Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/18/2022:  15:52:17

It's my turn for TOTW, so here is one for you to record, upload, and share. The more the merrier please!

Nancy, or "Nancy Clough's" is a tune of the 1930s, written in the North East of England by Tom Clough, for Northumbrian small pipes. Named after his wife.



Here it is played on small pipes by the Cut and Dry Band, as it should be. It's second in the set, starting at 1:52.

youtu.be/CYK4DWulm5o

(Edit - Also see below, I've had reports this link hasn't been working.)



This is Josh Turknett's version which includes a tab though it looks like you have to subscribe (for free) to receive. youtu.be/KOS_AgrbyrY

Josh is a member on here and might jump in and correct this if I have it wrong



youtu.be/QURMvRDsAU0

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan

This version has liner notes that say this "a squeaky wheelbarrow is said to have been Tom Clough’s inspiration for this charming pipe tune, named for his wife. The tune itself later inspired the naming of a certain fiddle player". So, this Nancy is named after that Nancy, and a squeaky wheelbarrow has a part to play too.



In terms of tempo and style, the Session has a contribution that says "Tom Clough said that the notes are supposed to sound like a lad running a stick along railings - each note separate and sharply articulated, so no slurs anywhere, even in the semiquaver runs." A nice part of the story, linking back to the composer.



Here is my version, played clawhammer youtu.be/SqMIgiJ92uI

The score I used is here, on a webpage with soooo many other lovely tunes. Lots to go at even if Nancy doesn't take your fancy. peterloud.co.uk/tunebook/nancy.gif

Some history - delving backwards (like history does) I found this banjohangout.org/archive/122857 from 2008. This piece was the first Banjototw on Banjohangout, so it's time to revisit i think. Here the tune is clearly down as "AKA the Fair Morning Hornpipe". The tunes are similar, and must be close kin, but are not quite the same. Here is the tunearch entry tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:F..._Hornpipe



Here is a lovely version of Fair Morning Hornpipe from Mr @clawhammerist, Adam Hurt, youtu.be/XUpXODkoJTU



The image attached gives some more FMH history, this time from Janet Burton.

Anyway, I hope you like all of this, and have a go yourself.

Edited by - Andyrhydycreuau on 08/20/2022 13:51:11

VIDEO: Dr Whittaker's Hornpipe / Nancy
(click to view)

VIDEO: Nancy. Clawhammer banjo.
(click to view)

 

banjukebox - Posted - 08/19/2022:  09:48:08

Great Tune! Thanks for posting.

As you already mentioned, this was the very 1st TOTW - posted by J-Walk (who has nearly abandoned his great OT banjo playing in favor of the guitar). It was also one of the first tunes I ever recorded and posted to Youtube.  I really enjoy playing the tune, but don't think I've ever encountered it in a jam.

One question that always plagued me is: How do you pronounce "Clough". (clow, cluff, cluck?).

Anyway, here's my version - pretty sure I learned it from one of one of Ken Perlman's books.

"Nancy"

cmic - Posted - 08/19/2022:  09:54:53

Very nice rendition from Andrew. I didn't knew it was a march, though

D.Zepp played a rendition of his own: zeppmusic.com/MP3/nancy_24tbp.mp3

AndrewD - Posted - 08/19/2022:  13:33:43

quote:

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Originally posted by banjukebox

Great Tune! Thanks for posting.

.....

One question that always plagued me is: How do you pronounce "Clough". (clow, cluff, cluck?).

..

 

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The great Brian Clough pronounced it "Cluff", and he was also from the North East.

Edited by - AndrewD on 08/19/2022 13:35:38

GMB - Posted - 08/19/2022:  14:37:17

Brilliant Andy, thanks so much. Going to learn this one, BTW I enjoy your other videos as well.

Jack Baker - Posted - 08/19/2022:  17:38:18

quote:

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Originally posted by cmic

Very nice rendition from Andrew. I didn't knew it was a march, though

D.Zepp played a rendition of his own: zeppmusic.com/MP3/nancy_24tbp.mp3

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D. Zepp is such as great player...Jack

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/19/2022:  23:52:58

 

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Originally posted by banjukebox

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Thanks Pat, I like your version, I had have included it if I'd found it!

Clough is pronounced cluff like Andrew D says. A dialect word from the southern Pennines meaning roughly the same as canyon, though the geology in that region mean that cloughs are to canyons as rivers are to streams. Although I guess canyon might be used for smaller features too. Further north in England they're called gills or ghylls, but when you hit Scotland it switches to "cleugh". (Pronounced clerch with the gh sounding like the ch in Loch.)

It's a lovely tune though, thanks for sharing yours!

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/19/2022:  23:54:07

quote:

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Originally posted by GMB

Brilliant Andy, thanks so much. Going to learn this one, BTW I enjoy your other videos as well.

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Thanks Jerry!

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/19/2022:  23:57:52

quote:

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Originally posted by cmic

Very nice rendition from Andrew. I didn't knew it was a march, though

D.Zepp played a rendition of his own: zeppmusic.com/MP3/nancy_24tbp.mp3

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Merci Michel! Yes, when I say it's sometimes called "Nancy Clough's........." the word that's missing is march. 

I love the small pipes, and though I don't play any instruments without strings, I could be tempted by a set. Bagpipes are a part of Welsh traditional music too.....

Edit: And I don't have any close neighbours! (Essential for learning any kind of bagpipe I think.....)

Edited by - Andyrhydycreuau on 08/20/2022 00:06:48

cmic - Posted - 08/20/2022:  00:46:38

quote:

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Clough is pronounced cluff like Andrew D says. A dialect word from the southern Pennines meaning roughly the same as canyon, though the geology in that region mean that cloughs are to canyons as rivers are to streams.

Out of topic, but : clough => cluff sort of canyon. Cluff make me think of cliff. Semantically...

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/21/2022:  01:13:29

@janetburton here is a different version on small pipes. It actually nicer than the Cur and Dry band I think. This is exactly what the tune was written for. Not a banjo, but very lovely.....
Starts at 3:08
youtu.be/M5F8s3KY3cE

VIDEO: Memories - Nancy
(click to view)

 

dbrooks - Posted - 08/21/2022:  04:06:40

Here's a nice version of "Nancy" from Fukudabanjo. I often share this video with students as one of several examples of nice right-hand motion.

Nancy - YouTube

David

carlb - Posted - 08/21/2022:  05:19:17

quote:

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Originally posted by dbrooks

Here's a nice version of "Nancy" from Fukudabanjo. I often share this video with students as one of several examples of nice right-hand motion.

Nancy - YouTube

David

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Love how you keep droning on the 5th string,  how you handle the melody and the nice clean picking.

Jack Baker - Posted - 08/21/2022:  05:19:23

Here is a tab I put together from the playing of Donald Zepp from several youtubes put into one tab. I like Donald's playing a lot and think he has a beautiful technique. I don't remember Donald saying anything about a March in the youtubes I watched...Jack

Nancy

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

quote:

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Originally posted by cmic

Very nice rendition from Andrew. I didn't knew it was a march, though

D.Zepp played a rendition of his own: zeppmusic.com/MP3/nancy_24tbp.mp3

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D. Zepp is such as great player...Jack

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Edited by - Jack Baker on 08/21/2022 05:22:32

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/22/2022:  01:55:32

quote:

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

Here is a tab I put together from the playing of Donald Zepp from several youtubes put into one tab. I like Donald's playing a lot and think he has a beautiful technique. I don't remember Donald saying anything about a March in the youtubes I watched...Jack

Nancy

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

quote:

---

Originally posted by cmic

Very nice rendition from Andrew. I didn't knew it was a march, though

D.Zepp played a rendition of his own: zeppmusic.com/MP3/nancy_24tbp.mp3

---

D. Zepp is such as great player...Jack

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Thanks Jack!

JanetB - Posted - 08/22/2022:  17:34:20

Nice to circulate back to the beginnings of TOTW in 2008.  Kudos to Jon Walkenbach and Erich Schroeder (J-Walk and vrteach) who were instrumental to get TOTW up and running, and to you, Andy, for your nice playing of Nancy.  Nice coverage, too, and good recorded samples.  

I had once tabbed the Mac and Annie version, as well as Bobby Taylor's Fair Morning Hornpipe as learned from Douglas Wilson after I was inspired by Adam's beautiful version.  For this TOTW I used the notation in the Traditional Tune Archive, which had four parts, as you played it, Andy (Traditional Tune Archive notation).  I think the second two parts are variations of a sort on the first two.  The long title Nancy Clough's March appealed to me to keep it separate from the other Nancy's.

We haven't figured out which came first -- Nancy or Fair Morning Hornpipe, have we, or where is the origin of Fair Morning Hornpipe?  I'm thinking the oldest version must have originally come from your side of the pond.

Thanks again for participating in TOTW, Andy.  I forget if you've signed up for another turn yet.  :)

Edited by - JanetB on 08/22/2022 17:45:25

Nancy Clough's March

Fair Morning Hornpipe

Nancy Clough's March (4-part)(CH) tab

Nancy (Mac & Annie)(CH) tab

Fair Morning Hornpipe (Bobby Taylor version)(CH)tab

 

Jack Baker - Posted - 08/23/2022:  02:46:24

Wonderful Janet,
Your playing is fantastic...Jack