Annotation:Mr. Lane’s Maggot

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 MR. LANE'S MAGGOT. AKA and see “Polly for ever,” “Richmond Ball,” "Round (The)." English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A maggot is another term for a dram; a unit of liquid measure, and also meant a small thing of little consequence or a plaything; from the Italian maggioletta. Maggots were longways country dances of the late 17th century often dedicated to a personage. The tune appears in Pepys V, circa 1690. William Vickers prints a major-mode version in his 1770 music manuscript collection under the title “Richmond Ball.” “Mr. Lane’s Maggot” first appears in print in Henry Playford’s Dancing Master, 9th edition (London, 1695) and in all subsequent editions through the end of the series with the 18th edition in 1728 (at that time published by John Young). Young gives the alternate title “Richmond Ball” in the 17th and 18th editions (1721 & 1728, respectively). It was published by Thomas D’Urfey in Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy, vol. 2 (1719-1720).  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Barlow (Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford’s Dancing Master), 1985; No. 328, p. 79. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 212.  Recorded sources:

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