Annotation:Pickerel Reel
X:1 T:Pickerel Reel M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Reel B:Elias Howe – Musician’s Omnibus Nos. 6 & 7 (Boston, 1880-1882, p. 629) B: http://ks4.imslp.net/files/imglnks/usimg/c/c7/IMSLP601433-PMLP562790-ONeill_Rare_Medium_M40_M8_v6.7_text.pdf Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D (3A/B/c/|d>f e/d/e/f/|d/f/a/d'/ Tba|(d'/c'/).b/./a (b/a/).f/.d/|(e/f/).e/.d/ (B/d/)A| d>f (e/d/).e/.f/|d/f/a/d'/ Tba|(d'/c'/).b/.a/ (b/a/).f/.d/|(e/d/).B/.c/ d:| |:a|b>c' (d'c'/b/)|(a/d'/)(f/a/) d/f/A|{f}e/^d/e/f/ gc|{e}(d/c/).d/.e/ fa| b>c' d'(c'/b/)|(a/d'/).f/.a/ (d/f/)A|{f}e/^d/e/f/ gc|1ed/d/ dd:|2dcc!fermata!||
PICKEREL REEL. AKA and see "Silver Cluster Reel." American, Reel (2/4 time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Pickerel Reel" was first published in Elias Howe's Musician's Omnibus Nos. 6 & 7 (1880-1882). The tune was entered (with a key change) in the 1904 music manuscript copybook of Clinton W. Bisbee, of West Sumner, Maine. Bisbee copied the older music manuscript of fiddler Frank Richardson, of nearby Mt. Vernon (later called Canton), Maine, which was dated Christmas Day, 1864. Clinton must have found the tunes excellent or had a committment to historical preservation; the tunes in the manuscript are indeed of high quality, consisting of what seem to be originals or local tunes, and 'warhorse' dance tunes with variation sets.
The name 'Pickerell Reel' may refer to a person named Pickerell, but probably refers to the freshwater fish named the pickerel, a member of the Northern pike family. The pickerel is a common native fish to New England swamps, ponds and lakes, thriving in sluggish, vegetated waters.
Fr. John Quinn finds "Silver Cluster Reel" is a cognate melody and suggests comparison with "Off to California (1)" (particularly the first strain).
