TUNES 2018

| Blowzabella | Scottish Morvandelle |

Blowzabella or Blowzabella my bouncing doxie

Click here to play or download midi file
Click download abc file
if you need software to display, edit or play abc format then there are a number of free programs available online.

A somewhat baldy and degenerate tune and ballad, but still a great tune. It is old mist likely dating back to at least the early 17th century when other debourched ballads seemed very popular, it is included in Pils to Purge Melancholy in six volumes 1698 to 1706, edited by Thomas D’Urfey and published by Henry Playford. As can seen in this version from Wright’s Country dances Vol 1 1720, it had become a dance tune.
The direct link to this version : Blowzabella.
And of course the great band Blowzabella did get their name from the tune, making reference to merriment and bagpipes..given that I just bought tickets to their 40th concert tour gig in London&hellp; will be good to catch up with them again&hellp; going to be a manic dance fest of oldies!

Happy Playing, David Jacobs

[top]

Scottish Morvandelle

Click here to play or download mp3 file
Click download abc file
if you need software to display, edit or play abc format then there are a number of free programs available online.

The 2000 movie Chocolat was based in the Morvan region of France. One of the last scenes in the film is a village fete and there is dancing, the tune played a Scottische. I bought the soundtrack CD by Rachel Portman only to discover thence tune wasn’t on it! So I dubbed it from the DVD and subsequently transcribed it. The village is a real place, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain.
'The dance Scottische is popular throughout Europe, usually written 4/4 or sometimes 2/4 to emphasise the hop skip step.
It’s become a popular euro session tune but I know little more about it.

Happy Playing, David Jacobs