X:1
T:Pete's Breakdown
T:(Peas Breakdown)
M:C
W:From the playing of Gaston Bernard
K:Bm
"Bm"b2a2f2e2|d2B2B2Bd|"F#m"cAFA fedc|"Bm"Bcde "F#m"f3f|
"Bm"b2a2 (3fbf e2|dBBB B2 Bd|"F#m"cAFA fedc|"Bm"BdcA B2z2:|
"A7"FE|:"D"DDA,D FEDF|ADFA dced|"A7"cGGG GBAG|
"D"FDDD "A7"D2 (3FGF|"D"DDA,D FEDF|ADFA dfed|
"G"cGGG "Em"GBAG|1"A7"FDEC "D"D2 "A7" (3EFE:|2"A7"FDEC "D"D2z2|]
PETE'S BREAKDOWN. AKA - "Peas Breakdown." Canadian, Reel (cut time). C Major (‘A’ part) & A Minor (‘B’ part). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by Edmonton, Alberta, fiddler Émilien "Pete" Couture (1903-1977). Couture was a college educated musician who studied violin in Winnipeg, followed by two years tutelage under Alfred Mergelin in Los Angeles. In addition to his various endeavors with his fiddle ensembles, he played with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and had a popular broadcast on Canadian radio and TV. See also his compositions "Y'Aye! Y'Aye! Roll Your Own" and "À la main gauche." The strains of "Pete's Breakdown" are sometimes played reversed. Pete Couture (far right)
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 118. Songer (The Portland Collection, vol. 2), 2005; p. 156.
Recorded sources : - Apex 26375, Don Messer & His Islanders (1953). Apex AL 1613, "The Best of Don Messer and his Islanders, vol. 6" (1960). "Les sessions du Vices & Versa: 15e anniversaire" (2021. 2nd tune in "Domino les femmes ont chaud!").
See also listing at : Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear Don Messer's 1953 recording on youtube.com [2]
