Hello! Ask me (almost) anything about traditional music.
O dear! what can the matter be
X:1 T:O dear what can the matter be M:G L:1/8 R:Air Q:"Slow" B:Aird - Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, B:vol. 4 (1796, No. 15, p. 6) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:G V:1 clef=treble name="1." [V:1] d3 d3|dBg dBG|c3 c3|cAB cBA| d3 d3|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|1G3 z3:|2G3 z2|| |:d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA| dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G3 z2:|]
X:2
T:Oh Dear what can the matter be
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Thomas Sands' MS, TS. 003, 1810, Lincolnshire
R:glee
O:Lincolnshire
Z:vmp.Ruairidh Greig, 2011
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="2."
[V:1] d3d3|dBg dBG|c3c3|cAB cBA|!
d3d3|dBg dBG|EAc BcA|G3G3:|!
|:dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|!
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EAc BcA|G3G3:|]
X: 3
T:O Dear, What Can The Matter Be
R:jig
S:Rev. R. Harrison's MS, RH. 487, c 1815, Cumbria
O:England
A:Temple Sowerby,Cumbria
Z:vmp.Simon Wilson. Review PJH, 2008.
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Bb
V:1 clef=treble name="1."
[V:1] c3c3|cAf cAF|B3B3|BGA BAG|
c3c3|cAf cAF|DFB A>BG|1F3 F3:|2F3 F2:|!
|:F|cAB cAB|cAf cAF|BGA BGA|BGA BAG|
cAB cAB|cAf cAF|DFB A>BG|F3 F2:|]
X:4
T:O dear what can the matter be. MBe.28
A:England;Cumbria;Towcett
B:Matthew Betham MS, Towcett Cumbria, 1815
Z:VMP - Hugh Taylor, 2012
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=100
R:
N:NB-Symbol written like a volta bracket, but with no number
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="1."
[V:1] d3 d3|dBg dBG|c3 c3|cAc cBA|
d3 d3|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G3"^NB":|
|:d2|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G4:|
X:5
T:O Dear what can the Matter Be, with Variations
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Air
Q:"Slow"
B:John Hall - "A Selection of Strathspeys Reels, Waltzes & Irish Jigs" (c. 1818, p. 17)
B: https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/104981834
N:"Printed and sold by John Hall, at his Music Room."
N:Hall (1788-1862) was a music teacher in Ayr, Scotland. His dancing master’s 'kit'
N:(a small fiddle) used in his dancing lessons, is still preserved.
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="5."
[V:1] z|[G3B3de][G3B3d3]|dBg dBG|[F3A3c3][F3A3c3]|[Ac][FA][GB] [Ac][GB][FA]| [G3B3de][G3B3d3]|dBg dBG|
dBg dBG|EGc BcA |G3 G2::B/c/|[Bd][GB][Ac] [Bd][GB][Ac]|[Bd][GB][Bg] [Bd]BG|[Ac][FA][GB] [Ac][FA][GB] |
[Ac][FA][GB] [Ac][GB][FA]|[Bd][GB][Ac] [Bd][GB][Ac]|[Bd][GB][Bg] [Bd]BG|EGc BcA|G3 A2!fermata!:|
P:"Var. 1st"
(G/4A/4B/4c/4)|[G2B2d2] (G/4A/4B/4c/4) [G2B2d2] (G/4A/4B/4c/4)|(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3g/ag/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3G/A/G/|[F2A2c2] (D/8E/8F/8G/8A/4B/4) [F2A2c2] (D/8E/8F/8G/8A/4B/4)|
(3c/d/c/ (3A/B/A/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3B/c/B/ (3A/B/A/|[G2B2d2] (G/4A/4B/4c/4) [G2B2d2] (G/4A/4B/4c/4)|(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3g/a/g/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3G/A/G/|
(3E/F/E/ (3c/d/c/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3A/B/A/ (3F/G/F/|(3G/A/G/ (3D/E/D/ (3B,/C/B,/ G,z::(G/4A/4B/4c/4)|(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/|
(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3g/a/g/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3G/A/G/|(3c/d/c/ (3A/B/A/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3B/c/B/ (3A/B/A/|(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/|
(3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (4g/a/g/ (3d/e/d/ (3B/c/B/ (3G/A/G/|(3E/F/E/ (3c/d/c/ (3B/c/B/ (3c/d/c/ (3A/B/A/ (3F/G/F/|(3G/A/G/ (3D/E/D/ (3B,/C/B,/ G,z:|
P:"Var. 2nd"
B/c/|d/B/G/B/D/G/ B,/D/G,/B,/D/G/|B/G/d/B/ g/d/ b/g/d'/b/a/g/|c/A/F/A/D/F/ A,/D/F/D/A/F/|c/A/f/c/a/f/ c’/a/f/d/c/A/|
d/B/G/B/D/G/ B,/D/G,/B,/D/G/|B/G/d/B/g/d/ b/g/d'/b/a/g/|c/A/F/A/D/F/ A,/D/F/A/c/f/|(a/g/)(d/g/)B/d/ G2:|
|:B/c/|d/g/B/d/c/e/ d/g/B/d/c/e/|d/g/B/d/c/e/ d/g/b/d'/b/g/|c/a/A/c/B/d/ c/a/A/c/B/d/|c/a/A/c/B/d/ c/f/a/c'/a/f/|
d/g/B/d/c/e/ d/g/B/d/c/e/|d/g/B/d/c/e/ d/g/b/d'/b/g/|e/c'/d/b/c/a/ B/g/c/a/A/f/|(a/g/)(d/g/)B/d/ G2:|
P":Var. 3rd"
b/c'/|(3d'/b/g/ (3b/g/d/ (3g/d/B/ (3d/B/G/ (3B/G/D/ (3G/D/B/|(3G/B/D/ (3G/B/d/ (3g/b/d'/ (3g'/f'/e'/ (3d'/e'/f'/ (3g'/d'/b/|(3c'/a/f/ (3a/f/c/ (3f/c/A/ (3c/A/f/ (3A/F/D/ (3F/D/A/|
(3D/A/F/ (3D/F/A/ (3c/A/f/ (3c/a/f/ (3c'/a/f/ (3d/c/A/|(3d'/b/g/ (3b/g/d/ (3g/d/B/ (3d/B/G/ (3B/G/d/ (3G/D/B/|
(3G/B/d/ (3G/B/d/ (3g/b/d'/ (3g'/f'/e'/ (3d'/e'/f'/ (3g'/d'/b/|(3e/d'/b/ (3a/e'/d'/ (3a/f/d/ (3A/d/A/ (3f/d/a/ (3g/B/g/ (3d/B/d/ (3g/d/g/ (3b/g/b/ (3d'/b/d'/ g':|
P:"8v.a"
B/c/|(3d/e/d/ B/G/c/e/ (3d/e/d/ B/G/c/e/|(3d/e/d/ B/G/g/e/ d/e/d/c/B/d/|(3c/d/c/ A/F/A/B/ (3c/d/c/ A/F/A/B/|
(3c/d/c/ A/F/A/B/ (c/4d/4e/4d/4) (c/4d/4B/4c/4) A|(3d/e/d/ B/d/c/e/ (3d/e/d/ B/d/c/e/|(3d/e/d/ B/G/g/e/ d/e/c/d/B|Eed cBA|g/g/d/g/B/d/ G2!D.C.!:|
X: 6
T:What Can The Matter Be
T:Oh,Dear, What Can The...
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:James Winder Ms, JaW. 293, Lancashire, 1835-41
R:.Air
O:England
A:Wyresdale, Lancashire
N:Johnny Stops Long At The Fair.
Z:vmp.Chris Partington, Aug 2004
K:C
V:1 clef=treble name="6."
[V:1] d3d3|dBg dBG|c3c3|cAB cBA|!
d3d3|dBg dcB|Eed cBA|G3G3:|!
|:d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|\
"not clear from here"cBA GFE|!
dBc dBc|dBd dBG|Eed cBA|G3zz2:|
X:7
T:What can the matter be
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Air
S:John Rook music manuscript collection (Waverton, Cumbria, 1840, p. 152)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="7."
[V:1] d3d3|dBg dBG|c3 c3|cAB cBA|
d3 d3|dBg dBG|DGc BcA|G3 G3:|
|:dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|DGc BAF|G3 G3:|]
X: 8
T:Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be? (2 voices)
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:A.J.Hughes MS, AJH. 006
O:England
A:North Shropshire
Z:Neil Brookes 2006
V:1 clef=treble name="8."
V:2 clef=bass name="8."
%%staves {1 2}
K:G
[V:1] |: "_rest added"z|d3 d3 | dBg dBG | c3 c3 | cAB cBA |
[V:2] |: z|G,B,G, F,D,F, | G,3 G,2F, | E,G,C C,E,G, | D,3 D,3 |
%
[V:1] d3 d3 | dBg dBG | EGc BcA | G3 z2 :|
[V:2] G,B,G, F,D,F, | G,3 G,3 | C,3 D,3 | G,D,B,, G,,2 :|
%
[V:1] |: d | dBc dBc | dBg dBG | cAB cAB | cAB cBA |
[V:2] |: z | G,3 G,3 | G,3 G,3 | D,3 D,3 | D,3 D,3 |
%
[V:1] dBc dBc | dBg dBG | EGc BcA | G3"_dotted in MS" G2 :|
[V:2] G,3 G,3 | G,3 G,3 | B,,3 D,3 | G,D,B,, G,,2 :|
X:9
T:O dear what can the matter be
O:No 32 Pages 12-13 William Clarke of Feltwell MS 1858
N:No groups beamed in MS
Z: transcribed by Lyn Law
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="9."
[V:1] d3d3|dBg dBG|c6|cAB cBA|
d6|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G3/2 z3:|
|:d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G4:|
X:10
T:What can the matter be?
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Anonymous 1862 American music manuscript collection (p. 3)
N: https://archive.org/stream/MerryMen/MUMSS-00079#page/n0/mode/2up
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="10."
[V:1] d2z d2z|dBg dBG|c2c c2c|cAB cBA|
d2z d2z|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G3 z2:|
|:d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EGc BcA|G3z2:|]
X:11
T:Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be
R:air
S:John Clare, Poet, JC. 012, Helpston (1793-1864)
N:Modern practice would have the dotted minims as two dotted crotchets
N:slurred, to ease readability. CGP.
N:Song text exists. See Deacon.
O:England
A:Northamptonshire
Z:vmp.P. Headford
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:D
V:1 clef=treble name="11."
[V:1] e3e3|\
eca ecA|d6|dBc dcB|!
e6|eca ecA|FAd cdB|A3z2:|!
|:e|ecd ecd|eca ecA|dBc dBc|dBc dcB|!
ecd ecd|eca ecA|FAd cdB|A6:|
X:12
T:Oh Dear what can the Matter be
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Quickstep
B:John McLachlan - Piper’s Assistant (1854, No. 63, p. 36)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:Amix
V:1 clef=treble name="12."
[V:1] cd|e3 e3|eca ecA|d3 d3|TcBc dcB|
e3e3|eca ecA|Gad cdB|A3 A:|
|:cd|ecd ecd|ecd ecA|dBc d>Bc|dBc dcB|
ecd ecd|eca ecA|dfd cdB|A3 A:|]
X:13
T:O Dear what can the matter be? - Variations
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:"Allegretto"
B:Köhler's Violin Repository vol. 3Bc (1885, p. 266)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="13."
[V:1] d3d3|dBg dBG|c3c3|cAB cBA|d3d3|dBg dBG|
EAc BcA|1(G3 G3):|2(G3 G2)||:d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|EAc BcA|(G3G2)::z|(d/g/)b/a/g/f/ (e/d/)g/f/e/d/|
(c/B/)e/d/c/B/ (A/G/)c/B/A/G/|F/a/c'/a/g/ f/e/a/g/f/e/|(d/c/)f/e/d/c/ (B/A/)d/c/B/A/|
G/b/d'/c'/b/a/ g/f/b/a/g/f/|(e/d/)g/f/e/d/ (c/B/)e/d/c/B/|(A/G/)c/B/A/G/ (F/A/)d/c/B/A/|(G3G2):|
|:d|d/c/B/c/d/e/ e/c/B/c/d/e/|(e/g/)b/a/g/f/ (e/d/)c/B/A/G/|c/B/A/B/c/d/ c/B/A/B/c/d/|
c/a/c'/b/a/g/ f/e/d/c/B/A/B/A/|B/A/B/G/A/B/ c/B/c/A/B/c/|d/b/d'/c'/b/a/ g/f/e/d/c/B/|
(A/c/)e/c/A/G/ (F/A/)d/c/B/A/|(G3G2):||:(3D/E/F/|GDB GdB|gdb gdBB|
cAF AFC|FED EDA,|B,G,D B,GD|BGd BGD|(EAc) (BcA)|(G3G2):|
|:d|{e}d^cd {E}D^CD|gfg {E}D^CD|{e}cBc {E}D^CD|a^ga {E}D^CD|
(d^cd) (GFG)|(gfg) (E^DE)|(G^GA) (A=GF)|(G3 G2):|
|:z|d(G/B/)d/g/ d(B/d/)g/b/|g(d/g/)b/d'/ b(g/a/)b/g/|c'(c'/a/)f/d/ c(a/f/)d/c/|
A(c/A/)F/D/ C(A/F/)D/C/|B,(G,/B,/)D/G/ D(B,/D/)G/B/|G(D/G/)B/d/ B(G/B/)d/g/|
E(E/A/)c/e/ d(D/F/)A/F/|(G3G2)::(G/A/B/c/)|d(d/c/B/A/) G(B/A/G/F/)
E(G/F/E/D/) C(A/B/c/d/)|e(e/d/c/B/) A(c/B/A/G/)|F(A/G/F/E/) D(D/E/F/D/)|
G(G/F/G/A/) B(B/A/B/c/)|d(d/e/f/d/) g(g/f/e/d/)|c(e/d/c/B/) A(d/c/B/A/)|(G3G2):|]
X:14
T:Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Air
S:O'Neill - Music of Ireland No. 620 (1903)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
V:1 clef=treble name="14."
[V:1] d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|
dBc dBc|dBg dBG|DGc BcA|G3 z2||
B|d3d3|dBg dBG|c3 ccc|cAB cBA|
d3 ddd|dBg dBG|DGc BcA|G3 z2||
