Bonaparte's Retreat

reel

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 9th 2004 by lazyhound.

This tune has been added to 68 tunebooks.

Also known as The Retreat Set Dance, The Retreat.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• Aly Bain And Young Champions by Aly Bain And Young Champions
• Another Musical Interlude by Aly Bain And Phil Cunningham
• Bonaparte's Retreat by The Chieftains
• Celtic Cafe by Karen Ashbrook And Paul Oorts
• Clare Concertinas by Bernard O'Sullivan And Tommy McMahon
• Deireadh An Fhómhair - End Of The Harvest by Declan Masterson
• Flute For The Feis by John Doonan
• Fully Rigged by Aly Bain And Ale Möller
• Glackin by Paddy Glackin
• Happy To Meet And Sorry To Part by Joe Burke, Michael Cooney And Terry Coleman
• In Good Hands by Paddy Murphy
• Ireland's Whistling Ambassador by Micho Russell
• Lonely Bird by Aly Bain
• My Lagan Love by Anne-Marie O'Farrell
• Rhythms Of The Wold by Rod Stradling
• Swarbrick 2 by Dave Swarbrick
• The Civil War Collection by Jim Taylor
• The Final Round CD 1 by Kevin Joyce
• The Last House In Ballymakea by Junior Crehan
• The Master Pipers Volume 2 by Tommy Kearney
• The Ruby by Aly Bain And Phil Cunningham
• The Star Of Munster Trio by The Star Of Munster Trio
• Traditional Irish Dance Rhythms by Lynn Saoirse
• Traditional Irish Music From County Clare by Micho Russell
• Traditional Irish Tunes Played On The Tin Whistle (2/2) by Geraldine Cotter
• Upslide by John McGann

X: 1
T: Bonaparte's Retreat
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
DGGF GBAG|FAde fefg|agfa gfde|fdcA (3BAG (3cAF|
DGGF GBAG|FAde fefg|agfd cAFG|1 AGGF G2 (3GFE:|2 AGGF G2de||
|:fefg f2 (3def|gfga gfde|fgag fdcA|(3GFG AF GFED|
f2fg f2 (3def|gfga g2fg|agbg ag (3fga|g2 (3agf g2fg|
agbg agfd|f2fa gfde|fgag fdcA|(3GFG AF GFDC|
DGGF GBAG|FAde fefg|agfa gfde|fdcA BGAF|
DGGF GBAG|FAde fefg|agfd cAFG|1 (3ABA GF G2de:|2 (3ABA GF G2 (3GFE||

Bonapart's retreat

Although listed as a reel, this tune is in fact a set dance.
I believe at least part of it is played (by Brendan Gleeson?) in the film "Cold Mountain", which is set in the American Civil War.
This version submitted is from Henrik Norbeck's collection.
Trevor

# Posted on January 9th 2004 by lazyhound

Bonaparte's Retreat

I can confirm that Brendan Gleeson played it. The well-known actor (Gangs of New York etc) got the part because he let it be known he could "scratch about on the fiddle". In fact, he has been playing the fiddle since he was 17, and researched the music for the film in some detail. For more info do a Google search on "Brendan Gleeson" AND fiddle.
Trevor

# Posted on January 9th 2004 by lazyhound

Bonaparte's Retreat - Brendan Gleeson

As far as I can remember, Brendan Gleeson is the only film actor I have seen who can play the fiddle/violin well enough to perform live on screen (as opposed to real musicians who have a walk-on part as themselves). What you usually see in a film is an actor who obviously can't play, or even knows how to hold the instrument and bow convincingly, "miming" to the sound of a pro violinist off screen.
Trevor

# Posted on January 9th 2004 by lazyhound

The tune was also used then as a fife march as well as a folk dance tune during the CW

# Posted on November 16th 2004 by Oranaiche

Roche II, page 33, tune #280 ~ "Bonaparte's Retreat"

"The Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music, Volume II", 1912

Set Dances ~ pages 28 - 34

X: 280
T: Bonaparte's Retreat
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: set dance
K: Gmaj
|: GF |\
DGGF GBAG | FGAd f2 fg | agfa gfeg | fdcA BGAF |
DGGF GBAG | FGAd f2 fg | agfd cAGF | A2 G2 G2 :|
|: de |\
fefg f2 df | gfga g2 de | fefg afge | gdcA BGAF |
fefg f2 df | gfga g2 fg | abag fgaf | gfga g2 fg |
a2 ab agfd | f2 fa gfed | fefg afge | fdcA BGAF |
DGGF GBAG | FGAd f2 fg | agfa gfeg | fdcA BGAF |
DGGF GBAG | FGAd f2 fg | agfd cAGF | A2 G2 G2 :|

# Posted on August 11th 2008 by ceolachan