Annotation:De'il Stick the Minister (1)

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DE'IL STICK THE/DA MINISTER [1]. See "Deal/Devil Stick the Minister." Scotland, Reel; Shetland, Shetland Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune is known throughout Scotland and the Shetlands, although in different versions, and is said to be a very old melody from the days when covenanting ministers tried to stop fiddling as a "disreputable practice." A story goes that in one district the minister broke up all the fiddles except for one which a man, who could not bear to see his instrument destroyed, had hidden under a haystack . It was this unknown fiddler who supposedly composed the tune in protest of the destruction [Anderson & Georgeson, 1970]. Nominally in the key of 'D'--also can be considered A mixolydian.


Source for notated version: A. Peterson (Shetland) [Anderson & Georgeson].

Printed sources: Anderson & Georgeson (Da Mirrie Dancers), 1970; p. 22. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 210.

Recorded sources:




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