IRWIN,William

Link to Deborah Kermode's 2002 thesis on William Irwin [1]

Link to Greg Stephens' Mustrad 2006 article on William Irwin [2]

Village Music Project notes on the AGG transcripts:-

1..William Irwin’s Manuscript Tune Book, 1838

Acc. No. QM 9732

Partial Transcription by Anne Geddes Gilchrist.

Filed with the Anne Geddes Gilchrist Manuscript Collection, AGG/2/137,

Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp House, Regents Park, London.

Transcribed into ABC with the suffix “WI.xxx”, and these notes, by Chris Partington, 2005

The original MS has not been located.

The following are AGG’s notes accompanying her transcription.

AGG’s notes in normal script, my comments are in italic script, and tunes transcribed into ABC are in bold.

“Wm. Irwin’s MS Oblong MS. 6 staves. On title page “William Irwin’s Book Jan 2 1838”. At least three different hands, and the book is made up from different MSS, some of the titles being cut across at the top, in cutting up for binding. The name is written on the back of the first ruled page, which back is blank. 104 leaves. 312 tunes or pieces, chiefly dance music. 55 hornpipes, 33 reels, 17 strathspeys, 59 waltzes, 1 each cottilion, highland fling, minuet, gallop, jig. 2 quicksteps (ie marches.CGP) dances various 16, and a set of 24 for the year 1838 (this includes 5 waltzes) 12 sets quadrilles and the original Lancers. 9 vocal airs arranged sometimes for instruments, and about a dozen pieces. (presumably meaning “ concert pieces”.CGP)

“The first tune in the book is “A Hornpipe”[Lascelles], the second “Billey Pitt”, third “Flowers Of Edinburgh” called a “Duble Reel”. “I’ll go no more to yon town”, Green sleaves”[really Rushes O]

Then follow tunes:

Billey Pitt

Green Sleaves cf green grows in Kershaw’s MS

Reel cf green grows (K) & Polly put the kettle on

James Mc Kenney or Renney’s Hornpipe

Hornpipe

“Steam Boat Hornpipe

Highland Lad (my love was born)

James McKenney’s is very Scotch. Is it a song?

Three Harrows HP

Astley’s Hornpipe and Ride

Cottillion[rare]

“Absent from collection: (presumably meaning there was an index in the original. CGP) Paternally.The Triumph.Tekeli.Jean de Paris.Sir Roger de Coverley.John Peel.Haste to the Wedding(?).Caledonian Hunt=this is “This is no my ain lassie” as a Strathspey.The Wounded Hussar. Same tune as in MS TB (Thomas Bennet? See VMP, but Wounded Hussar not in it, and no record of any other TB. CGP) but rather different.”

Brampton Reel

North Tyne is the highland fling

The Wounded Hussar

Keswick Bonney Lasses Hornpipe

Liverpool Hornpipe

The Wind That Bloeth The Barley

“Another book, in the same hand, seems to begin here.

The Soldiers Joy

Rachil Ray – a reel

Fairey Dance (Gow’s)without the dots

Sheffield Hornpipe

“Twenty four dances for the year 1838’ are now transcribed:

Camilla(Paer).La Ega(quadrille).The Comus Dance.The Eclipse.The Ally.Lady Hamilton’s Favorite.Ivanhoe(this is the highland laddie).Dr Syntax.The Tickler.Waltz.La Clovis.Gioveneni.Lady Hamilton’s Waltz.Claudine.New King of Prussia’s Waltz.Queen Caroline’s Waltz.Sauteuse.The Tarter.Clonius.La Camire(quadrille).Argyl.The Tanney Waltz.Don Juan.

Cottage Hornpipe

Lea Riggs Hornpipe

Welcome to your feet again (!)

The Countess of St. Paul’s Strathspey composed by Matthew Henderson

The Marquis of Huntly’s Snuff Mill (Lassie would you love me?)

Roxburgh Castle by Alex Given(?)

Scotch Waltz (very Scotch snap-py)

Copenhagen Waltz

Tyrol Waltz (Pretty Little Polly Hopkins)

(Lander type) Waltz

Miss Dillon’s

‘Honourable Swiss Dollows Waltz’

Garland Dance (not the usual)

The Bears Advancing, a slow march

Queen Caroline

Queen caroline’s waltz (1838 waltz)

Jonney Cope

Tyrol Waltz

Waltz (another type)

Hungarian Waltz(when I was a Lady)(see the simpler form in MS 42)

“pretty little polly Hopkins how do you do-oo how do you do-oo none the better, Mr Tomkins, for seeing you-oo, for seeing you-oo”

General Blucher’s Waltz

Bugal waltz

Jack Lattin (reel?)

Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz

A Waltz titti|titti turn titti|titti turn (note various waltz types)

Maggie Lowther (halfway to the Lowther in another MS)

Brampton Waltz

“Brampton:The Devonshire march”

after this a Strauss waltz

Coolin with variations -An Irish Air(illegible) for ever Amen

The March and a highland battle. Descriptive piece, style of the Battle of Prague, with stage directions!

The Mountain Boy (Had I the wings of a dove)

The Canderllonly Rosue (sic)

Didelot’s dance in Virginia

A Waltz

Quadrille (Scotch Air?)

Ca Ira Is this of French origin?

Ladie’s Lips

Something Irish – Lumie Me Twaller[?]

The Old Langolee

Anglo Caledonian Air [commonplace]

Cherry Ripe

I’ve been ??ning

Di Tante Palpeti (!)[Le Garcon Volante]

Oh It’s Love

Le Petit Tambour

Bonny Prince Charlie [cam ye by ??]

Carlton House 6/8 (is this a health to Betty?)

“Ths is copied because it has the style of a Hunting Song. There may be words attached to the air. This follows a quadrille without title “Vive Henri Quatrue(?)”

Seven of Strauss’s Most Celebrated Waltzes Arr. For Flute and Piano

Carlton House

Quadrille [Il Etait Une Bergue?]

Stybarrow Crag a hornpipe by Hamilton

The Loyalist’s Hornpipe

“?Jim a long Josey in the hornpipe stile(!) by W.Irwin

Due Mungoe [in Quarto book also]

Lord Fife’s Strathspey

Also Miss Elliot’s, both with elaborate variations (4 sets), triplets in a bar

Hope’s Hornpipe

The North Shore Hornpipe

The Ranger’s Hornpipe

Harding’s Hornpipe

Bannister’s Hornpipe

?Robinhood Waltzes

Lady Wellington’s Hornpipe

The Stony Steps Hp

Grand Reformation Hp

True Blue Hp

Last Hope

Colgarth Hornpipe

Banks Hornpipe

Lancashire Hornpipe

A Touch Under The Blankett – an old jig

“The following in the small neat music script with the queer staff

Kendal Hornpipe

Kendal Reel

Up and Follow Charlie

West Barns Brewery Strathspey

?Garrick’s Hornpipe

Robinson’s Hornpipe

McLeod’s Reel and Strathspey

Mac Ruth’s Reel

Donald’s Hornpipe

?Devent Castle Hornpipe [Derwent?]

Windermere Regatta

Ward’s Hornpipe

Hump ?Landlay or Over The Dike Bellow

Durham Hornpipe

Brian O’Niel

Old Spedling’s Castle’s Ghost Dance (ommited from the Porteus Coll in W.Irwin folio coll)

END OF AGG’s TRANSCRIPTION OF THE Wm IRWIN 1838 MS

It will be remembered that earlier AGG said there were 312 pieces in this collection, but I can only count approximately 150 (some are referred to and also transcribed, thus occuring twice in the above list) which are referred to by name, 40 of which have been transcribed by AGG (in Bold).

2..William Irwin’s Folio Manuscript, c1850

Acc. No. QM 9731

Partial Transcription by Anne Geddes Gilchrist.

Filed with the Anne Geddes Gilchrist Manuscript Collection, AGG/2/135,

Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp House, Regents Park, London.

Transcribed into ABC, and these notes, by Chris Partington, 2005

The original MS has not been located.

The following are AGG’s notes accompanying her transcription.

AGG’s notes are in normal script, my comments are in italics, and tunes transcribed are in bold.

“Wm Irwin’s MS 2 (Folio)

The first tune is ?Wormwell’s Grand March,

the second Buonapart’s Coronation March.

Lord Harwick’s March

Weber’s Last Waltz

Handel’s Water Piece

Queen Victoria’s Step Gallop

Cupid’s Quadrilles

Drops of Brandy

Buonapart’s Coronation March

Queen Victoria Step Gallop

Jullien’s La Polka - a note is written in against this: “The Polka first came up about 1843 in Bohemia”.

Lass of Richmond Hill

King’s Polka

Young Napoleon’s Waltz

A Quickstep by W.Irwin

A Hornpipe

Elphins Waltz

Overture to Tancredi

Half Shift, whole shift and double shift noted. [ violin position shifts?]

The Duke of York’s march

A Hornpipe

A Reel

A Hornpipe[noted]

Reel

Strathspey

Horsman Hornpipe

Royal Strathspey and Reel

Spring Gardens Hornpipe

Recovery Hornpipe (AGG has underlined Recovery)

Dalston Forge – a hornpipe by Wm Adams

A Strathspey

Latrigg Side – a hornpipe by Wm Irwin

Also a quadrille(6/8) “taken from the above” by W.I. [not noted.CGP]

Briggham Hornpipe – by Wm Irwin

Miss Greenup’s Strathspey

Miss Greenup’s Reel

The Charter Hornpipe

Casson or Cagson Hornpipe

Mr Sitwell’s Strathspey

Miss Gibson’s Reel

The Queen’s Hornpipe

Bonney Crossing the Alps – A hornpipe

Raughton Head – a hornpipe by J. Adams

A quadrille taken from the above(6/8) by Wm Robinson

A Hornpipe

The Banks of Burdisel [a hornpipe]

A Hornpipe

Lord Bingham’s Hornpipe

Griffon Hornpipe

Chimney Sweep’s Hornpipe

Omnebuss Hornpipe

Due Mungo and Princess Royal (not a good copy) in another hand with the queer clef in Irwin’s other MS

London Hornpipe

Elterwater Hornpipe by Wm Irwin

Elterwater Quickstep by Wm Irwin Scant of Silver

Orton Hornpipe by Wm Irwin

Orton Lodge a Quadrille by Wm Irwin

The Hunchback

Rose Quadrille ..A. Banks

My Boy Tommey a strathspey

Casson Hornpipe composed by Casson, Wigton

Lord Brougham’s Hornpipe by Robert Stewartson

A Quadrille by Casson, Wigton

Dr Stanley’s Hornpipe

Through the Wood Spinning

The London Morgeanian

Circassian Circle a hornpipe

A Hornpipe

A Hornpipe as played at the theatre Carlisle

Stage Hornpipe

A Grand Hornpipe (nothing to explain the title)

We’re A Noddin’ (as usual)

My Wife’s a Wanton Wee Thing

A poor version of Miss Gayton’s Hornpipe (Carlisle Book)

A collection of original tunes by James Porteus follows:

Miss Phillips Strathspey And Reel

Miss Bells dittoditto

Miss Mary Hay’s Reel

Wee Willie’s Strathspey

Miss CB Grant’s Reel

?Glancrosh’s Strathspey

Glen Stewart

Miss Nicholson’s

Miss Richardson’s and Mrs Dunbar’s Jigs

Miss Broadfoot’s S & R

The Lough Pool

Miss Gibbon’s Reel

Capt. Sharp’s R

Miss Duglass S&R

Miss Jane Johnston’s S&R

The Braes of Warhope S&R

Miss A Jordan’s S&R

Lieutenant Charles Clapperton’s Jig etc etc

A Parody on miss Johnston’s Strathspey etcetc

James Porteus’ Farewell to Whisky(slowish)ditto fiddle

Mrs Hope Johnston’s Strathspey, Reel

?Netherby House a strathspey

Lady May Lowther’s R

The Countess of Lonsdale’s S&R

A Trip To ?Jardine Hall

James Porteus’ Dusting Sieve

James Porteus’ Lamentation For Old Dr Clapperton

James Porteus’ Lamentation For Old Dr Clapperton

A Hornpipe

End of Porteus Section

The Old Spedlings Castle Ghosts Dance transferred to Wm Irwin’s Folio MS

Wee Willie’s Strathspey composed by the authors son only 9 yrs of age

Miss Richardson’s Jig

Wee Annie’s Hornpipe

There are only two hornpipes in the whole of the Porteus coll. Both are given here. [where?]

Minuette by Wm Irwin

The celebrated Cuckoo Solo by Vivaldi with a variation Solo by Wm Irwin [!],Keswick. Very little suggestion of a cuckoo.

Six Airs for the violin by Henry ?Tilbary

(One of the others is The Moonlit Bower, another Waltz by Weippart

A March by Wm Robinson ‘vivace and sweet’

The Schottische (the first in the collection) ‘this is played rather slower than the Polka’

The Bloomers Polka

The Drum Polka

A Polka turned into a Quadrille(6/8) by Wm Irwin ‘the above as a quadrille’

Also ‘Aria written for Paganini by ?Mayseder’

Come Again O Pescator from ?Lowell Mason’s Song Book For The School Room

Mr Irwin’s Favourite Waltz by Wm Robinson

The Schottische

A Polka Follows

And then a Waltz By Strauss

The Bloomers Polka

Croppies Lie Down

The New Bridge of Glasgow ‘first printed in 1850 composed by T Porteus’ cf Levie Gordon

Greig’s Strathspey-Nathaniel Gow’s Favourite ‘Nathaniel Gow said of this tune “It is the first Strathspey that ever was penned

The Queen’s Triumph by Hugh Gilmore (Reel)

The Queen’s Jig ditto

Speed The Plough by John Moorhead 1800

A Quadrille by Wm Irwin

Bonnie Dundee

Greig’s Strathspey

Sherriff Muir 2nd set from Gow’s Coll.

Hewitson’s Hornpipe by S.W. Wigton Cumberland

Maid of Isla

The Kaffer’s Polka

Scotch Hornpipe by Wm Irwin [very Scotch snappy but not very Scotch]

The Cuckoo’s Hornpipe [Wm. I]

A Quadrille by Wm Irwin with a Minore strain

A Polka [King Pippin]

A March, Napoleon’s

A Hornpipe, The Rights of Man

The 4th dragoons march

Lea Riggs with variations

A Hornpipe by Wm Irwin

A March Napoleaon’s

Summer is Coming ‘a splendid reel’

General Jackson

The Golden Stream Varsoviana, Montgomery

Varsovianas begin here in the MS, by Montgomery, H Farmer and Strauss

Sir Roger De Coverley [as usual]

Montgomery’s ‘Silver Lake’ Varsoviana is the only opne I know

Laughing Gallop

Bridal Waltz Julien

Anni Schottische

Various Schottisches including The Ranelagh by E Fitzwilliam

And The Corsair

Various Mazurkas including The Rose of Castille by montgomery

And la ?Calamaica ditto

Prince Imperial Gallop

The Lal(Little) Scottische by Wm Irwin

Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Greensleeves) – Old English Dance

Imitation of Bagpipes on the violin

The Lads of Dunce- very like copy in Kershaw – Dunce Dings A’

Miss Ann’s Hornpipe

Buchers (?Butchers) Hornpipe

Patronello a country dance

Here’s a Health to All Good Lasses – arr. For violin and flute duet [but not transcribed so]

Potabellow Hornpipe

The Miller of Drone – strathspey

Green Grows The Rushes O – reel

Hornpipe cf Lancashire Hp

Cameron has got his Wife again – see under there’s nae luck Kershaw MS

The Twelfth of August or Peter Wren’s Hp

Morgeana in Ireland see Kershaw’s MS

Rory O More the ?… ? from ?Irish airs

“By Parker of Penrith” at the bottom of the page, perhaps refers to a variation of the last Air

Garrick’s Hornpipe and other tunes in the oblong MS

Robinson Hornpipe [Mountain or Man?]

Hope’s Hornpipe

Harding’s Hornpipe

The Original Varsoviana

Fragment of Silver Lake

The Triumph a country dance

Star of the Ball Redowa by Montgomery

Hornpipe (Modal)

When Arthur first in Kirk began to wear long hanging sleeves (in good king arthur’s day)

Bannister Hornpipe

Lancaster Hornpipe

Iron Legs a Hornpipe

Manchester Hornpipe

Haste to the wedding much as usual

Basset’s Lasses

A Hornpipe by Wm Garret/Garnet

Durham Hornpipe (see end of Wm Irwin oblong MS)

The Cacoucha A Spanish Valse (bound up at the end)

Chappel Hornpipe

END OF AGG’S TRANSCRIPTION OF THE WM IRWIN FOLIO MS.

There are approximately 210 tunes referred to by name in AGG’s notes to the Wm Irwin Folio MS, of which she has transcribed 68.

AGG evidently had access to them in the early/mid 20th C (?), when she made these partial transcriptions.

Subsequent enquiry has failed to reveal their present whereabouts.

Her notes to the “1838 MS” specifically mention there being 312 tunes, of which she names only 150, and the “Folio MS” notes name at least 210 titles from an unknown total, so there are/were at least 512 tunes in the original MSs of which we still have 108.

In 1939 A.G.G. wrote an article about Lake District musicians. “Some Old Lake Country Fiddlers and their Tune Books” by Anne Geddes Gilchrist. from The Journal of The Lakeland Dialect Society, Issue No.1, November 1939, p16.

After writing about William Irwin and then Henry Stables (as Irwin’s pupil) she says:-

“Another old fiddler’s book in my possession is that of Matthew Betham”.(Currently in VWML)

It is not exactly clear whether she is implying that she owns Stables and Irwin’s books or just that of Henry Stables, or that she has merely borrowed them from the families or indeed from Frank Kidson’s collection. It is clear however that she is talking, in 1939, about the actual MSS and not her transcriptions, for she mentions the tunes Bonny Cumberland and Bonny Westmorland, and neither tune appears in her transcription. (see above).

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