Annotation:Easter Thursday
X:1 T:Easter Thursday M:3/2 L:1/8 R:Triple Hornpipe B:Walsh - Caledonian Country Dances c. 1733 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Dmin d4 de f2 e2d2|e2A4 c2B2A2|e2A4 c2B2A2| B4 Bc d2c2B2|c2 F4 c2B2A2|GA B2 AG F2 GF E2| FE D2 FG A3 D4::agfe f2a2d2a2|bagf e2g2f2g2| agfe d2f2B2f2|gfed ^c2 e2 A2F2|F2G4A4B2|B2A4 d2e2^c2:|d12||
EASTER THURSDAY. English, "Old" or Triple Hornpipe (3/2 time). D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Offord, Walsh): AABB (Young). The melody, with country dance instructions, was published in London in John Young's Third Volume of the Dancing Master, 3rd edition (1726), John Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances (c. 1733), and Wright's Compleat Collection of celebrated country Dances, vol. 2 published in London by Johnson in 1742 (p. 80).
The Thursday before Good Friday is, in the tradition of the Church of England, is when the service of Royal Maundy [1] is held. The ceremony dates to Medieval times, when the English monarch would wash the feet of beggars in imitation of Christ, and distribute food and clothing to the poor. The feet-washing part of the ceremony did not survive the 18th century, and money has since subsitituted for the distribution of food and clothing; but the ceremony is still performed today.
