Morpeth Rant, the


Key:  D

Form:  Reel (rant*)

ABC:

X: 1
T: 104. The Morpeth Rant
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K:Dmaj
|:"D"d2AG FDFA|"G"BGBd "A"cAce|"D"f2fd gfed|"A"c2e2 e2Ac|
"D"d2AG FDFA|"G"BGBd "A"cAce|"D"f2fd gfec|"A"A2d2 "D"d4:|
|:"D"dfaf dfaf|"G"gfef g2ef|"A"gfed cdeg|"D"fefg e2e2|
"D"dfaf dfaf|"G"gfef g2ef|"A"gfed caag|"D"f2 d2d2:|

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Youtube:

Sheet Music: Click image to enlarge.

 

Source: Traditional

Other Tunes in Set:

Region: Northumberland, England

*Notes: “[This tune] originated in Northumberland sometime before 1800. It is not a reel, but a rant. The rant is the National Dance of Northumbria and has specific footwork.

“The definitive version, for me, is on a recording by Alastair Anderson, Willy Atkinson and others called Good Old Boys and made at Whitby Festival. It is slower than a reel and less dotted than a hornpipe but swings nicely and goes like a train.”

–from Noel Jackson on The Session

“Northumbria shares with southern Scotland the long history of border ballads, … Many dances from the region have the characteristic rant step.

“One rhythm characteristic of the region is the rant, used for figure dances such as The Morpeth Rant with a characteristic step; musically it is similar to a reel, though somewhat slower, and with more of a lilt.”

–from Wikipedia

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