Money Musk: Regional variations?
Steve Pike
throughout the country over the past couple of years (to the 24 bar
tune version of the tune, see below, lifted from the Ralph Page Dance
Legacy Weekend 2001 Syllabus, if you're interested). Some questions
arose:
Multiple Choice: How many of you dance a ...
A) 24-bar version?
B) 32-bar version?
C) what? We never dance them kind of dances here
Essay question: In the 24-bar version, describe various regional
variations of the "lines-of-3 balance forward and back". That is,
given that it's not the usual, 32 bar version of "4 steps forward [or
3 and stop on the 4th] and back", what do you all do? Where? What is
the "traditional-est," at least as far as the 24-bar version is
concerned?
I've danced (and taught) the balances thusly: step forward slightly on
the right, swing the left leg forward and slightly across while
striking the left heel; repeating for the left. This gives a satisying
"1& 2, 3& 4" sound, especially as the whole room balances together.
Steve Pike
Money Musk
Formation: Contra, triple proper
24-bar Reels: Money Musk
A- Actives allemande right 1 1/2 (now you are improper)(8)
Down the outside one place (4), lines-of-3 balance forward and
back(4)
B-Actives allemande by either hand until the gent is between the 2's
facing down the hall and the lady is between the 3's facing up (8)
Lines-of-3 balance forward and back (4), allemande R 3/4 (4) (now you
are proper)
C-Right and left four with the couple above
peanutjake
"Steve Pike" <steveinma...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ef286433.03051...@posting.google.com...
Here is the description I wrote down in 1949, This is the way it was danced in Wycoff, New Jersey.
The caller was Rod LaFarge. I don't know if this was a regional variation or the standard way of
doing the dance. I never heard the term allemande used in a longways dance.
Six couples in set. Give first call before music begins.
Head couple swings once and a half around - 8 bars
(Head couple advances, links right arms, and swings once and a half around and stops--Gentleman
between second and third ladies and his partner between second and third gentlemen. Both are now in
opposite lines.)
Forward six - 4 bars
(Gentleman standing between two ladies will join hands, while partner standing between two
gentlemen will also join hands. All move forward four steps and back four steps.)
Swing three quarters around -4 bars
(Same lady and gentleman join right hands and turn three quarters around so that they finish
between lines, lady facing toward head of set, partner facing her and toward foot of set.)
Forward six -4 bars
(Lady joins left hand with gentleman on her left and right with lady on right, forming a
straight line facing toward head of set. Gentleman joins right hand with gentleman on right and left
with lady on his left, all facing the opposite three. All forward and back.)
Swing three quarters to place -4 bars
(Same couple joins hands and swings three quarters to own side of set, one couple below, This
leaves two ladies together and two gentlemen together.)
Right and left -8 bars
(Same two couples pass through to opposite side of set, each giving left hand and turning.
Return to places in same manner.)
After the first couple has danced by three couples, couple at head begins, There are now two couples
leading at same time.
To end the dance call
All join hands, forward, swing partners, promenade to seats.
PJ
Dudley Laufman
* At the end of this little essay, are some hints on how Money Musk is/was
danced in NH.
MONEY MUSK WAS ALWAYS DONE
By Dudley Laufman
Dancing has always been a part of community life in most towns and villages
in New Hampshire. The Monadnock Region in the southwestern corner of the
state has clung to the old dances longer than the rest of the state, due in
part to its isolation, Irish, Scots, and French Canadian inhabitants with
their wealth of dancers and musicians. Well heeled summer folks have
supported the musicians and dancing masters over the years, and in spite of
modern western square dancing and modern urban contra dancing, there are
several families who still dance the old contras ... Money Musk, Hulls
Victory, Petronella ... two or three times a year.
The duple/triple contra dance has always been the realm of the gentry and/or
educated because they could afford the dancing masters necessary to teach
the figures to the unforgiving phrasing of the music. The Ed Larkin Dancers
from central Vermont could be considered an exception. So could, on the
other hand, any of the several grass roots pavilion dances of Maine where
they dance Lady of the Lake several times a night with little or no
attention to the phrasing.
In my experience, the big exception was in the Monadnock Region of
southwestern New Hampshire, Cheshire, Sullivan, and Hillsborough Counties.
Here, at least in the '40's and '50's, the dancers were a good cross
section: loggers, writers, farmers, lawyers, factory workers, summer folks,
hunters, wealthy, poor, - and they could all dance the contra dances popular
then ... Hull's Victory, Morning Star, Lady of the Lake - and Money Musk.
Much of this was due to the work of Ralph Page, the dancing master from
Keene, although in those days he was referred to as a singing caller. But
other callers worked the area as well ... Larry Picket, Larry Barrett, Larry
Gauthier, Dick Richardson, Jimmy Ross, Perley Emerson, Shorty Durant, Ted
Glaback... and contras were done at their dances too. Allan Kendall had a
large orchestra ... trumpet, sax, clarinet, trombone, drums, piano ... the
Guy Lombardo sound. Foxtrots, cheek to cheek music. But every half-hour, up
went the lights and a contra or square was done, including Money Musk.
The Monadnock Region named for the 3165' mountain that rises more or less in
its center, the Monadnock Region of southwestern New Hampshire is a mixture
of forests, steep rocky hills, lakes and ponds, streams and wetlands, and
some fine farm land on the western edge in the Connecticut River valley. If
you look at a map you will see that there are no major highways leading into
or through the area. This, coupled with the mostly rough terrain has
traditionally, rendered and kept the region isolated.
Today's public dances in the Monadnock Region are more closely related to
their urban cousins than to the old timers. Money Musk is seldom, if ever,
done. There are probably no day laborers that attend these dances. Every
year though, we play for two private parties in Keene, and one in Nelson in
the heart of the Monadnock Region. Mostly doctors, lawyers, and well to do
business people and their families, and in Nelson, a few artists, loggers
and carpenters. They dance once a year. Money Musk is always done. They
never forget it. Ralph Page would be proud. We play for fourth graders at a
school in Keene. Not Money Musk, but some reels, and in such a manner as to
put most children that age to shame, and even bring a smile of approval from
Ralph. Must be something in the pollen.
Other parts of the state do not have as rich a heritage, probably for
reasons such as church, politics, closer access to cities etc. But they have
danced and still do. Old dance programs from Laconia show that the popular
dances were Grand March, Portland Fancy, Virginia Reel, Plain Quadrille,
Paul Jones, as well as waltzes and polkas, and maybe the contra, Lady of the
Lake. This seems to be the standard throughout most of central New
Hampshire. These dances are easier to do than those old favorites from the
Monadnock area. (To learn dances like Money Musk etc, you either get thrown
off the deep end at a public dance and sink or swim, or you attend a
workshop. The former can be a poor experience, and the latter is not likely
to happen in New Hampshire.)
For the past fifty years or more, contra dances like Chorus Jig and Hull's
Victory have been and are still being done in other parts of New Hampshire
outside the Monadnock Region, due again to the work of Ralph Page and
others, myself included, at folk festivals, dance camps, and at public dance
series. But in communities of central New Hampshire where there have not
been any Ralph Pages, the order of the day were/are Virginia Reels, Portland
Fancies, Paul Jones, and square dances and these were/are well done and well
used. Must be something in the low hills.
*************************
I have never seen Money Musk "taught" at a public dance. In his later years
Page used to "teach" dances both at workshops and public dances. Never saw
him do Money Musk. At public dances outside NH, I have inserted a little
"workshop" into a dance if Money Musk were on the docket. Mainly to show
folks how it was/is done in NH.
On the forward and back parts, the call is indeed "forward and back" not
"balance" forward. So, the dancers go forward with a shuffle thump, shuffle
thump, shuffle thump, shuffle. The inactives shuffle back, the actives take
a little half step and go right into the 3/4 turn. By doing this both
times, the actives get to place in plenty of time for a relaxed R&L. Other
little hints...the active man sees to it his partner is well on her way
"below one couple" before he deftly backs around below one couple. On the
R&L the active man sees to it everyone is on their way before he steps into
the figure. Louis Pasquerelli was a master at this and would have the whole
center of the R&L figure to himself as he jigged into place. What a sight.
I have always done the 24 bar version. Actually it is 16 bars of the tune
Money Musk, and 8 bars of The Keel Row for the R&L part. And in the key of
A. Reminds me of the time I made the mistake of asking New
Tolman, Dave Fuller, and Bob McQuillen if they had any ideas for an
alternate tune for Money Musk
because they said they were sick of playing it. Newt said if it was all the
same to anyone, he would like to be excused when it is played. Dave came up
w/ a ten page letter with other tunes. Mac said, Sacriledge, but why don't
we just NOT do the GD thing. At a
dance in Concord, MA, I was dancing Money Musk. Part way down tthe band
switched tunes into one that was in minor for god sake. Both Ernie Spence
and I
dropped out...our feet just wouldn't work on that tune. Later, they
switched back, and we got back in. Cornered the caller after 'n said, Why
did you switch? He said, well it worked didn't it? No, it didn't work.
Piano player said, I'll have to remember that "Feet
won't work on Money Musk if wrong tune." But, he said, we get bored playing
the same tune.(I never get bored playing these old tunes over and over.)
John Kirkpatrick wrote a great essay "MEDLEY MANIA. Said "these
tunes are built for constant repetition." There's room for both ways. In
Quebec they use Money Musk, played alone, as a step dance tune. In Cape
Breton. they probably use it in a set of reels? Whenever we get the nod to
do the New Years dance in Danville, VT, they always insist on doing Money
Musk to the 32 bar version, just using the tune itself. I have to practice
it in my head for weeks beforehand.
--
*************************************
Upcoming dances:
May 24 Tamworth
May 31 Canterbury Kitchen Junket
Dance schedule on our website www.laufman.org
TWO FIDDLES
Jacqueline & Dudley Laufman
PO Box 61
Canterbury, NH 03224
603-783-4719
lau...@totalnetnh.net
Bruce Henderson
(snip)
Thank you, thank you, thank you, all, for your posts on Money Musk.
It made my heart soar to read them.
Bruce Henderson, Wallace NC
S Miskoe
the first dance after intermission so if you liked it you could come right in
and dance it. If you disliked it you could stay in the parking lot and have
one more beer. It is a deadly tune to play if you are an accompanying
musician. The A music has 7 tonic chords and one dominant 7th. The B music is
the same. The C music is better, it has one sub-dominant. It's a hard dance
to phrase in its 24 bar version.
The 32 bar version gives you anough time to feel un-rushed but the 32 bar
version is seldom done any more.
Cheers,
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH