MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe

15 Apr 99 - 03:10 AM (#71039)
Subject: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: John in Brisbane

I've searched the Web for this in both Midi and ABC formats. It's a truly fantastic tune, played in Bb, and from the chord style may be a bit ragtimey - which would suggest it was written this century. First heard the Dubliners do it live. Any help please?

Regards
John

---

13 Mar 00 - 10:50 PM (#194568)
Subject: RE: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: John in Brisbane

Seek long enough and you'll find it. This is one of my all time favourite tunes. Regards, John

X:1
T:The Acrobat's Hornpipe
R:hornpipe
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Bb
F>E|D>FB>c d>Bg>f|(3ecA (3ecA a2a>g|f>=e_e>c
A>ag>f|=e>fg>f d>BF>E|
D>FB>c d>Bg>f|(3ecA (3ecA a2a>g|f>=e_e>c A>ag>A|B2b2B2:|
c>B|A>cd>c a>f=e>f|d>Bd>g b>g^f>g|=e>c=B>c ^c>d=ef|(3gf=e (3f=ed c2c>B|
A>cd>c a>f=e>f|d>Bd>g b>g^f>g|=e>c=B>c ^c>d=ef|f2a2f2:|

---

14 Mar 00 - 06:48 PM (#194920)
Subject: RE: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: Jon Freeman

There was some discussion on the Acrobat in uk.music.folk and I think they came up with 2 separate Acrobat Hornpipes - might be worth searching something like Deja News.

I haven't played your ABC yet but I have a version of it played by Tom McConville/ Pauline Cato - if it is the same version as yours, it is a superb tune and one I really ought to learn to play - they do a great job. Just wondering those playing it would suggest to me that it is likey Northumbrian

Jon

---

14 Mar 00 - 11:11 PM (#195102)
Subject: RE: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: John in Brisbane

I've been playing this with a group of musos/friends for 20 years but was never too certain, prior to now, as to how close our rendition was to the 'original'. As it turns out it was damn near identical. Because we've never had another benchmark I developed the arrangement with what I referred to above as a ragtime feel Because (1) it's written in Bb and (2) requires a more 'classical' approach to properly articulate the accidentals, I'd assumed that it was the same sort of parentage as Scottish strathspeys. I had also wrongly assumed that the 'acrobat' part of the name referred to the fingering required to play it. But not so, originally known as The Nightingale, P.T. Barnum used it to accompany his acrobat's performances.

The Acrobat('s) Reel is written in A, has a very different feel but is also a great tune. I'll post it later. Regards, John

---

14 Mar 00 - 11:39 PM (#195124)
Subject: RE: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: John in Brisbane

And here's the other tune, a breakdown. Regards, John

X:1
T:Acrobatic Reel
R:Breakdown
S:Fiddle-L, Paul Tyler,6/97
N:An octogenarian from Hastings, Michigan, Les learned the tune from notation
N:sent to him by a fiddler/collector from Midland, Michigan.
A:Michigan
M:C|
L:1/8
K:A
e2|a2ed cBAc|BAGB A2A2|EFGA BcdB|cecA B2e2|
a2ed cBAc|BAGB A2A2|EFGA Bcde|cABc A2:|
f2|:ecAc ecfc|ecAc e2f2|ecAc ecfc|dcBc d2ef|
ecAc ecfc|ecAc e2f2|agfe dcBA|1Bcde f2ef:|2BAGB A2||

---

15 Mar 00 - 01:33 AM (#195218)
Subject: RE: MUS REQ: Acrobat's Hornpipe
From: Jon Freeman

Cheers Jhn, I have no excuse now except getting by fingures round the notes! Your first one is the same tune as I have on my CD.

I have looked through Deja News and the other tune is your second tune and they call it and have written it like a hornpipe:

X:2
T:Acrobats Hornpipe
M:4/4
L:1/8
S:Kerr's Third collection of merry melodies for the violin
R:Hornpipe
K:A
e2|a2ed cBAc|BAGB A2 AF|EFGA BcdB|cBAc B2e2|a2ed
cBAc|BAGB A2 AF|EFGA Bc dB|cABGA2::
e2|aece ecfc|ecAc ecac|aece ecfc|EFGA Bcd^d|aece
ecfc|ecAc ecac|agfe dcB A|GABc d2:|

Jon

---