‘Stony Point’ (downloadable PDF)

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A traditional, four-part Appalachian hoedown, equally well-known in Irish sessions as the two-part reel, 'Pigtown Fling'. Please see further below for more information and an audio sample.

Description

A traditional, four-part Appalachian hoedown, equally well-known in Irish sessions as the two-part reel, ‘Pigtown Fling’. (Other common titles include ‘Wild Horse’, ‘Wild Horse at Stony Point’, and ‘Buck Creek Gals’.) According to Alan Jabbour, this tune is almost certainly of North American origins, and may be one of the few American tunes that traveled eastward to become a part of Irish session repertoire. This version was sourced from Pete Sutherland, and is set in the standard key of G-Major, as recorded on The Piper in the Holler album and published in ‘An Appalachian Collection’ tune book. Chord symbols included. (NB: The grace-notes that appear in this sheet music have since been updated to provide more emphasis on the backbeat, in imitation of old-time fiddling styles. Also, this tune requires the use of a C-natural. For chanters that do not have C-natural keys or an extra C-natural soundhole, this note may be produced using ‘forked’ fingering and/or by applying a piece of tuning tape over the majority of the C-soundhole.)

Audio sample from The Piper in the Holler album, featuring the first three parts of the tune played on Scottish smallpipes (A-chanter with a taped-C, and drones tuned to G and D):