Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Nancy

reel

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on August 31st 2004 by Stewart.

This tune has been added to 30 tunebooks.

Also known as Nancy Clough's, Nancy Clough's March, Nancy's March.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

A North Country Barn Dance by The Morpeth Ranters
Dance Album by The Bushwhackers Band
English Fiddle Tunes by Pete Cooper
Fiddle Music From Shetland And Beyond by Curlew
Good Boy M.A. by Michael Anthony MacLean
Harthope Burn by Joe Hutton, Willy Taylor & Will Atkinson
Long Roads by Four Men And A Dog
Northumberland Forever by High Level Ranters
The Man Behind The Box by Joe Derrane
The Northumbrian Small Pipes by Various Artists
Up And Away by Paul Smyth

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Nancy
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
"^[A]"(3ABc|:"D"d2D2F2A2|d2fe d2A2|d2ef {ga"G"}gf e/2d3/2|
"A"c2ec A2Bc|"D"d2D2F2A2|d2fe d2A2|"G"B2g2"A"{g}fe d/2c3/2|
[1"D"d6 (3ABc:|[2"D"d6(fg)||
|:"^[B]"a3b a2f2|"G"g3a g2e2|"D"f2d2gfed|
"A"c2e2A2Bc|"D"d2D2F2A2|d2fe d2A2|
"G"B2g2"A"fedc|[1"D"d6(fg):|[2"D"d6 (3ABc||
|:"^[A']"dcBA GFED|F2A2d2A2|dcdf"G"gfed|
"A"cdec A2Bc|"D"dcBA GFED|F2A2d2A2|
"G"B2g2"A"fedc|[1"D"d6 (3ABc:|[2"D"d6(fg)||
|:"^[B']"afaf a2gf|"G"gege g2fe|"D"fdfd gfed|
"A"cdec A2Bc|"D"dcBA GFED|F2A2d2A2|
"G"B2g2"A"fedc|[1"D"d6(fg):|[2"D"d6|]

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Nancy - a march

This is a Scottish march, featured by Stacy Phillips in his Teach-In Fiddle column in the recent SingOut! This version was recorded by Joe MacLean of Sydney, Cape Breton on "Old Time Scottish Fiddle Music (Rounder 7024) in 1977. It should be played about 140 in 4/4 meter.

# Posted on August 31st 2004 by Stewart

Nancy

This tune is almost exactly the same as the popular Northumbrian tune with the Tom Clough variations, and close to the version played by Willy Taylor. Both Taylor and Clough played the tune as a reel

# Posted on August 31st 2004 by alexboydell

Nancy

It's a Tom Clough composition, and not Scottish. I don't know why people in Northumberland call this a reel. It's nothing like the sort of reels Willy Taylor wrote. You play it with a quicker pulse than you'd play a reel, like a march with variations. A reel would just sound silly played at 140.

# Posted on September 1st 2004 by Dow

Reel Tempo

Definitely Northumbrian and not a reel - I remember playing this in a Newcastle band. Just a couple of comments about temp to add to the discussion... I am aware that people often speak of the ideal tempo for a reel (or indeed any other type of tune). However, there is rarely such a thing - some reels sound fabulous at breakneck speed whereas others sound rubbish. Likewise a slower tempo can allow a player to accentuate the more interesting tones, articulations and ornamentations in some reels, but can be a painful tempo for others resulting in a dull tune. Of course this is very subjective - depending on the taste of player/listener and the ability of the performer. But theres no point in suggesting that every reel sounds silly at 140.

# Posted on September 1st 2004 by jakki S

Okay I'll rephrase it: it is my personal opinion that reels sound silly at 140, and the point of saying it is that it's my opinion. Better? :-)

# Posted on September 1st 2004 by Dow

Setting from Willy Taylor/Joe Hutton/Will Atkinson

On their recording it is taken at a very steady pace - about 106bpm/minim.

# Posted on September 2nd 2004 by Dow

Setting from Nancy Kerr

A grooved up version features on Nancy Kerr & James Fagan's album "Steely Water", where it is entitled "Nancy Clough's" and played at a much livelier pace of about 128bpm/minim.

According to the liner notes, "a squeaky wheelbarrow is said to have been Tom Clough's inspiration for this charming pipe tune, named for his wife. The tune itself later inspired the naming of a certain fiddle player".

# Posted on September 2nd 2004 by Dow

Nancy

Tom Clougfh tune. Composedin the 30s for Northumbrian Small Pipes.
Proper nameis Nancy Clough (named for Tom's wide.)
As any who look at Northumbrian tunes will know, its a rant though you do get some in the NE who play the first part as a reel. They generally die when they attempt to do the doubling into the variation.

Tom Clough said that the notes are supposed to sound like a lad running a stick along railings - each note separate and sharply articulated, so no slurs anywhere, even in the semiquaver runs.
Noel

# Posted on September 9th 2004 by noelbats

Nancy's Evil Twin Sister

Have you ever tried playing this one in D dorian? We play a medley with the minor version first going into the "traditional" major. It's good for laughs if nothing else.

# Posted on September 20th 2004 by jdicarlo

This tune is recorded as a polka on Mayo flute player Paul Smyth's recent solo album.

# Posted on November 8th 2004 by slainte

Nancy

Here's the variation from Barbara McOwen's Leaves of Cabbage:

ABc | dcBA GFED | FDFA d2 A2 | d2 ef gfed | cdec ABcA | dcBA GFED | FDFA
d2 A2 | B2 g2 fedc | d4 d2 :|| fg aAfA a2 gf | gAeA g2 fe | f2 df gfed
| cdec A2 (3ABc | dcBA GFEC | FCFA d2 A2 | B2 g2 fedc | d4 d2 :||

It (the variation, I take it) is attributed to Nancy Dickson, pianist. Instead of being listed as Gan Anim, it's listed as "third tune." It's in a set with Hopeful Lover and Alaisdair an Duin put together for a dance called Rest and Be Thankful.

# Posted on November 9th 2004 by cj

Nancy

The Nancy recorded by Joe Derrane is not the same tune as Nancy Clough. it is a Waltz composed by Joe himself

# Posted on October 28th 2006 by ph

Thanks for Nancy Kerr version

a long belated thanks to Dow for the Nancy Kerr version....fantastic!

# Posted on October 9th 2009 by fiddlerpaul