Annotation:Christmas Eve (4)

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 CHRISTMAS EVE [4]. AKA and see "Weevily Wheat," "Willy and Evil." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. D Major. Standard or ADae tuning (fiddle). AABB (Monday/Titon): ABBCC' (Bowles/Titon): AABB'CC' (Bowles/Phillips). The tune, played slower than a normal breakdown, was learned by south-central Kentucky fiddler Jim Bowles (b. 1903) from local musicians--it was not widely known outside the area. Phillips notates the 'A' part as irregular, with a measure of 3/4 and a measure of 2/4 time in an otherwise cut time piece. Titon notates Bowles' version entirely in 2/2, with no irregular measure. The melody was also in the repertoire of Isham Monday, who like Bowles played it in ADae although he tuned his fiddle low, sounding below standard 'C'. Titon (2001) finds variants of "Christmas Eve" in "Weevily Wheat" and "Willy and Evil." Bruce Greene says "Christmas Eve" dates to pre-Civil War era. The melody was also in the repertoire of African-American fiddler John Lusk (Ky.), who recorded the melody (along with musicians Murph Gribble and Albert York) for the Library of Congress (AFS 8511). Sources for notated versions: Jim Bowles (Rockbridge, Monroe County, Ky., 1959) [Phillips, Titon]; Isham Monday (Tompkinsveille, Monroe County, Ky., 1959) [Titon]. Printed sources: Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; p. 31. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 24A & B, p. 59. Recorded sources: Cartunes 105, Bruce Molsky and Bob Carlin - "Take Me as I Am" (2004. Sourced to Isham Monday and Murph Gribble, John Lusk and Albert York). County 2730, Rafe Stefanini - "Glory on the Big String." Marimac 9060, Jim Bowles - "Railroading Through the Rocky Mountains." Marimac 9023, Bruce Molsky & Bob Carlin - "Take Me as I Am." Meriweather Records, Isham Monday - "I Kind of Believe it's a Gift." See also listing at Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index.

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