The very few morris tune books that are available can only be found with difficulty; none are suitable for the novice. Mally's Morris Books will go some way to rectifying this situation and, although they are not specifically aimed at beginners, they should be of tremendous use to them.
To convey traditional music exactly by conventional notation can be very difficult. Cotswold morris tunes are no exception, in fact they are probably the most difficult of all to notate because of their many rhythm and tempo changes. A large amount of Cotswold morris tunes contain a section of music played at a tempo and with a rhythm differing notably from the main body of the tune. This section, called "slows" is almost always a corruption of part of the tune played earlier. Sometimes sections are played at a faster or slower tempo. Sometimes a particular section may be played at different speeds in subsequent repetitions. Every effort in these books has been made to indicate these rhythm and tempo variations by using extra terms and signs as well as conventional music notation. When used in conjunction with the soundtrack, musicians who are unfamiliar with the peculiarities of Cotswold morris music should soon be able to grasp what is required.
The tunes are clearly written in large note music in a simple but accurate form; they're also eminently suitable for any melody instrument. Chord arrangements are shown, all of which are suitable for both melodeon and piano accordion.
The two collections, although far from comprehensive contain most of the dance tunes currently in vogue in what might be called the popular Cotswold traditions. All of the tunes can be found elsewhere, but unlike previous publications, they are all presented in keys which most of today's morris musicians are most likely to favour.
Contents
Balance the Straw (Bledington)
Bean Setters (Brackley)
Bean Setting (Headington)
Beaux of London City (Adderbury)
Beaux of London City (Badby)
Billy Boy (Bledington)
Blue-Eyed Stranger (Headington)
Bobbin-a-Joe (Wheatley)
Bobby and Joan (Fieldtown)
Bonnets o' Blue (Bledington)
Bonnets So Blue (Bucknell)
Bonny Green Garters (Bampton)
Bonny Green Garters (Headington)
Bower Processional (Lichfield)
Buffoon (Adderbury)
Country Gardens (Fieldtown)
Cuckoo's Nest (Ilmington)
Cuckoo's Nest (Longborough)
Cuckoo's Nest (Sherborne)
Double Set Back (Headington)
Flowers of Edinburgh (Bampton)
Getting Upstairs (Headington)
Glorishears (Bampton)Glorishears (Fieldtown)
How D' Ye Do Sir? (Headington)
I'll Enlist for a Sailor (Sherborne)
Idbury Hill (Bledington)
Jenny Lind (Bampton)
Jockie to the Fair (Brackley) - Long
Jockie to the Fair (Brackley) - Short
Johnny's Long at Fair (Bampton)
Ladies' Pleasure (Fieldtown)
Lads a Bunchum (Hinton)
Lads a Bunchum (Sherborne)
Leapfrog (Bledington)
Lumps of Plum Pud (Bledington)
Maid of the Mill (Ilmington)
Milley's Bequest (Lichfield)
Monk's March (Sherborne)
Morning Star (Bledington)
Morris On (Headington)
None So Pretty (Fieldtown)
Old Black Joe (Badby)
Old Black Joe (Bucknell)
Old Mother Oxford (Headington)
Old Woman Tossed Up (Brackley) Princess Royal (Bampton)
Princess Royal (Sherborne)Quaker (Bampton)
Rigs o' Marlow (Headington)
Rodney (Headington)
Room for the Cuckolds (Bucknell)
Rory O'More (Adderbury)
Rose (Fieldtown)
Rose Tree (Bampton)
Saturday Night (Bucknell)
Shepherds' Hey (Adderbury)
Shepherds' Hey (Bampton)
Shepherds' Hey (Fieldtown)
Shepherds' Hey (Wheatley)
Sherborne Jig (Sherborne)
Sheriff's Ride (Lichfield)
Step Back (Fieldtown)
Trunkles (Bledington)
Vandals of Hammerwich (Lichfield)
Webley Jig (Bampton)
Wheatley Processional (Wheatley)
Willow Tree (Bucknell)
Mally's Cotswold Morris Book and CD Volume 2 - Dave Mallinson
Edited by Dave Mallinson, this book contains a further 67 tunes, with chords, from the popula Cotswold morris traditions. The complex sequence of parts which contribute to the unique character to Cotswold morris are again clearly indicated.