Barley Break

X:1 T:Barley Break M:3/2 L:1/8 S:Chappell - Popular Music of the Olden Times (1859) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:G G2A2 | B4B4B4 | B8 B2c2 | d4d4d4 | d8 A2B2 | c4c4c4 | c8d4 | B4 A2G2A4 | G12 :| M:6/4 L:1/8 G3F G2 A3G A2 | B3c d2d4G2 | A3G A2 B3A B2 | c3d e2 e4A2 | B3c d2 e3f g2 | f3e d2 c3BA2 | B3cd2 d3e^c2 | d4 d2 d6 || d4 e2 d4g2 | f2d2e2 d6 | B4c2 B4e2 | d2G2c2 B6 | d4 d2 g6 | G4G2 d4=c2 | B3A G2 A2 F4| (G6G6) ||



BARLEY BREAK. English, Air (3/2 & 6/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABC. The air appears in Lady Neville's Virginal Book. Chappell (1859) relates that barley-break was a very old and popular outdoors game played by six people (three of each sex), who were randomly coupled. A playing field was chosen and divided into three sections with the center section being designated as 'hell'. A mixed-sex couple would each take a division as 'home', and the center couple tried to capture the others as they dashed from end to end through the middle territory. The game ended when all the players were in 'hell', leaving a lone couple as winners. The name stems from the fact that it was often played among the grain stacks of the farmyard. There may also have been a dance called the barley-break, and, although Chappell was too prudish to have mentioned, barley-break was also probably used as a metaphor for lovemaking. Printed source: Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 1, 1859; pg. 270. Recorded source: Island Records AN-700, Kirkpatrick & Hutchings - "The Compleat Dancing Master" (1974).

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