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"Huntsman's Chorus", also known as "Hunter's Chorus" or "Huntsmen's Chorus" (similar to "Bunker
Hill" (Pa.), "Harrison City" (Pa.) or "A Drag" (Pa.)) is a British Isles and New England
country dance in 2/4 time or Morris Dance (4/4 time) tune in C Major (Manson), D Major (Ashman,
Brody) or G Major (Phillips, Wade). The parts are played ABC (Ashman) or AABB.
A march called the "Huntsman's Chorus" ("Was glecht wohl auf Erden") opens the third act of Carl Maria von Weber's opera Der Freischütz, first performed in Berlin in 1821. It is known by the "Huntsman's Chorus" title in England and New England, but not apparently in Pennsylvania (see alternate names) where it was a staple of many martial bands. It was used as a quickmarch in England as well as Pennsylvania, particularly by the Rifle Brigade, the 95th Regiment, in the mid-1800's. The melody was used as a tune for either a polka or single step morris dance in the North-West (England) tradition. A related, untitled, polka was collected by Brendan Breathnach from the playing of John Ryan, from a Radio Éireann recording. It was printed in Ashman's The Ironbridge Hornpipe (1991), Brody's Fiddler's Fakebook (1983), English Dance and Song, (1963 and 1965), Howe's Diamond School for the Violin (1861), Laybourn's Köhler's Violin Repository, vol. 2 (1881-1885), Manson's Hamilton's Universal Tune Book, vol. 1 (1854), Phillips's Fiddle Case Tunebook: British Isles (1989), Townsend's English Dance Music, vol. 1, Wade's Mally's North West Morris Book (1988), Sumner's Lincolnshire Collections, vol. 1: The Joshua Gibbons Manuscript (1997)(appears as "Election Tune", June 1826). It was recorded by Hickory Wind on At the Wednesday Night Waltz, Fennigs All Stars on The Hammered Dulcimer. |