2022 Marlboro Morris Ale - Elliot Street Show - Half Moon Sword

[Jody Kruskal]

On the occasion of the 47th Marlboro Morris Ale, Half Moon Sword dance on Elliot Street, Brattleboro, Vermont 29 May 2022,

 

accompanied by: Jody Kruskal - Anglo concertina, Michael Gorin - fiddle, David Sidman - guitar

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Jody Kruskal

[Jesse Smith]

That might be the most laidback rendition of the Wonder Hornpipe I've heard. Lovely sprightly stepping from the ladies. (It really is wonderful to see a group that never stops dancing the entire time!)

[Jim Besser]

I never get tired of watching Half Moon dance. Or hearing Jody and Michael play.

 

[Andy Sugden]

Grand playing.

[Jody Kruskal]

Yes Jesse, we play whatever tempo the dancers require. This slower and jaunty pace that you see here is really a pleasure to play, though we sometimes play it faster. As you might notice in the video, the pavement was very wet as there was a downpour on Elliot Street just before we started and so we kept the pace relaxed to avoid any dancerly slips. Dance musicians have to be adaptable and play according to conditions.

[Jesse Smith]

What are the other two tunes called?

[Jody Kruskal]

The first tune is “The Wonder” by Newcastle fiddler James Hill around 1850.
https://thesession.org/tunes/337

 

We know #2 as Delahunty’s, an Irish hornpipe
https://thesession.org/tunes/309

The third is back to Newcastle, called Parnell's March
from the playing of Northumbrian piper Andrew Watchorn