Bristol Hornpipe (The)

 BRISTOL HORNPIPE, THE. AKA and see "Blacksmith's Hornpipe [2]," "Slayley Bridge Hornpipe." English, Scottish; Hornpipe. England, Northumberland. A Major (Honeyman, Kennedy, Kerr, Raven): G Major (Hall & Stafford). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Kerr): AABB. The name Bristol (Glouchestershire) is an Anglo-Saxon name, given as Bricgstow in 1063, 'the meeting place by the bridge.' It was an important Saxon town, having its own mint, and later became England's second port. Eleanor of Brittany, the granddaughter of Henry II, was confined by king John in 1203 at various castles in the area and remained a prisoner for thirty-nine years until her death at Bristol Castle. Queen Elizabeth I visited Bristol in 1574 and remarked that the Church of St. Mary's was the "fairest and goodliest" church in the land. See also the related "Lemmie Brazil's No. 2." Peter Kennedy (1951) gave "Blacksmith's Hornpipe" as an alternate title for the tune, source unknown, although he may have copied it from Köhler's Violin Repository where it also appears as "Blacksmith's Hornpipe." . Philip Heath-Coleman who researched "Bristol Hornpipe" says that it is found in Wales as "Smith's Hornpipe," a title perhaps related to blacksmithing, although "The Blacksmith's Hornpipe" usually refers to a variant of "Fisher's Hornpipe." Francis O'Neill prints a version in his Dance Music of Ireland (1907) as "The Clover Blossom Hornpipe", giving an alternate title of "Harlequin Hornpipe." Printed sources: Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; p. 45. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; p. 44. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune Book), vol. 1, 1951; No. 24; p. 12. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 18, p. 44. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 175.

X:1 T:Bristol Hornpipe L:1/8 M:C S:Honeyman - Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor (1898) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:A (3efg|a>ec>e A>ce>a|f>dB>G A2 B>c|d>ef>e d>cB>A|G>AF>G E2 (3efg| a>ec>e A>ce>a|f>dB>G A2 B>c|d>fe>d c>BA>G|B2 (A2 A2):| ceAe ceAe|fdBf dfBf|e>ag>f e>dc>B|A2 c2 A2:||
 * e>d|ceAe ceAe|dfBf dfBd|ceAe ceAc|B>AG>F E>fe>d|

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