Annotation:Calliope House

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 CALLIOPE HOUSE. AKA - "Caliope House." Scottish, Double Jig. D Major (Taylor): E Major (Martin & Hughes, Songer). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB' (Martin & Hughes): AA'BB' (Songer, Taylor). A popular jig for contra dance sets, composed by Boys of the Lough mandolin, banjo and concertina player Dave Richardson (Northumberland) who originally set it in E Major. Songer (Portland Collection), quotes him as saying that he wrote in while noodling on the mandolin one day while waiting for his daughter to emerge from the school across from the family home. The title honors Calliope House in Pittsburgh, Pa., home of piper and arts supporter and administrator George Balderose (Calliope was the Greek muse of poets and musicians). It has been suggested that the D Major version came about because of Irish-style tin whistle and flute players who find fingering in that key much more comfortable. Both keys seem to be in general use for the tune. See also Richardson's "MacArthur Road."  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaigh), 1990; p. 49. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; p. 45. Taylor (Where's the Crack?), 1989; p. 19.  Recorded sources: Culburnie Records CUL 121D, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas - "Fire and Grace" (2004). IONA 047, Barra MacNeils - "Traditional Album" (appears as 1st tune of "Clumsy Lover" set). SG 155, Alasdair Fraser - "The Road North." Tartan Tapes CDTT1004, Alasdair Fraser - "Heat the Hoose" (1998).

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