Smith's Reel
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Standard Notation
ABC Notation
Banjo Tablature
Mandolin Tablature
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traditional
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American
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"Smith’s Reel", also known as "Belle of Lexington", "Belle Election" (John Patterson’s title),<br> "The Hauling Home", "Kitty's Wedding", "Mrs. Smith’s Reel" or "Smith's Delight" is an American<br> and Canadian breakdown or reel in cut or 2/4 time in D Major. The parts are played AABB.<br> This is a widely disseminated tune in North America, probably originating from it's printing in<br> Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883). It is heard in a variety of styles from swing to Maritime.<br> It is well-known among Irish musicians as the hornpipe "Kitty's Wedding" one of the most<br> popular in the repertoire, however, an Irish provenance is doubtful. Irish versions date only<br> back to O’Neill’s Music of Ireland (1903) and there are several melodies in the O’Neill<br> collections that derive from American printed sources.<br> Seattle musician Vivian Williams discovered "Smith’s Reel" in George Saunders’ New and<br> Scientific Self-Instructing School for the Violin, a tutor first published in Providence, R.I.,<br> in 1847 (reprinted by Oliver Ditson in the 1850’s). Saunders claimed to be a "Professor of Music<br> and Dancing" on the frontspiece. In that volume Saunders claims to have composed it himself.<br> Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883), from Boston publisher Elias Howe’s company, includes the<br> melody under the title "Smith's Delight". It is not known whether the title refers to a person<br> named Smith, or to a blacksmith (however, Saunder’s title is simply "Smith’s Reel", not "The<br> Smith’s Reel").<br> It was printed in Brody's Fiddler’s Fakebook (1983),<br> R.P. Christeson's Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1 (1973),<br> Cole's 1000 Fiddle Tunes (1940),<br> Davis' The Devil's Box, vol. 30, No. 2, Summer 1996,<br> Howe's Musician's Omnibus (1864),<br> Miller & Perron's New England Fiddler’s Repertoire (1983),<br> Perlman's The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island (1996),<br> Phillips' Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1 (1994),<br> Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883) and<br> Silberberg's Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern (2002).<br> It was recorded by Norman Solomon on Texas Fiddle Favorites,<br> Fiddle Fever (1981),<br> Sumner and McReynolds on Old Friends,<br> Johnnie Lee Wills on Tulsa Swing.<br>
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