Annotation:Ring Dove (The)

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X:1 T:Ring Dove, The M:6/8 L:1/8 C:”By a Lady” R:Jig or Air Q:”Moderato” B:John Watlen – Celebrated Circus Tunes (1791, p. 16) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Bb B|BFF dBB|fdd dfB|ecc cAA|AcB B2: f|fbf fbf|bgg Tg3{fg}|fbf fbd|{f}ecc Tc3| BFF dBB|fdd dfB|fee ecA|BBB B2|| f|fbf fbf|bgg Tg2g|fga bfd|ecc c2f| fbf fbf|bgg g2g|fdd {f}ecA|cBB B2||



RING DOVE (THE). Scottish, Air or Jig (6/8 time). B Flat Major (Watlen): D Major (Aird). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABC. The tune was fist published by John Watlen in The Celebrated Circus Tunes, a volume of music played in the Edinburgh circus during the 1791 season. He credited the composition: "By a Lady." Several year later it was published in Glasgow by James Aird in his Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 4 (1796), which contained a number of tunes in the Watlen collection, all unattributed.

'A 'ring dove is an alternative name for the Barbary dove but may also refer to a Ring-necked dove. It's possible there was an act in the circus that involved a dove that inspired the unnamed 'Lady'. There has also been a succession of seven Royal Navy ships named HMS Ringdove, although none before the year 1806.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : - Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 4), 1796; No. 66, p. 27.

Recorded sources: -



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