Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on May 30th 2007 by dafydd.
This tune has been added to 5 tunebooks.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Old Tom Of Oxford
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
GABc d2 ef|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 GABc|d2 g2 f2 g2|
a2 fe d2 ef|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4:|
B2 d2 B2 d2|B2 d2 gfed|c2 e2 c2 e2|c2 e2 gfed|
B2 d2 B2 d2|ddef g4|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4:|
G3 A B2 c2|d4 g4|c4 Bc B2|A4 G4|
G3A B2c2|d4 g4|f4g4|a2 fe d2 ef|
g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4|g2 d2 c2 B2|A4 G4||
Lazyhound suggested that I post this version as a separate tune,he thought that the differences warranted it.I'm not so sure,we'll see what Jeremy thinks.It's not a reel,it's a morris tune,so it should be played in a slightly dotted rythym.The C part should be drawn out a bit to give the dancers time for the plain capers.
Play ABCB
# Posted on May 30th 2007 by dafydd
There's a good version by Bellowhead here
http://www.myspace.com/thisisbellowhead
It's the last tune of the set.
# Posted on May 30th 2007 by dafydd
I forgot to mention it's the last tune of the Jack Robinson set.
# Posted on May 30th 2007 by dafydd
Have you got this right?
have you got this right, dafydd, as it doesn't tally with any of the "Old Tom of Oxford" tunes that I know. I've listened to Bellowheads recording and this transcription does not follow what they play. I think you need to rewrite your abc unless this version of yours is a completely different one to the norm. If so where does yours come from? If a Morris tune, what traditioon?
# Posted on May 31st 2007 by hetty
here's one version from a fiddle ms from 1752. it's the john thomas ms edited by cass meurig and published by the national library of wales under the title 'alawon john thomas' isbn 1-86225-042-1.
she tells me she had thought of publishing under the title 'fiddling with john thomas' but thought better of it. in her edition she suggests that the key should be D minor reasonably enough but i fancy there's something mysterious and of the eighteenth century about it when the b's are natural and so i've left it as john thomas wrote it. i like it better this way
it is then (indcientaly) in what is called the 'gogywair' - an ancient (pre-fifteenth century) harp tuning, apart of course from the modulation to the c natural in the second turn.
some welsh folk songs are still to be heared sung in the gogywair but are as rare as hen's teeth.
it was published also by Young and Pearson, The Dancing Master Vol 2 (London 3rd edition in 1719) as Peace and Plenty, or Old Oxford. titles here spelled as john thomas
X:70
T: Owld Ocsfford. Owld Oxfford
M: C
L: 1/4
Q:150
S:Alawon John Thomas NLW isbn 1-86225-042-1 ed. Cass Meurig
R:Reel
K: C
D/E/F/G/A2| BGA2|D/E/ F/G/ A2|d^cde|
fe/f/gf/e/|fe/d/^c2|dABG|AAD2:|
F/G/A/G/F/G/A/G/|F/G/A/B/c2|E/F/G/F/E/F/G/F/|E/F/G/A/B2|
fe/f/gf/e/|fe/d/^c2|dABG|AA,D2:|
it sounds lovely on a flute this way
# Posted on May 31st 2007 by cerimatho
I learned it from Martin Carthy,who got it from Rod Stradling who had it from the Bampton Morris,passed down by the fiddler Jinky Wells.Lazyhound posted a version.I've just listened to the Bellowhead track on My Space and it's similar to the tune I posted.Are you sure you listened to the right track?It's the last tune in the jack Robinson set,after the tune with the bagpipes.
www.ucolick.org/~sla/morris/music/Bampton/oldtomox.lb.abc - 2k -
# Posted on May 31st 2007 by dafydd
Yes I am and will listen to it again but this version here has 9 bars for the 'A' music, 10 bars for the 'B' music and 12 bars for the 'C' music and I find it hard to believe that Bampton morrismen would have danced to this. The phrasing does not make sense to me.
# Posted on June 1st 2007 by hetty
I know nothing about morris dancing,it's just a tune I like to play now and again,take it up with Rod Stradling or Martin Carthy.
# Posted on June 1st 2007 by dafydd
Is it supposed to be the same as the one played by bellowhead?
# Posted on June 1st 2007 by hetty
No,I hadn't heard the Bellowhead version before I posted it.
# Posted on June 1st 2007 by dafydd
O.K. thanks for that, dafydd, but could you possibly put me out of my misery. Was it obtained from Martin C by aural tradition or did he give it to in manuscript form or did you transcribe it from a CD/casstte/record recorded by him?
I thought that I had played all the versions of Tom of Oxford over the years but seemingly not as 'c' has provided an interesting one from the C18. so I really would like to clarify the situation over this one. Thanks.
# Posted on June 2nd 2007 by hetty
Can't help but believe there is an abc writing error here. The first 4quaver run at the beginning of this version is identical with the 4quaver run-up at the beginning of Bellowheads recording. They are the lead in notes to the first bar which would then be | d2ef g2d2 | etc with readjustments to bars. I believe this is really the same tune as the one submitted by 'Lazyhound' with the additions of the slow music and does not warrant a separate inclusion.
# Posted on June 6th 2007 by hetty