Fiddle Tunes from
The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory,
arranged for Fiddle & Banjo
The tunes presented here were adapted from The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory, compiled and edited by R.P. Christeson and published by University of Missouri Press, 1973.
To be exact, the tunes here were taken from the first section of the book, consisting of reels and breakdowns. At some future time, perhaps I will work out arrangements for other sections of the book.
This book collects 245 tunes from 33 fiddlers scattered over 9 states, though mostly from the state of Missouri. Many of these tunes or versions of tunes are to be found nowhere else.
I have taken the liberty of adding suggested fiddle phrasing and accompanying clawhammer banjo arrangements. All of my embellishments are meant to be taken as suggestions, and not as the authoritative arrangements of the tunes. Unfortunately, I did not have recordings of these tunes with which to work. And, as I had checked the book out from a library, I had it for only a limited time.
I chose to arrange most of the tunes in a shuffle bowing pattern by default. I suspect the shuffle bowing may be more faithful to the Missouri style of old-time fiddling. By all means, play around with them and adapt the bowing however you please. By the time I have played these tunes for a while, I will no doubt have altered my own bowing patterns from what is written here. The same goes for the clawhammer accompaniment.>
Evidently, there is a two LP set of accompanying recordings for some of these pieces. I would be very interested in hearing them if someone came across a copy. There is also supposed to be a second book, The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory 2, but it is even harder to find than the first volume.
I hope you enjoy these tunes. Be sure to let me know what you think of my arrangements, whether by email or through the forums at www.fiddlehangout.com.
Happy fiddling!
The following information concerning R.P. Christeson and his collection is taken from Charlie Walden's Missouri Old-Time Fiddling website.
"The most significant work on Missouri fiddling (or any fiddling for that matter) was based on the collecting activities of the late Robert Perry "R.P." Christeson. I had the good fortune to become acquainted with R. P. in my formative years and he is no doubt responsible for my somewhat hard-nosed and contrary views on fiddle playing and also my preference for solid piano accompaniment. As a lad in PulaskiCounty in the Ozarks, R. P. was immersed in old time fiddling and square dancing.
"As a lad in PulaskiCounty in the Ozarks, R. P. was immersed in old time fiddling and square dancing. Later in life, as an employee of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, he had occasion to travel the country and observe fiddle and dance traditions in other parts of the United States. He became inspired to collect and thereby preserve old-time fiddle tunes. To accomplish this, R. P. purchased a wire recorder and a surplus folding chaplain's organ and set out to record old-time fiddlers.
"He hit the mother lode while living in Nebraska when he ran across Uncle Bob Walters. His recordings of Walters, Cyril Stinnett, Bill Driver and many others led to the publication by the University of Missouri Press of two volumes (one in 1973, the other in 1984) of over 400 tunes. Entitled the The Old-Time Fiddlers Repertory and The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory 2, the books are the absolute best collections of fiddle music ever compiled for a number of reasons. The tunes are all drawn from performances by real old-time players. There was no borrowing from other collections, which is so commonly done. With a few exceptions, the transcriptions are very reliable. Each tune includes a brief text description crediting the source of the tune. The two volumes represent a real body of music that was and is still played in a particular region of the country.
"Christeson also provided serviceable examples of piano accompaniment. Coupled with the companion recordings one could make reasonable stab at becoming a Missouri/Midwestern fiddler of the old school. Even the format of the book was taken into consideration. In long form with two tunes per page it lays out perfectly on a music stand. Now you're probably asking yourself where to get these books. Alas, they are out of print! You're local used bookseller may help but I have seldom seen them offered. The first volume was released in paperback and may be found on occasion."
| TEF | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Cat Came Back |  |
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| Coming Down from Denver | |
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| Jack Danielson's Reel | |
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| Lady's Fancy | |
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| Last Night in Leadville | |
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| Lazy Kate | |
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| Little White Lies | |
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| Pacific Slope | |
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| Parody | |
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| Sally in the Garden, Assisting Sam | |
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| Sally Lost Her Slipper | |
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| The Scolding Wife | |
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| Sleepy Joe | |
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| Breakdown #35 | |
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| Breakdown #36 | |
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| Breakdown #38 | |
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| Breakdown #40 | |
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| Breakdown #41 | |
|
D Tuning (ADAE) |
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| American Hornpipe | |
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| Aunt Mary's Hornpipe | |
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| Busk Reel | |
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| Dry & Dusty | |
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| Frisky Jim | |
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| Granny will Your Dog Bite | |
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| Hunter's Hornpipe | |
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| Jesse Cain's Tune | |
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| Johnny, Don't Come Home Drunk | |
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| Missouri Mud | |
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| Old Aunt Kate | |
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| Old Virginia Reel | |
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| Oyster Girl | |
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| Rocky Mountain Goat | |
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| Tune #67 | |
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| Two Bits | |
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| Wake Up Susan | |
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| Woodchopper's Hornpipe | |
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| Zack Wheat's Piece | |
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| Breakdown #98 | |
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| Breakdown #99 | |
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| Breakdown #100 | |
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| Breakdown #101 | |
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| Breakdown #103 | |
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| Breakdown #104 | |
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| Breakdown #105 | |
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| Breakdown #106 | |
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| Breakdown #107 | |
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| Breakdown #109 | |
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| Breakdown #110 | |
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| Breakdown #114 | |
|
Standard Tuning (GDAE) |
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| Adrian's Hornpipe | |
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| Art Wooten's Hornpipe | |
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| Bear Creak Hop | |
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| Black Sally Goodin | |
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| Boys Around the World | |
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| Bull Run Picnic | |
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| Casey's Hornpipe | |
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| Chicken & Dumplings | |
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| Dance All Night with a Bottle in My Hand | |
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| Dark Haried Girl | |
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| Down Home Rag | |
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| The Drunken Wagoneer | |
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| Duncan's Reel | |
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| Five Miles out of Town | |
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| The Fox and Hounds | |
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| Green Mountain Hornpipe | |
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| High Level Hornpipe | |
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| Hollow Poplar | |
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| Hooker's Hornpipe | |
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| The Irish Cobbler | |
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| Jimmy in the Swamp | |
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| Jockey's Hornpipe | |
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| Johnny Bring the Jug | |
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| Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel | |
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| Jump Fingers | |
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| Lady on the Green | |
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| Lantern in the Ditch | |
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| Leddy's Hornpipe | |
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| Limping Sal | |
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| Long John | |
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| Lonnie's Hornpipe | |
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| Lost Indian | |
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| Marmaduke's Hornpipe | |
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| The Old Hen Cackle | |
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| Old Joe | |
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| Old Melinda | |
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| Rabbit in the Grass | |
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| Salt River Reel | |
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| Scott Number One | |
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| Scott Number Two | |
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| The Shanghai Rooster | |
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| Sitting by the Yellow Gal | |
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| Smith's Reel | |
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| Steamboat Round the Bend | |
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| St. Joe Hornpipe | |
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| Thunderbolt Hornpipe | |
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| Tune #67 | |
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| The Unfortunate Dog (Rye Straw) | |
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| Wagner | |
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| Wagner's Hornpipe | |
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| Walk Along John | |
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| Breakdown #37 | |
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| Breakdown #39 | |
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| Breakdown #56 | |
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| Breakdown #57 | |
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| Breakdown #58 | |
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| Breakdown #59 | |
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| Breakdown #60 | |
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| Breakdown #61 | |
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| Breakdown #62 | |
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| Breakdown #64 | |
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| Breakdown #65 | |
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| Breakdown #66 | |
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| Breakdown #108 | |
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| Breakdown #118 | |
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| Breakdown #153 | |
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| Breakdown #154 | |
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| Breakdown #155 | |
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| Breakdown #156 | |
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| Breakdown #157 | |
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| Breakdown #158 | |
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| Breakdown #159 | |
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| Breakdown #160 | |
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| Breakdown #161 | |
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| Breakdown #162 | |