Annotation:Rosewood

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X:1 T:Rosewood M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig S:Brian Conway K:A g | agf efg | aed cBA | ~a3 cde | fdB [G2B2]g | agf efg | aed cBA | fdB EGB | {d}cAG A2 :| |: B | cde Ace | fdc dfe | ^def Bdf | gee ebg | ~a3 edc | fed cBA | def {g}fed | cdB A2 :|

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ROSEWOOD. AKA - "George Rose Wood of Aberdeen," "Rosebush Jig," "Rosewood Jig.," "Sean McGuire's Jig (3)" Scottish, Irish, Canadian; Jig (6/8 time). Canada, Cape Breton. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Bain): AABB (McNulty): AABB’CC (Perlman). Composed by the great fiddler-composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927) in honor of his concert agent, George Rosewood of Aberdeen. The University of Aberdeen site on Skinner's music also reproduces a handwritten note by Skinner on the manuscript of "Chief o' Bemersyde (A War Sermon)" [1] in which he specifies the tune is to be played by G. Rose Wood & Master Kiloh. George Rose Wood of Banff is identified as Master Kiloh's fiddle teacher. It was recorded that in Keith & Strathisla classes had resumed after summer holidays at the very outbreak of World War I, in Sept. 1914, and "Resumption of the several music classes in the town offering courses in piano, violin, singing and theory of music. Dancing classes by George Rose Wood of Aberdeen started in the Longmore Hall at a cost of 8/- per quarter." A year earlier, in Buckie, it was noted:

J. Scott Skinner

Mr. George Rose Wood, SATD ETDA of Aberdeen was advising that he would be teaching dancing in the Masonic Institute on a Wednesday with fees of 8/-per quarter. He stated that he was the only teacher of dancing worth attending. He spoke of teaching the Tango and Carlina. The Carlina being a square dance which he predicted would in time supersede the Quadrille and the Lancers. He would also be giving instruction in all variations of the Boston, One Step Military Parade, Crawl, Rag Time etc.

The tune began to transition to Irish traditional music repertory after the 1960's, perhaps picked up from Glasgow-based piper Pat McNulty's 1965 volume Dance Music of Ireland or from the playing of Belfast fiddler Sean McGuire (who recorded it in the mid-1960's). It can also be heard played for contra dancing and has been recorded numerous times by Cape Breton/PEI musicians. Cape Breton musicians sometimes call the tune "Rosebush Jig," the name it was called on a Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald recording.