Annotation:Peter Street (1)

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PETER STREET [1] (Sráid Phaedair/Peadair). AKA – “Sweet Peter Street.” AKA and see “Babes in the Woods (3),” “Blackling Races,” “Blanchland Races,” "Miller's Frolics (2) (The)," "Timour the Tartar." Scottish, Irish, New England; Reel. A Major (Cole, Mille & Perron, O'Neill, Spadaro): G Major (Breathnach, Eames). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Cole, O'Neill/1850 & 1001, Spadaro): AA'B (O'Neill/Krassen): AABB (Miller & Perron, Sweet): AA'BB' (Breathnach). The melody is known in English and Scottish collections as “Timour the Tartar” (see note for Annotation:Timour the Tartar) for more on the origins, which predate “Peter Street”), however, it appears in the 19th century music manuscript collection of John Burks’ as “Blackling Races,” perhaps a mishearing of another alternate title, "Blanchland Races." The name “Peter Street” first appears in a publication by P. Alday in Dublin, c. 1815, as “A Favourite Dance—as danc’d at Peter Street,” a reference perhaps to Dublin's Peter Street. The reel "Peter Street" appears in a repertoire list brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). John Hartford thinks the tune hints of "Olive Branch Hornpipe" (or perhaps, more correctly, vice-versa).

"Peter Street" seems to have enjoyed some former popularity for contra dancing. An early version (as "Peter Street") appears in the music manuscript collection of musician M.E. Eames, frontispiece dated Aug. 22nd, 1859. Nothing is known of the fiddler, although some tune titles in his manuscript suggest Philadelphia, Pa., associations. "Peter Street" probably gained popularity for contra dancing through its appearance in several of Boston publisher Elias Howe's publications. Philippe Varlet remarks that the tune was often recorded during the 78 RPM era, although not very much in modern times. Early recordings include a 1927 waxing in the United States by concertina player William Mullaly, and a 1936 recording by Co. Sligo/New York fiddler James Morrison accompanied by Tom Carmody on accordion. Piper Leo Rowsome recorded it as well in 1936, and the great accordion player Paddy O'Brien recorded it for a 1950’s Copley EP that had tracks by fiddler Sean McGuire as well. Perhaps the earliest recording is from 1904 by violinist Charles D’Almaine [1], born in 1871 in England, who died in 1943. D’Almaine immigrated to the United States in 1888, and by 1890 had established himself as “instructor on violin” in Evanston, Illinois; by 1910 he had removed to Yonkers, and in 1920 was a chiropractor in New York City. He was not, however, a traditional instrumentalist but rather prolifically recorded a wide variety of popular and classical music.

In some circles the tune is associated with piano accordion players as a “show-off” piece. Fiddlers prefer the tune in the key of ‘A’, while B/C accordion and tin whistle players prefer it in ‘G’, both of which keys favour their respective instruments; flute player John Clinton set it in 'D', accordingly.

Source for notated version: piper Seamas Ennis, 1959 (Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 169, p. 88. Clinton (Gems of Ireland: 200 Airs),1841, No. 189, p. 98 (as “Sweet Peter Street”). Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 50. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; 48. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; p. 18. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 153. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 119. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1325, p. 248. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 803, p. 139. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 78. Spadaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; p. 35. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; p. 64.

Recorded sources: CC61, “Drones and Chanters, vol. 2.” Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 173, Brian Conway – “Consider the Source” (2008). Copley Records EP9-20 (45 RPM), Paddy O’Brien (195?). Okeh 84179 (78 RPM), James Morrison's Trio (1936, 2nd tune, following "Cup of Tea"). RCA 09026-61490-2, The Chieftains - "The Celtic Harp" (1993). Gay McKeon – “Irish Piping Tradition.”

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [4]

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