strathspey@strathspey.org:45422

GOSS9@telefonica.net

Re: Reels and Hornpipes

May 30, 2006, 3:50 p.m. (Message 45422, in reply to message 45385)

Tempo indications have no predictive value in this discussion in that 
while RSCDS published reels are generally in 2/4 time, often their 
source tunes are found in 2/2 or 4/4. The same can be found for 
hornpipes, except for the 3/2 hornpipes already mentioned.

As posted before it is not the time signiture that makes the 
difference between a duple time tune a reel or a hornpipe, but the 
syncopation. And even there it is the predominance of such that makes 
the difference, in that a mostly really reel can have hornpipe 
syncipation occasionally, as can a hornish hornpipe, have occasional 
bars without syncopation.

This follows over into the differench between single and double jig. 
While they have the same tempo indications, most of the single jigs 
have a syncipated 4 note rhythm (often shading into a hornpipe when 
played by traditional musicians - and noted as such on occasions), 
where the double jig has 6 notes to the bar. As in the above, this is 
the norm, for a piece of music, and has nothing to do with the 
exceptions occasionally found.