Annotation:Countess (The)
X:1 T:Countess, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig B:A.S. Bowman – “J.W. Pepper Collection of Five Hundred Reels, Jigs, B:etc.” (Phila., 1908, No. 71, p. 17) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C {B}c|GEF Ged|cBA G2e|gfe def|ag^f g2{B}c| GEF Gec|BA^G Afe|def ga[Bb]|[cc’]z c2:| |:(B/c/)|dBG G^FG|ecG G^FG|Bc^c def|ag^f g2 (B/c/)| dBG G^FG|ecG G^FG|ABc dcB|c2z [D2c2]:|]
COUNTESS, THE. American, Jig (6/8 time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune is characterized as an "Irish Jig" (i.e. 6/8 time) in the J.W. Pepper collection, but this is only to differentiate the genre from the "straight jig", a duple time, reel-like piece popular in the late 19th century. There is nothing of Irishness in the character of the melody, nor is the tune meant to be masquerading as a jig from Ireland; the term "Irish Jig" only serves to clarify the meter.
