Dr. Clague's Notebooks
I had a wonderful opportunity to actually hold in my hands the three priceless notebooks containing all the tunes collected and written down by Dr. John Clague as he traveled all over the Island during the 1890s. These documents have been carefully archived in the Manx National Library, located in the Manx Museum, in Douglas, the capital city. I had only a couple of hours before catching the ferry back to Liverpool, but managed to take several dozen photos of pages that were meaningful to me. I can't begin to express the thrill it was for me to see, touch, feel, and yes, smell, these priceless manuscripts, which have served as the jumping-off point for quite a few musicians, including myself, over the years.
You can get more detailed information about Dr. Clague and his fellow Manx "songcatchers" from the Introduction to my first Manx book, Tailless Tunes, published in 2010.
You can get more detailed information about Dr. Clague and his fellow Manx "songcatchers" from the Introduction to my first Manx book, Tailless Tunes, published in 2010.
Book I - Folk Music Collected by Dr. John Clague - 1893
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Book II - Folk Music Collected by Dr. John Clague - 1896
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Book III - Folk Music Collected by Dr. John Clague - from 1896 - 98
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December Is Fairer Than May
Below is the page on which Dr. Clague wrote out this charming waltz, "December is fairer than May" in his second notebook, dated 1896. The tune is slightly "crooked" -- that is, when written out with modern notation and measuring, its phrases each have only seven measures instead of the customary -- and more symmetrical -- eight-measure grouping.
I always like to include some anecdotal tidbit or historical information with each of my arrangements, but in this case I could find nothing written about its origins, nor were my Manx music specialist contacts able to find anything. So I shall just proffer an idea for your consideration -- that this song has nothing to do with the calendar (even with their temperate year-round climate, the Manx December is not necessarily fairer than a beautiful day in May...). Rather, I like to think of it as a reference to a beautiful woman whose husband of 50 years or so has composed a tune to honor their long and wonderful relationship, and specifically his bride who has grown even more beautiful -- or fairer -- with the passage of time. Awwww...
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December is fairer than May For intermediate players -- fingerpicking arrangement |
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December is fairer than May Carol is playing her Bear Meadow Standard Hourglass Dulcimer |
Farewell and Adieu
Dr. Clague wrote down this tune in his second notebook, dated 1896. It was interesting for me to compare both the tune and the lyrics with a version I had learned a long time ago. Both versions can be found in my book, Tailless Tunes 2, on p. 58 and 59.
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