The Drunken Hussar

jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on November 17th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian.

This tune has been added to 11 tunebooks.

Also known as Drunken Hussar, Drunken Hussare.

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Drunken Hussar

More of a "fun" tune, this one - rather than one with much "soul" to it.

I learned it from the playing of two local fiddlers - Mike Hughes and Bob Green - some 25 years ago. Don't know where they got it from. Sadly, both of these fiddlers are no longer with us.

On their behalf (I'm sure they wouldn't mind), I'll dedicate it to Ceolachan (as he says that he is "drunk on music"), and to Wounded Hussar because ... well ... because he's a hussar ..

Let's hope that this one is not a duplication "needing to be rescued" !?

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian

Whew! You had me seriously worried...

Interesting this, curious, not one I am familiar with either. I'll go away and give this a go, out of respect for you and WH, and see if I can find any other information on it...

Sorry to hear the number of fiddlers are down by two in your area, I hope someone is active in raising the numbers of musicians in your community, and opportunities to play, including for dance and dancers. Do you have any tales to tell about these two, in memory, Mike Hughes & Bob Green?

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

It seems, on music, sometimes I'm a rude drunk... :-/

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

Ceol - I could think of one or two tales in connection with both Mike and Bob, but they probably wouldn't be appropriate for this board! Both of them played in our ceilidh band, at various times.

Actually, many people have played us with over the years - over 60 people at the last count. Of this number, (to my knowledge) five are no longer with us (including Mike and Bob). No-one has ever died when actually playing with us though - it only seems to happen about three years after one leaves. Spooky.

No shortage of fiddlers in these parts. We have more fiddlers (all ages) than you can shake a (fiddle) stick at. Most of the younger ones play to a very high standard - more performance players, than ceilidh band players though.

Singers - a different story. If someone gets up on their hind legs to sing at one of our local sessions, the chances are that they will be over 50 - and some are quite a lot older than that. Unless something happens to change things, the singing tradition will be dead in about twenty years time ...

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian

I enjoyed that addition. Ceili band tales welcome too... It sounds like a rich and healthy community there. Good news is always welcome...

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

Your Bristol based ceili(dh) band, what is its name, and is there an online presence, webpages and a picture or two? If not, it would be lovely to see something like that, with a history in words, people and pictures, and a calendar of events and venues, in case any of us stumble into your realm and want to catch some music and a ceili(dh)...

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

This tune fits its title well... ;-)

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

"Drunken Hussare" ~ The Fiddler's Companion ~ Andrew Kuntz

http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/index.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/DRUNK_DRY.htm

English, Jig. B Flat Major/A Major. Standard tuning. One part. A hussar is a type of 19th century cavalryman. The melody is contained in the Joseph Kershaw manuscript. Kershaw was a fiddler who lived in Slackcote, Saddleworth, North West England, in the 19th century, and his manuscript dates from around 1820 onwards. The Joseph Kershaw Manuscript, 1993; No’s. 15 & 16.

That I'd love to see and give a try, in Bb / A...

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by ceolachan

That was quick, Ceol!

Interesting to know the origin, and that it has some antiquity.

... will respond to your other questions later, by email....

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian

Hmm! Not sure whether to be flattered or insulted!!

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by the wounded hussar

I'm sure that you are a sober soul really ...

... but if you played a lot of tunes like this one, I might well think that the contrary is true ...!

# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian

Huzzar Husz = 20

Just a side note. Huzzar comes directly from the Hunarian word for 20 - husz. A cavelry section. Aparently it came from the number in a platoon, itself a French word ,The word is derived from the 17th-century French peloton, meaning a small ball or small detachment of men, which came from pelote, (originally from Latin 'pillula', meaning 'little ball').
Although platoons in British and Us armies are usually foot-soldiers many European armies still have platoons of mounted cavelry( ! ).
I'm told that here in Ireland we don't have platoons.
Perhaps I'll stick to music. :-)
Peter

# Posted on January 5th 2009 by Peter O'Connor