Annotation:Paddy Ryan's Favorite Irish Jig

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PADDY RYAN'S FAVORITE IRISH JIG. AKA and see "Champion (2)," "Coleman's Cross (4)," "Kimmel's Jig (2)," "Smash (The)." Irish, American; Jig (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The provenance for "Paddy Ryan's Favorite Irish Jig" (along with alternate titles) is probably Irish, although this has yet to be ascertained. The jig was first recorded in 1916 in New York for Columbia Records by Brooklyn accordion player John J. Kimmel as the last tune in a medley of Irish jigs, where it appears as "The Smash"^[1]. Kimmel was of German descent and was a prolific recording artist in the 78 RPM era, primarily of Irish music. Famed County Sligo fiddle master wikipedia:Michael_Coleman_(fiddler) recorded his version, "Coleman's Cross (4)" in 1934, and, as "Champion (2)" the jig is known in England. A variant called "Big Chief" was printed by E.F. Adam his publication Old Time Fiddlers Favorite Barn Dance Tunes, in St. Louis in 1928.

In 1928 Ohio fiddler John Baltzell, a one-time student of blackface minstrel songwriter Dan Emmett and an early 78 RPM artist, recorded it for Edison along with a second fiddler, Samuel Shults, with the pair described as "Two Old Time Fiddlers" on the record label. Where they might have obtained the tune is unfortunately not known, but the description of the pair as "old-time" fiddlers was not hyperbole. The second strain of the tune is exceptional for the juxtapositon of the key of 'E' major arpeggios played by the fiddles, and the minor key accompaniment provided by John F. Burckhardt^[2]. This is one 78 RPM recording where the studio accompanist is blameless; Burckhardt dutifully goes to relative minor for the second strain, as is usual for this family of jigs, but the fiddlers remain in major. This juxtaposition of minor-over-major (and vice-versa) between fiddlers and accompanists is a hallmark of the American music style called 'Old-Time' music, and probably bothered Baltzell and Shults not at all.

Additional notes

Recorded sources : - Edison 52313 (78 RPM), 1928, John Baltzell {Baltzell (1860-1940) was a native of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, as was minstrel Dan Emmett [composer of "Dixie"] (d. 1904). Emmett returned to the town in 1888, poor, but later taught Baltzell to play the fiddle.}.

See also listing at :
Hear Baltzell & Shults' 1928 recording at the Discography of American Historical Recordings site [1]

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↑ "Medley of Irish Jigs", consisting of "Haste to the Wedding," "Larry O'Gaff" and "The Smash."
↑ Burckhart was an Edison studio pianist who appears on numerous Edison 78 RPM recordings. He was called upon for accompanist for many different performers who played a variety of musical style, and performed competently and well. He accompanied Baltzell of several Edision recordings, and also backed fiddler Allen Sisson and popular banjoist Fred Van Epps.

[1] "Medley of Irish Jigs", consisting of "Haste to the Wedding," "Larry O'Gaff" and "The Smash."

[2] Burckhart was an Edison studio pianist who appears on numerous Edison 78 RPM recordings. He was called upon for accompanist for many different performers who played a variety of musical style, and performed competently and well. He accompanied Baltzell of several Edision recordings, and also backed fiddler Allen Sisson and popular banjoist Fred Van Epps.

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