
01/03/12 01:51:58PM @brian-g:
Hi all. Dusty, the tune itself was originally an Irish double jig, and was transformed into a march much later. Here is some info from the BBC on the tune:Lilliburlero - A Brief HistoryThe tune used as the World Service in English signature for the news since 21st November 1955 is most commonly known as Lilliburlero. It started life as a jig with Irish roots, whose first appearance seems to be in a collection published in London in 1661 entitled 'An Antidote Against Melancholy', where it is set to the words "There was an old man of Waltham Cross". It was arranged for polite society by the English composer Henry Purcell in 1689, and has been published in his keyboard work 'Musick's Handmaid'.In 1687, however, the tune was set to different words, at a time when the Roman Catholic King James II was becoming increasingly unpopular. These were satirical verses with the Irish Gaelic-based word "Lilliburlero" as a refrain, referring to the appointment to the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland of General Talbot, just created Earl of Tyrconnel. In this guise, the song was subsequently adopted by William of Orange as a marching tune for his Protestant troops.Lilliburlero's military association was rekindled in the Second World War, when it was played on the BBC Home Service programme 'Into Battle' in 1943, and as a result was chosen as the regimental march for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).At the same time it was chosen as the theme tune for our Chinese Service (by the poet and critic William Empson), before being poached by the English network, (then called the General Overseas Service). The version of Lilliburlero now heard replaces the version by BBC music producer David Cox which was in use for 30 years.Lilliburlero has always been a controversial tune for the BBC to employ as an anthem. In 1972, the poet Robert Graves wrote a letter to 'The Times' newspaper complaining about the use of the tune in light of its anti-Catholic connotations. It survives, however, and remains one of the world's most distinctive tunes.
Hi Dusty, put 'Lillibulero' into Google Image search and it should turn up a dozen copies of the sheet music. Most have it in 6/8. The main thing of note is that the tune is not strictly diatonic and needs an extra fret to play it on the melody string alone.
And yes, you most often hear the tune played by military bands.
Dusty, the waltz as we know it today wasn't introduced into standard repertoire until the last half of the 18th century, so you won't find any waltzes in the original Playford collections. Any English Country Dance waltzes are very late additions to the genre. Lilliburlero is basically a double jig. It is most definitely in 6/8 time. Brian has taken artistic liberties with the rhythm, but as a song, the tune certainly lends itself to many interpretations. I have the tune with music and full tab in English Country Dance Tunes for Dulcimer, volume 2.
Brian, when I first heard you play this song, and learning that Mark Gilston includes it in his English country dances collection, I assumed it was a waltz. However, the Wikipedia entry on it states that it is a march. Do you have music for this piece? Might it be in 6/8 time? That would account for both the waltz feel and the steady march beat.
Anyway, I've been playing around with it and might do a fingerstyle version just to offer something other than copying you note for note.
Thanks Brian, this has long been a favourite of mine, firmly cemented in my mind after hearing our Roger Nicholson play it (The Dulcimer Players, Transatlantic, LTRA 502). The sleeve notes state that this tune first occcured in print in 1689, Purcell's Muscick's Handmaid! Should you get the chance to obtain a copy of this LP, grab it, I am sure that you would enjoy the range of music to be found on it! ps. as always, I advise you to ignore JohnK's comments, he has even dragged a poor cat into our exchanges now, perhaps shows he may be struggling to keep up with the rest of us ?
10/16/24
Fine job playing the arrangement, Brian!
Lois
Thank you so much, Lois! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and to let me know. In case I haven't told you this before, I'll do it now - you were one of my first dulcimer influences when I first started playing back in the mid-1990s. Thanks for sharing your music! :)
10/16/24
Fine job playing the arrangement, Brian!
Lois
Thank you, Brian, forI learned the song from your video
Great job Dusty. I enjoyed that very much. :)
Aha! Actually, I did go through a samba phase in college when I listened to Jobim and Joao Gilberto a lot. More recently I listened intensively to Jacob do Bandolim and more modern choro music when I took a detour from the guitar and played mandolin for a year or two. Maybe that is why the chord sounded "right" to me.
No, not minor at all. It's a Dmajor7, pretty much only found in jazz, particularly Brazilian and Latin jazz. Do you listen to Antonio Carlos Jobim much?
Yeah, the way I play it there it is neither a dance nor a march, but perhaps it would be easier to sing John'snursery rhyme lyrics to it this way.
I think the only chord I use that doesn't come from Brian's version is an 022 in place of an 002. That is some kind of minor, I assume.
I should probably have explained as well that I am tuned CGc.
Nice Dusty - definitely more of a song type interpretation, and a very jazzy chord in the first part.
OK folks, I've recorded an audio version of this song in a fingerstyle. I learned it from watching Brian's video ad infinitum, but it certainly sounds different than eitherBrian'sor Mark's version. AndI can't flatpick with their precision anyway.
Perhaps in a day or two I'll make a video, which I'll post here as well.
Thank you all for your comments, and for the information. John P - thanks for sharing those lyrics. I had not seen those before, and for some reason, I really like them. :)
Here's the words of the nursery rhyme as best I can remember, if any one would like to sing along
There was an old woman
Tossed up in a basket
Seventeen times as high as the moon.
Where she was going
I couldn't but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.
Old woman, old woman,
Old woman, said I,
Oh wither, Oh wither, Oh wither so high?"
To sweep the cobwebs
Down from the sky,
May I go with you ?
Yes, by and by.
john p
Well, played, and it really is a fun tune. It's interesting to here different versions as well, and my what a history! One of my favorite versions is by The Chieftains from their live album "An Irish Evening" so I'm always expecting a nice Bodhran in the background everytime I hear it.
Thanks, Mark, John, and Brian. This is indeed a case where a single melody seems to have many distinct lives, if you will.
And yes, John, the melody uses both the dominant and the major 7th, or the 6 and the 6-1/2 fret in 1-5-8 tuning.
Given that the tune has lent itself to so many interpretations, I think I won't hesitate to add a soft fingerstyle version. You can't pollute something that isn't pure to begin with. (The truth is that my flatpicking version has some sloppiness in technique that isn't an issue in the fingerstyle version. Like water flowing down the mountain, I take the path of least resistance.)
Hi all. Dusty, the tune itself was originally an Irish double jig, and was transformed into a march much later. Here is some info from the BBC on the tune:Lilliburlero - A Brief HistoryThe tune used as the World Service in English signature for the news since 21st November 1955 is most commonly known as Lilliburlero. It started life as a jig with Irish roots, whose first appearance seems to be in a collection published in London in 1661 entitled 'An Antidote Against Melancholy', where it is set to the words "There was an old man of Waltham Cross". It was arranged for polite society by the English composer Henry Purcell in 1689, and has been published in his keyboard work 'Musick's Handmaid'.In 1687, however, the tune was set to different words, at a time when the Roman Catholic King James II was becoming increasingly unpopular. These were satirical verses with the Irish Gaelic-based word "Lilliburlero" as a refrain, referring to the appointment to the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland of General Talbot, just created Earl of Tyrconnel. In this guise, the song was subsequently adopted by William of Orange as a marching tune for his Protestant troops.Lilliburlero's military association was rekindled in the Second World War, when it was played on the BBC Home Service programme 'Into Battle' in 1943, and as a result was chosen as the regimental march for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).At the same time it was chosen as the theme tune for our Chinese Service (by the poet and critic William Empson), before being poached by the English network, (then called the General Overseas Service). The version of Lilliburlero now heard replaces the version by BBC music producer David Cox which was in use for 30 years.Lilliburlero has always been a controversial tune for the BBC to employ as an anthem. In 1972, the poet Robert Graves wrote a letter to 'The Times' newspaper complaining about the use of the tune in light of its anti-Catholic connotations. It survives, however, and remains one of the world's most distinctive tunes.
Hi Dusty, put 'Lillibulero' into Google Image search and it should turn up a dozen copies of the sheet music. Most have it in 6/8.
The main thing of note is that the tune is not strictly diatonic and needs an extra fret to play it on the melody string alone.
And yes, you most often hear the tune played by military bands.
john p
Dusty, the waltz as we know it today wasn't introduced into standard repertoire until the last half of the 18th century, so you won't find any waltzes in the original Playford collections. Any English Country Dance waltzes are very late additions to the genre. Lilliburlero is basically a double jig. It is most definitely in 6/8 time. Brian has taken artistic liberties with the rhythm, but as a song, the tune certainly lends itself to many interpretations. I have the tune with music and full tab in English Country Dance Tunes for Dulcimer, volume 2.
http://www.markgilston.com/content/publications.html or http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/english-country-dance-tunes-for-dulcimer-vol-2/2574492
Brian, when I first heard you play this song, and learning that Mark Gilston includes it in his English country dances collection, I assumed it was a waltz. However, the Wikipedia entry on it states that it is a march. Do you have music for this piece? Might it be in 6/8 time? That would account for both the waltz feel and the steady march beat.
Anyway, I've been playing around with it and might do a fingerstyle version just to offer something other than copying you note for note.
Thanks Mark. I enjoyed your version also.
Nice job on this one. Here's my version: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gilston8 (Track 11)
Thanks Brian, this has long been a favourite of mine, firmly cemented in my mind after hearing our Roger Nicholson play it (The Dulcimer Players, Transatlantic, LTRA 502). The sleeve notes state that this tune first occcured in print in 1689, Purcell's Muscick's Handmaid! Should you get the chance to obtain a copy of this LP, grab it, I am sure that you would enjoy the range of music to be found on it! ps. as always, I advise you to ignore JohnK's comments, he has even dragged a poor cat into our exchanges now, perhaps shows he may be struggling to keep up with the rest of us ?
JohnH