Annotation:Slide (Form)
X:0 T: No Score C: The Traditional Tune Archive M: K: x
SLIDE. A Irish dance form in 12/8 time, originating from southwest Ireland, particularly in the counties of Cork and Kerry where the majority of slide tunes originated. A slide is played for the fourth figure of the polka set. The slide is a variant of the single jig rhythm and is so named because of the particular sliding movement in the dance which these tunes accompany. This being said, it is important to realise that, while every slide is a type of single jig, not all single jigs can be rendered as slides. The meter is a very brisk 12/8 time and it is sometimes hard to differentiate between that of a 6/8 jig, however, the slide tunes in general are played at a faster tempo than jigs. Breandan Breathnach’s guideline for differentiating the two was to observe the ending of the tune: a three-quaver group followed by a crochet or dotted crochet denoted a jig, while an ending of two dotted crochets marked a slide.