Annotation:Ça Ira

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 ÇA IRA. See "Downfall of Paris." French, Air and March. The air, played as a march, was adopted by the West Yorkshire Regiment of the British army as their regimental march. David Murray, writing in Music of the Scottish Regiments (Edinburgh, 1994), gives this account: At the Battle of Famars in May, 1793, the 14th Foot- later the West Yorkshire Regiment-were being attacked by the French, whose band was playing the revolutionary  song 'Ça ira': "Ah, ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, a la lanterne, les aristos! Ah, ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, Les aristocrats, on les pendra!" The Commanding Officer of the 14th ordered his drummers to strike up 'Ça ira!' and, turning to his men, cried, 'We'll beat  them to their won damned tune!" This the 14th did, and made  Ça ira' their own.  (p. 182). The following passage is from A Contribution to the History of the Huguenots of South Carolina' (1887) by Samuel Dubose and Frederick Porcher. It describes a country dance in Craven County, South Carolina in the early 1800's: Nothing can be imagined more simple or more fascinating that those Pineville balls. Bear in mind, reader, that we are discussing old Pineville as it existed prior to 1836. No love of display governed the preparations; no vain attempt to outshine a com petitor in the world of fashion. Refreshments were provided of the simplest character, such only as the unusual exercise, and sitting beyond the usual hours of repose, would  fairly warrant. Nothing to tempt the pampered appetite. Cards were usually provided  to keep the elderly gentlemen quite, and the music was only that which the gentlemen's ''servants could produce. The company assembled early. No one ever though of '' waiting until bedtime to dress for the ball; a country-dance always commenced the  ''entertainment. The lady who stood at the head of the dancers was entitled to call for'' the figure, and the old airs, Ca Ira, Moneymusk, Haste to the Wedding, and La Belle  Catharine were popular and familiar in Pineville long after they had been forgotten, as  dances, everywhere else.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources:  Recorded sources: Maggie's Music MMCD216, Hesperus - "Early American Roots" (1997).

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