X:1
T:Macaroni, The
M:2/4
L:1/8
B:Thompson's Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773)
Z:Transcribed and edited by Fynn Titford-Mock, 2007
Z:abc's:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:D
df/(g/ a)f|dAFA|(BG)(GE)|(BG)(GE)|df/(g/ a)f|dAFA|(AF)(FD)|(AF)(FD):|
|:EA/(B/ c)A|(ec)(cA)|(fd)(dB)|(fd)(dB)|g(e/f/ g)e|f(d/e/ f)d|e(c/d/ e)c|d2 D2:||
Father and sonMACARONI. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. 'Macaroni' was 18th century slang for a dandified young gentleman; a preening aristocrat (the only class that could afford fashion). Macaroni fashions were imported from Italy and France, as the name suggests, and Macaroni wigs became an extreme fashion in the 1770's. Macaroni's not only dressed in a foppish manner, they adopted feminine mannerisms, and the men were deemed 'effeminate.'
The melody also appears in Straight & Skillern's Two Hundred and Four Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1775) and Longman, Lukey and Broderip's Bride's Favourite Collection of 200 Select Country Dances, Cotillions (London, 1776).
The Macaroni Dressing Room
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Straight & Skillern (Two Hundred and Four Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), c. 1775; No. 58, p. 29. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 8.
Recorded sources : - The earliest sound recording of the tune is on the 2nd Barrel, 2nd tune, of a mechanical Chamber Barrel Organ [1], hand-built by John Langshaw (1718-1798), Organ Maker, Lancaster, c. 1785. The organ is one of three surviving Langshaw organs.
