Tune(s)
of the Month
July's tunes are Camp Meeting on the Fourth of July and Garfield's
March.
If you've been around old-time for more than a week or two, you'll
know that there are variations on a tune from time-to-time and
from place-to-place. These aren't meant to be portrayed as
"the right way" or "the only way" to play these
tunes.
The notation comes from transcriptions, mostly of NOTSBA jam sessions,
by NOTSBA member Ray Mathes, who transcribes them for his own
learning and shares them with us here.
“Camp Meeting on the Fourth of July”
Key-D; Form AABB
James Bryan has said that this tune was originally played as a
processional for evening services at camp meetings in Arkansas
in the 19th century. Bryan’s source was Tom Jackson, who learned
it from Coleman Barwick, an old-time fiddler from Blountsville,
Alabama. Source: Fiddler’s Companion
MP3 of Camp Meeting on the Fourth of July
Midi of Camp Meeting on the Fourth of July
Printable copy of the notation
“Garfield’s March” aka “President Garfield’s
March” aka “Garfield’s
Funeral March”
Key-G; Form AABB
 James Garfield was our 20th President. He was assassinated after
only 6 months in office by a man who was disillusioned that he
had not been appointed to a consul position by the new president.
This tune dates from the 1881 assassination (Wolfe, 1997). The
tune was recorded by West Virginia fiddler Clark Kessinger who
learned it from local West Virginia fiddler Abe Glenn in 1903 when
Kessinger was seven (Charles Wolfe, Mountains of Music, John Lilly
ed., 1999, pg. 28). Source: Fiddler’s Companion and others.
MP3 of Garfield's March
Midi of Garfield's March
Printable notation for Garfield's March
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