Annotation:Châteauguay Reel

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X:1 T:Reel de Châteauguay T:Reel de la caserne L:1/8 M:C| D:Victor 263578b (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1929) F:http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/m2/f7/12634.mp3 Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:G dg|b2 bg a2{b}af|ggbg d2dg|fdAB cced|dBGA B2d2| g2bg a2{b}af|ggbg d2dg|fdAB cdef|1g2b2{ga}g2:|2 g2b(g {a}gf)g2|| |:G3B d2g2|ef{a}ge d2dg| fdAB cced|dBGA BB{c}BA| G3B d2g2|ef{a}ge d2dg|fdAB cdef|1 g2b(g {a}gf)g2:|2 g2b2{ga}g2||



CHÂTEAUGUAY REEL (Le Reel de Châteauguay). AKA and see "Bull Run Picnic," "Chatagee Reel," "Chateau Gai," "Chateagaie," "Reel de Châteauguay," "Reel de la caserne," "Reel de la flotte." French-Canadian, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Carlin, Messer, Miller & Perron): AA'BB' (Cuillerier). The reel is from the repertoire of Québec fiddler Joseph Allard (1873–1947), who recorded it twice; first in in 1928 as "Reel de Châteauguay," and again in 1942 as "Reel de la caserne." Allard, who worked for much of his life as a fisherman, lived for a time in the United States, where he toured the northeast and was influenced by Irish and Scottish-style fiddlers. He returned to Canada in 1917 and settled near Montréal, later recording for the Victor and Bluebird labels. The reel was also recorded by other influential Québécois fiddlers, including J.O. LaMadeleine (1880-1973) in the same month as Allard in 1929 (also as "Reel de Châteauguay"), and Isidore Soucy, who recorded it in 1927 and again in 1940 (under the title "Reel de la flotte"). Jean Duval [1] notes that the first strain of "Reel de Châteauguay" is derivative of one strain of the 19th century English hornpipe "Miss Gayton's Hornpipe," although the second strains differ.

The tune was collected in the American Midwest by R.P. Christeson as an untitled reel (a Virginia-born friend told him the title was "Bull Run Picnic").

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Bill Christopherson and Tom Phillips with the Fish Family [Phillips].

Printed sources : - Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; p. 50, No. 73 (appears as "Reel de Châteauguay"). Cuillerier (Joseph Allard), 1992; p. 14 (appears as "Reel de Châteauguay"). Duval (La Musique de Joseph Allard 1873-1947), 2018; No. 22, p. 12. Jarman (Jim Magill's Square Dance Tunes), 1952; p. 6. Messer (Way Down East Fiddlin' Tunes), 1948; No. 11 (appears as "The Chatagee"). Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 31, p. 27. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler's Repertoire), 1983; No. 151 (appears as "Chatagee Reel"). Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 338 (appears as "Chateau Gai").

Recorded sources: -Bluebird B-1225-B (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1942, as "Reel de la caserne"). Brunswick Records BR 52046 (78 RPM), Les Quatre Paysants (1929). Heritage Music HCD 4511, Jim McGill – "Jim McGill and the Northern Ramblers" (2006. Reissue recording). Philo Fl-2012, Jean Carignon - "Jean Carignan Rend Hommage à Joseph Allard" (1976). Rounder Records, April Verch – "Take Me Back" (2006). Smithsonian Folkways FWRBF110/RBF 110, Joseph Allard - "Masters of French Canadian Dances" (1979). Starr 15582-B (78 RPM), J.O. LaMadeleine (1929). Victor 263578-b (78 RPM), Joseph Allard (1928).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear Joseph Allard's recording of "Reel de Châteauguay" at the Virtual Gramophone [2] and youtube.com [3], as "Reel de la caserne," on youtube.com [4]
Hear J.O. LaMadeliene's 1929 recording on youtube.com [5][6] and at the Virtual Gramophone [7]



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  1. Jean Duval, La Musique de Jospeh Allard 1873-1947, 2018, p. 69.