DICK'S MAGGOT. AKA - "Talk: Double the Cape," "Duble the Cape." English, Triple Hornpipe (3/2 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Barnes, Fleming-Williams): ABB (Sharp): AABCC (Raven). A maggot was another term for a 'dram', a unit of liquid measure. It also meant a slight thing of little consequence, or plaything, fancy, whim; from the Italian maggioletta. The tune was first published as the vehicle for a longways dance by Henry Playford in the supplement to the 11th edition of the Dancing Master (London, 1702), and was retained in all subsequent editions of the long-running series, through the 18th and final edition, published at the end by John Young (London, 1728), Playford's successor. Young also published the tune in the Dancing Master (edition of 1710) under the title "Duble (Double) the Cape." Rival London music publisher John Walsh printed both dance and tune in his Compleat Country Dancing-Master, editions published in 1718, 1731 and 1754.
English composer Ernest Tomlinson (1924-2015) included "Dick's Maggot" as one of six traditional tunes in his in his "First Suite of English Folk Dances," and has proved popular.
Additional notes Source for notated version : - Playford, Dancing Master (1702) [Barlow, Offord, Sharp].
Printed sources : - Barlow (Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford's Dancing Master), 1985; No. 483, p. 110. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Fleming-Williams (English Dance Airs; Popular Selection, Book 1), 1965; pp. 10-11. Keller et al. (Playford Ball), 1990; p. 24. Offord (John of the Green: Ye Cheshire Way), 1985; p. 24. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 28. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909; p. 75.
Recorded sources : - Rootbeat Records, Hannah James & Sam Sweeney - "Catches and Glees" (2009). Topic Records TSCD550, Brass Monkey - "Flame of Fire" (2004). Varrick C-VR-013, Bare Necessities - "English Country Dances" (1987). Appears on Pyewacket album. Idlewild - "The Chalice Well" (2002). Dave Swarbrick - "Lift the Lid and Listen."
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