Annotation:Prince William of Auguster

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PRINCE WILLIAM OF AUGUSTER. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Prince William of Auguster" is a corruption of "Prince William of Gloucester." The melody appears in the music manuscript collection of William Litten, who appears to have been a ship’s fiddler on one of the vessels of the British Far East fleet. His manuscript ended up on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard, probably having been brought home by a shipmate from the island named Allen Coffin. Unfortunately, nothing is known of Litten himself, or even what nationality he might have been.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Huntington (William Litten's Tune Book), 1977; p. 25.

Recorded sources:




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