Annotation:Chant Russe

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CHANT RUSSE. AKA - "Chantrusse (The)," "Chantreuse (The)." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody appears in a few printed collections: Edward Riley's Flute Melodies, vol. 1 (New York, 1814, p. 100), Thomas Ball's Gentleman's Amusement, Book 2 (Norfolk, c. 1815, p. 12), and London dancing master Thomas Wilson's Companion to the Ball Room (London, 1816, p. 84). "Chant Russe" appears to be a phonetic translation of the Scots Gaelic title "Seann Truibhas Willichan," the name of a Scottish country dance. The tune is called "The Chantrusse" in piper William Mackie's manuscript collection, and is printed as "Chantreuse (The)" in Thomas Preston's Twenty-Four Country Dances for the Year 1804) and Charles Wheatstone's Clarinet Preceptor (1801).

Source for notated version: Biography:William Mackie music manuscript collection, Aberdeen, early 19th century. Mackie was a Highland bagpiper and Scots small-piper, although his manuscript also includes sections that appear to be for flute and/or fiddle.

Printed sources: Wilson (A Companion to the Ball Room), 1816; p. 84.

Recorded sources:




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