WILLIAM CLARK MS

WILLIAM CLARKE MS, LINCOLN, 1770.
MANUSCRIPT TUNE BOOK.
Location. Lincoln Records Office

Transcribed into ABC for The Village Music Project by Barry Callaghan. Jan. 2003

Checked against photocopy and prepared/formatted for VMP by Chris Partington. Feb 2003

Village Music Project code assigned as ” WCl. ”

Introduction by Chris Partington.

The MS is a leather-bound musician’s tune book typical of the late 18thC.

The first entry is on the inside of the front cover, and reads:

“Charles Woodall’s Book

Lincoln February 24th….

Gaven imby (Given Him By..(?))

George Skelton 1789″

 

On the facing page is:

 

William Moss His Musick Book

Lincoln May 17(9?)6”

 

Over the next page is:

 

“William Clarke His Musick Book

Lincoln September The 14… 1770”

 

On the facing page is a list of contents of the first 20 tunes, to “Down With Ye Rumps”

Then follow the 72 musical items, all in the same hand as the contents list, and in what I judge to be William Clarke’s hand. They are on hand-ruled staves, 4 to a page, on paper of a size not guaranteed from my photocopy, but approximately 7 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches tall. The MS is in a fragile condition.

 

The Tunes

 

There are 72 musical items in total.

There are 19 tunes which I know are, take to be, Song Airs, though there are no accompanying words.

There are 6 Marches.

The rest are dance tunes typical of the late 18thC.

20 tunes in 6/8 of which

13 are single jigs,

4 double jigs,

and 2 “Irish” double jigs, these being Paddy Wack and St. Patrick’s Day In The Morning.

9 reels, some Scottish/North British, though none with “Scottish” titles.

4 Hornpipes

3 Minuets

3 Slip Jigs

9 Country Dances, miscellaneous tunes in common time or cut common time.

Chris Partington, Feb. 2003. Village Music Project.