Rocky Mountain Hornpipe
Notation:
Standard Notation
ABC Notation
Banjo Tablature
Mandolin Tablature
Violin Tablature
traditional
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Standard Notation
Banjo Tablature
Mandolin Tablature
Violin Tablature
Tune Sheet
American
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"Rocky Mountain Hornpipe" is an old-time breakdown in D Major. The parts are played<br> AABB.<br> Samuel Bayard (1944) remarks that the apparent "inspiration" of his source's (Emery<br> Martin) tune is a common Pennsylvania melody called "Sweet Ellum." Bayard notes that<br> such adaptations are not at all uncommon in traditional music, that similar<br> re-combinings and re-workings of strains of music may be one of the important factors<br> in American folk fiddle repertories. He states:<br> "No doubt some such re-combinations have been further modified and ended up as<br> entirely new melodies; others, like this one, bear with them the traces of their<br> development. ... 'Sweet Ellen' is not a rare tune in south western Pennsylvania. It is<br> quite possible that a form of its first half was running through Mr. Martin's head,<br> but the second half was unknown to him, or had been forgotten. In order to have a<br> well-rounded and complete tune, therefore, he composed (adapted?) the present second<br> half ... and came quite naturally to the belief that the entire melody was original<br> with him."<br> The source for the notated version is Emery Martin, Dunbar, Fayette County,<br> Pennsylvania on September 29, 1943.<br> The banjo tab has been contributed by John Letscher. The differences between the banjo<br> and fiddle versions are due to the mechanics of the two instruments. The versions<br> would sound good played together.<br> It was printed in Bayard's Hill Country Tunes (1944).<br>
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