Bonaparte's Advance
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"Bonaparte's Advance", also known as "Madame Bonaparte" (in Gaelic "Banflait Bonapart") is an Irish<br> set dance in 4/4 time and G Major or A Major.<br> The parts are played AABB (most versions) or AABB'CC (Williamson).<br> This is mostly known as "Madame Bonaparte" but I prefer the "Bonaparte's Advance" title because<br> it goes with "Bonaparte's Retreat" even though it is in a different key.<br> The tune is named in honor of Bonaparte's wife, the Empress Josephine, probably reflecting the<br> Irish sympathy with powerful Catholic France and the hope that Napoleon might at some point<br> aid the cause of Irish independence. According to Donal Hickey, "Madame Bonaparte" was<br> associated with James Gandsey, 'the Killarney Minstrel', who died in 1857 at the age of 90.<br> Gandsey survives in folk memory in the Sliabh Luachra (County Kerry/Cork border) region and some<br> facts are clearly remembered. The son of a soldier in Ross Castle and a native Killarney mother,<br> Gandsey was almost completely blinded in infancy by smallpox. He became known as Lord Headley's<br> Piper and contributed several tunes to the regional repertoire, including as well "Jackson's<br> Morning Brush" and "The Fox Chase". He is buried in Muckross Abbey, Killarney, where a<br> plaque has been erected in his memory.<br> It was printed in Cranitch's Irish Fiddle Book (1996),<br> Giblin's Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music (1928)(appears as untitled hornpipe),<br> Johnson's The Kitchen Musician No. 5: Mostly Irish Airs (1985 - revised 2000),<br> Moylan's Johnny O'Leary (1994),<br> Mulvihill's 1st Collection (1986),<br> Northumbrian Pipers' Society Tunebook (1985),<br> Krassen's O'Neill (1976),<br> O'Neill's O'Neill's Irish Music (1915),<br> O'Neill's Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907),<br> Welling's Welling's Hartford Collection (1976),<br> Williamson's English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes (1976). <br> It was recorded by Finbar Furey on Finbar Furey Traditional Irish Pipe Music,<br> Canterbury Dance Orchestra on Mistwold, Ken Perlman on Clawhammer Banjo and Fingerstyle Guitar<br> Solos and The Chieftains on Bonaparte's Retreat (1976).<br>
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