Annotation:Prudente (La)

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PRUDENTE, LA. AKA and see "Paxton's Humour." French, Country Dance (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "La Prudente" is from the contradance book (tunes with dance instructions) of Robert Daubat (who styled himself Robert d’Aubat de Saint-Flour), born in Saint-Flour, Cantal, France, in 1714, dying in Gent, Belgium, in 1782. According to Belgian fiddler Luc De Cat, at the time of the publication of his collection (1757) Daubat was a dancing master in Gent and taught at several schools and theaters. He also was the leader of a choir and was a violin player in a theater. Mr. De Cat identifies a list of subscribers of the original publication, numbering 132 individuals, of the higher level of society and the nobility, but also including musicians and dance-masters (including the ballet-master from the Italian opera in London). Many of the tunes are written with parts for various instruments, and include a numbered bass.

The tune, however, was borrowed and appeared some twenty years earlier in John Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances, vol. II (c. 1737) as "Paxton's Humour."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Daubat (Cent Contredanses en Rond), 1757; No. 52.

Recorded sources:

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