Bonny Sweet Robin

 BONNY SWEET ROBIN. AKA and see "My Robin to the Greenwood Gone." Irish, English; Air. D Dorian (Chappell): A Minor (Barnes). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB. According to Flood (1906) and Chappell (1859), the tune dates from the 16th century and is referred to by Shakespeare in Hamlet when Ophelia sings: For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy.  The original ballad lyrics have been lost, but the air is mentioned as the vehicle for a Christmas carol in 1642, and for a ballad entered at Stationers' Hall in April, 1593. Grattan Flood, as par course, claims the tune's provenance as Irish, and Chappell as English. It is sometimes attributed to Thomas Simpson (1582-1630) or to Holborne. ''Printed source: Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; p. 128 (appears as "Ten for the Ten Commandments", the name of a dance by Fried de Metz Herman set to the tune). Recorded source: Harmonia Mundi 907101, The King's Noyse - "The King's Delight: 17c. Ballads for Voice and Violin Band" (1992).

X:1 T:Bonny Sweet Robin M:3/4 L:1/8 R:Air K:Ddor D2|F3GF2|E4D2|c4d2|A4A,2|F3G F2|E4D2|c4d2|A6||
 * A2d2c2|B3AG2|c3BAG|F3ED2|c3B AG|F3G A2|G3FE2|D6:||

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