LIONEL WINSHIP MS

167 tunes from Moat Hill, Wark, Northumberland, 1833

Transcritions from the images on the Farne website

Transcribed into ABC Music Notation for the Village Music Project by Mike Hicken, Steve Mansfield and Anne Wride

Go to PDF of transcription

This introduction by Matt Seattle, from the Farne website :-

"Lionel Winship, like William Dixon, is fond of writing his name in his tune book, and more usefully he also gives his location, Moat Hill, Wark (West Northumberland). Graham Wells who owns the book now has researched its origins extensively, and while he has found many Winships in Wark he has not yet pinpointed this particular Lionel.

Lionel gives one date, Feb 14th 1833, on page 26, and tells us on page 87 that he is a Piper. His repertoire also reveals this by the selection of tunes, their range and the choice of keys. This is a Northumbrian smallpiper's tune book from a period when such things are very thin on the ground, and it complements Robert Bewick's manuscripts from the same period. Lionel's rural location obviously did not prevent him from amassing a large and varied selection of around 160 tunes.

The book contains some tunes copied (directly or indirectly) from Peacock's printed tune book, and also a few alternative later versions of some of Peacock's tunes. It has many other tunes of local interest, including some rare or unique hornpipes and other tunes, and a surprisingly large number of (Scottish) strathspeys. Strathspeys are very effective on smallpipes, though few players tackle them nowadays. Lionel either edited out the dotting from some of these, or did not bother to copy it; players can make their own decisions about this, but should inform themselves with other versions if possible.

Marches and waltzes also figure prominently in the book, and would give a clue to its date if one were needed. They are not popular among traditional musicians nowadays, but they are definitely part of the picture at this time, and perhaps there is scope for reviving one or two of the better examples.

Height : 14 cm

Width : 23 cm"

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