Key signature: Amixolydian
Submitted on September 10th 2008 by bogman.
This tune has been added to 45 tunebooks.
Also known as Snuff Wife.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Snuff Wife, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Amix
d2c BGB|BGB BGB|d2c BGB|AAA c2A|
d2c BGB|BGB Bcd|e2d cBc|AAA c2A:|
Bcd dGd|Bcd dGd|cAc BGB|AAA c2A|
Bcd dGd|BBB Bcd|e2d cBc|1AAA c2A:|2AAA d2f||
ecA ecA|ecA e2e|fdf ece|dcd f2d|
ecA ecA|eee efg|agf gfe|dcd f2d:|
efg gfg|efg gfg|fdf ece|dcd f2d|
efg gfg|ece efg|agf gfe|1dcd f2d:|2dcd g2e||
This is a popular traditional highland pipe reel. Picked it up from Leo McCanns' album "If Anyone Can"
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by bogman
G lydian in the 1st 2 parts. Interesting tune!
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by Dr. Dow
Yes Dow you're right. I didn't see that very often, I know a tune tune from Liz Carroll which seems to have its 2nd part in E lydian, with the rest (1st part and end of 2nd) in E dor. That gives something really great... but I don't have the name. I'd like to post it, but not with 'Gan Ainm' as a title.
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by protz
Thanks for fulfilling my request!
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by bdh
But I can't get the sense of this title (got a bad English)?... it seems strange to me
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by protz
Snuff is like tobacco you snort protz
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by bogman
Snuff
The snuff wife ... a powdered tobacco seller
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by spindizzy
Very interesting tune! I've rarely seen anything using the lydian mode, much less anything that sounded very good...
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by JosephC
A great Scottish jig...
One of the best pipe-jigs ever, and one of my favourites,popularised, I'd say, by the "Battlefield Band". The key changes really tie accompanists up in knots, in my experience.
# Posted on September 10th 2008 by Kenny
Mode
I can't see any reason to classify this as a B minor tune. There are grounds for G lydian and A mix in 1 & 2, and A mix and D maj in 3 & 4, depending on whether you hear the opening or closing passages as the modal centre.
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by Matt Seattle
Matt, the reason the tune is listed in B minor is because it has two sharps. The first two parts may be in G lydian but the last two are not. Any way you list the tune would be wrong. B minor was the best choice as it has the right amount of sharps. You can't list a tune here in two keys.
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by bogman
Actually....
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/8744
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by Kenny
I know you can have tunes in two keys here but they have to be listed in one key here. It's G lydian to Amix. ??? There is no G lydian choice here though. Maybe it would be better listed A mix? Any opinions?
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by bogman
Comment on Mode/Key
Hi bogman - I don't see it can be B-Min, as B is not the keynote. And even if it were, it would be the natural minor (rather than the harmonic minor), as the latter always includes accidentals.
I think that A-Mix would be a fair classification (certainly for the "A" part, although (as has already been noted) it could be argued that part of the "B" tune modulates into D-Major.
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian
Heres a setting with some variation and grace notes.
X:1
T:The Snuff Wife
C:
R:Jig
M:6/8
Q:1/8=132
K:Amix
L:1/32
|: A4 | {Gdc}d8 c4 {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 | {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 | d8 c4 {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 | {g}A4{d}A4{e}A4 c8 {G}A4 |
%
| {Gdc}d8 c4 {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 | {g}B4{d}G4{e}B4 {g}B4c4d4 | {g}e8 d4 {g}c4B4c4 | {g}A4{d}A4{e}A4 {gcd}c8:|
|: {g}f4 | B8 d4 {g}d4c4d4 | {g}B4d4{G}d4 {g}G4d4{G}d4 | {g}c4A4c4 {g}B4G4B4 | {g}A4{d}A4{e}A4 c8 {G}A4 |
%
| B8 d4 {g}d4c4d4 | {g}B4d4{G}d4 {g}G4B4{G}B4 | {g}e8 d4 {g}c4B4c4 | {g}A4{d}A4{e}A4 {g}d8:|
|: {g}e4c4A4 {g}e4c4A4 | {g}e4c4A4 {g}e4c4e4 | {g}f4d4f4 {g}e4c4e4 | {g}d4{e}d4{G}d4 {g}f4e4d4 |
%
| {g}e4c4A4 {g}e4c4A4 | {g}e4c4A4 {g}e4f4g4 | {ag}a4g4f4 g4f4e4 | {g}d4{e}d4{G}d4 {g}f4e4d4:|
|: {g}e4f4g4 {f}g4f4g4 | {f}g4f4g4 {f}g4f4g4 | {a}f4d4f4 {g}e4c4e4 | {g}d4{e}d4{G}d4 {g}f4e4d4 |
%
| {g}e4f4g4 {f}g4f4g4 | {f}g4f4g4 {f}g4f4g4 | {ag}a4g4f4 g4f4e4 | {g}d4{e}d4{G}d4 {g}f4e4d4:|
# Posted on April 17th 2011 by piobagusfidil