Description
Instrumentation: Flute, Descant Recorder / Flute, Bb Clarinet, Violin, Accordion (Piano / Guitar), Bass
I composed these tunes to mark the occasion of the 20th wedding anniversary of my friends Mike and Jean Longstaff in 1997. They became a mainstay of the Ceilidhs we ran with my band, then The Reivers but later re-named. My links with the band were ended in 2004 following a move to the other side of the country and it is now run, under yet another name, by three of the members from that time.
The first tune pays tribute to the fact that Mike was a great fan of an existing folk tune called Dingle Regatta and there are some similarities of melodic shape in the opening couple of bars, sufficient to make the link. “Her tune” was intended to be a bit of a contrast and relies quite heavily on the use of notes tied across the bar-line.
They ended up, as it states on the score, being played alternately, starting with “Her” tune for a five-figure dance, giving, therefore, the pattern: Hers / His / Hers / His / Hers. However, other combinations can be adopted to accommodate other dances.
They are to be played at a steady speed.
