Annotation:Slack Wire Equilibriums
X:1 T:Slack wire Equilibriums M:C L:1/8 B:Neil Stewart – Circus Tunes No. 2 (c. 1791, p. 2) N:Stewart published 8 small volumes of tunes played N:at the Edinburgh Royal Circus in the 1790’s. See also N:John Watlen’s circus collection. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:A E2|A2 A>A A>Bc>A|B2 E>F E>FG>A|B2 B>c B>cd>B|c2 A>A A2 c>d| e2e>e f>ed>c|e2 e>e f>ed>c|f2e2d2c2|B2 B>B B2:| |:B2 B>B B>dc>e|{e}d3c B2 c>d|e2A2 f>ed>c|B>AG>F E4| A3 B/c/ d2d2|c3 d/e/ f2f2|e2 g/f/e/d/ c2 TB2|A2 A>A A4:|]
SLACK WIRE EQUILIBRIUMS. AKA and see "Duke of Kent's March (2)." English, March (whole time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune is associated with the 1791 season of Edinburgh's Royal Circus, where it was undoubtedly an accompaniment to a rope dance. A performer named Antonio Sinacuta was known as the tightrope dancer of the circus at that time, but he may also have danced on the slack wire, or perhaps it was one of several dancers employed by the circus for the season.
The melody appears as "Duke of Kent's March (2)" in Joshua Gibbons early-mid 19th century music manuscript collection.