Key signature: Amajor
Submitted on November 14th 2002 by lazyhound.
This tune has been added to 69 tunebooks.
Also known as The Stool O' Repentance, Stool Of Repentance, The Waddling Gander.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Stool Of Repentance, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Amaj
|:a2e c2e|agf e2c|aff f2e|fag f2e|
a2e c2e|agf e2c|d2e f2e|fac B2a:||
|:cAA eAA|cAA edc|dBB fBB|dBB fed|
cAA eAA|fag a2e|d2e f2e|fac B2a:||
This version from an old New England collection of fiddle tunes.
# Posted on November 14th 2002 by lazyhound
Stool of Repentance
Lowland Scottish in origin. Great with Drummond Castle.
Noel Jackson
Angels of the North
# Posted on November 17th 2002 by noelbats
Stool of repentance
Apparently if you had been naughty you were made to sit on this stool in church and be ritually humiliated by the clergy. As Robin Williamson said in his book of fiddle tunes the tune is "anything but repentant" and flies along nicely.
# Posted on November 17th 2002 by Geoff Pollitt
Stool of repentance
More central Scottish, I think, as it is attributed to one of the Gow family - Neil or Nathaniel, I'm not sure which - from Inver near Dunkeld in Perthshire.
There's a four -part version played by the City Of Washington Pipe Band, and recorded by the Victoria Police Pipe Band - the 4th part really gives it a "lift".
# Posted on November 18th 2002 by Kenny
This is how I'm playing Stool of Repentance these days. I'm not sure what my original source was, but it's gone through some changes since I learned it.
T:Stool of Repentance
R:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:D
c2A AcA|AcA e2c|d2B BGB|BGB fed|!
c2A AcA|AcA e2c|d2e f2e|fac B2A:||!
cAA eAA|cAA edc|dBB fBB|f2e fga|!
cAA eAA|cAA edc|d2e f2e|fac B2A:||!
a3 c2e|agf edc|a2f f2e|fag fed|!
a3 c2e|agf edc|d2e f2e|fac B2A:||!
c2e ecA|cde edc|d2f fdB|adB fdB|!
c2e ecA|cde edc|d2e f2e|fac B2A:||!
# Posted on June 30th 2004 by Bill Reeder
First published in 1983 ~ "New England Fiddler's Repertoire"
Randy Miller & Jack Perron, 1983 / 2nd edition 2003
Page 36: "Stool of Repentance"
http://www.randymillerprints.com/
http://www.randymillerprints.com/fiddletunebooks.htm
~ another Randy Miller publication:
"Irish Traditional Fiddle Music"
# Posted on November 26th 2005 by ceolachan
"The Stool of Repentance" mix n' match "The Waddling Gander"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on June 29th 2004 by jdave.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/3225
# Posted on December 3rd 2005 by ceolachan
Stool Of Repentance
Kenny, I know I'm nitpicking here but I've just been having a look at the Fiddler's Companion and apparently this tune appeared in a manuscript in 1734. Considering that Niel Gow was born in 1727 and his son Nathaniel in 1764, it would appear to be unlikely that either of them was the composer of this tune. Niel Gow would have to have written the tune and have it popularized as a toddler. I suppose it's possible that some tune collector thought "wow this kid's tune is amazing I must write it down immediately", but it's unlikely don't you think?
# Posted on May 10th 2006 by Dow
Agree
Nothing wrong with your logic there, Dow. A lot of musicians at that time were notorious for lifting tunes and claiming them as there own compositions. Maybe that's happened here. It does say though that “ an early version of the melody” appears in manuscripts in 1734. I’d have to see those “versions” to see how they compare, but thanks for pointing this out. I suppose we could always ask “Howsshecutting” for an opinion –
[ maybe not ].
# Posted on May 10th 2006 by Kenny
I think if you're an anorak and you're quiet about it and hide out in the tunes section, nobody's interested enough to bother you anymore so we're okay
# Posted on May 11th 2006 by Dow
Earlier versions
Famous Highland and smallpiper Jim McGillivray of Ontario plays the early 18th century version, which has eight or ten parts, and the Highland pipe version.
Try to find the YouTube videa of Jim play both versions on smallpipes.
I find most Irish musicians who play this play it much better than Highland pipers. Needs bouncy, quick fingers. Should sound like a fiddle piece, I think.
# Posted on June 12th 2007 by israelpiper
According to the Nuttall Encyclopedia, the Stool of Repentance, in Scotland in former times, was an elevated seat in a church on which, for offences against morality, people did penance and suffered rebuke. Often these were crimes such as adultery, fornication, pregnancy outwith wedlock and so on. Suicide was a not uncommon outcome in small isolated communities. Such was the vengeance of The Lord, as embodied in the Presbyterianism of our Caledonian forebears. That this draconian instrument of spiritual control, at least by today's standards, should be commemorated in such a sprightly tune indicating a rejoicing in its use, leads me (at least) to the conclusion that it was used as a musical accompaniment to the parlour game of the same name - The Stool of Repentance. Don't ask me the rules. Has a whiff of soiled nappies and toddlers who should know better.
# Posted on September 22nd 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
The game
Stool of Repentance is also the name of a parlour game for children and adults. The players sit in a circle around a stool.[2]
One of the group (the "victim") leaves the room, and the rest say or write all sorts of things about him. For instance, one will say he is handsome, another that he is clever, or stupid, or vain. The "victim" is then called back to sit on the stool, and one of the players begins to tell or read him the different charges that were made against him. "Someone said you were vain; can you guess who?" If the victim guesses correctly, he returns to the circle, and the person who made the accusation takes the stool as the new "victim". If, however, the "victim" is unable to guess correctly, he must leave the room again and fresh charges are made against him. The game almost certainly takes its name from the old Scottish church custom.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by tbradfish