Comments

'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

'Give us some treacle and bread', I got a version of this tune in an English session. I was told it was a 'wren tune'. Has anyone heard of it from an Irish source, the version I got comes from the Old Swan band, the only reference I can find to it on the web.
Is it march for parading or what ? I've written out a rough abc version , should it be 2/4 or 4/4? I can post this but really wanted to know a little bit more first, before I get it stuck in the wrong time signature on Jeremy's database.

X: 2
T:Give us some treacle and bread
M:2/4
L:1/16
K:G
D2|G2F2 G2A2|B2A2 G2F2|E4 FED2|GBdB cAFD|\
G2F2 G2A2|B2A2 G2F2|E4 FED2|G6 :|]!
B2|A2G2 F2G2|A4 (3AAA B2| A2G2 F2E2|D4 (3DDD B2|\
A2G2 F2G2|A4 (3AAA B2| A2G2 F2E2|D6 :|]!
A2|B4 cBc2|d6 dd|d2cc c2BB|B2A2 A4|\
B4 cBc2|d6 B2|A2c2 B2A2|G6 :|]!

Nick

# Posted on March 21st 2009 by nickthefiddle

Re: 'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

It is entirely arbitrary whether it is in written in 2/4 or 4/4. Just be aware that when you submit a tune, you have to choose a 'tune type' - reel, polka, hornpipe etc., even if the tune doesn't quite fit any categories. Each tune type is assigned a fixed time signature: polkas 2/4, reels & hornpipes 4/4, jigs 6/8, waltzes 3/4 etc.

My inclination would be to class this tune as a polka, as it has more of the feel of a polka than a reel or hornpipe. This would mean you could keep you bar lines as they are. Be aware, however, that for all tune types, the default note length (L) is set to 1/8, so you will need to halve all the note values in your abc, thus:

D|GF GA|BA GF|E2 F/E/D|G/B/d/B/ c/A/F/D/|\ ...etc.

# Posted on March 21st 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig

Re: 'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

An interesting tune, I can't find out anything about it except that its been recorded a few times. I wonder when it was collected? It doesn't sound related to any of the other wren hunting tunes.

# Posted on March 21st 2009 by TinWhistleSamurai

Re: 'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

Sounds Breton to me, like another Wren tune (An Dro) on here.

# Posted on March 21st 2009 by vonnieestes

Re: 'Give us some treacle and bread' , Wrenboy tune? begging info please

Thanks ragaman, yes I think that would have tripped me up, the L:1/8 bit. I got caught out by the time signature constraints the first and last time I posted a tune. Twice shy as they say.

# Posted on March 21st 2009 by nickthefiddle

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.