16th century broadside ballad discovery

10 Mar 21 - 03:48 PM (#4097060)
Subject: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Stower

While researching the Elizabethan stage clown Richard Tarleton, I discovered the words of a broadside ballad of 1588, 'A pretie new ballad, intituled willie and peggie', and its music, and reunited them, for the first time since the 16th century, as far as I am aware. The song is a tribute to Tarleton and tells his story. To read about the process and hear the ballad performed, click here to go to the article.

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10 Mar 21 - 04:24 PM (#4097065)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Steve Gardham

A masterful account, Ian. I enjoyed reading it. There are some parallels with Joe Grimaldi from a century later.

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10 Mar 21 - 05:10 PM (#4097074)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Stower

Thank you so much, Steve. :-)

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11 Mar 21 - 08:59 AM (#4097134)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Steve Gardham

Well played and sung. The tune seems to have some affinity with The Miller of the Dee.

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11 Mar 21 - 09:01 AM (#4097135)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: GUEST,David

Thanks for coming across this piece. A wonderful ballad and masterfully played & sung on the video.

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11 Mar 21 - 10:19 AM (#4097136)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Steve Gardham

As a matter of interest is that tune in Simpson? I'd be interested to know if anyone else thinks the tune might be the ancestor of 'Miller of the Dee'.

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11 Mar 21 - 10:59 AM (#4097137)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Gordon Jackson

Great performance Ian, well done.

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11 Mar 21 - 11:33 AM (#4097145)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Stower

Thank you, Steve, David and Gordon - much appreciated. To my ears, there is some rhythmic affinity between Tarleton's Jig / Willy / Carol and Miller of the Dee, but it's a common rhythm, and I'd want more overlap melodically to suggest a relationship. Simpson doesn't mention the tune of this ballad under any of its titles. That may be because, as my article states, it survives copied into a manuscript rather than as the original broadside print.

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11 Mar 21 - 11:57 AM (#4097151)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: leeneia

Thanks very much, Stower. That's a great tune, and I'm making a MIDI of it.

I played the half-dozen versions of the Miller of Dee at abcnotation,com, and I don't think they are similar.

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11 Mar 21 - 12:02 PM (#4097155)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: GUEST,#

Great work, Stower.

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11 Mar 21 - 02:20 PM (#4097177)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: leeneia

I've changed my mind about making a MIDI.

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11 Mar 21 - 04:45 PM (#4097197)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Stower

It's lovely to read the appreciation - thank you, gargoyle, # and leeneia. Gargoyle, I was amazed and delighted when the more I dug and dug to find Richard Tarleton for these four articles, sifting the sources to separate the man from the myth, the more he sprang to life in front of me. Leeneia (and anyone else), if you want the dots to the tune and more background to it, you'll find that here in the third of the four articles.

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14 Mar 21 - 10:33 AM (#4097592)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: GUEST,Anne Lister sans cookie

This is fascinating, Ian. Thank you for posting it all. After listening to the ballad it was then an earworm for me for the rest of the evening, though.

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16 Mar 21 - 09:18 AM (#4097905)
Subject: RE: 16th century broadside ballad discovery
From: Stower

Thank you, Anne. Coming especially from a story-teller, that's much appreciated.

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