Sheet Music: Morpeth Rant

TitleMorpeth Rant
Alternate titlesIvy Leaf Hornpipe
Jim Clark's Hornpipe
The New Sailor's Hornpipe
Prince of Wales’ Hornpipe
Shield’s Hornpipe
West’s Hornpipe
Wood’s Hornpipe
ComposerTraditional English
InstrumentationFlute solo
KeyD major
RangeD4–A5
Time signature2/2
Tempo90 BPM
Performance time0:45
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (46 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (358 kB)
Date added2012-12-18
Last updated2012-12-18
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 0.1 (rarely downloaded)
Categories
Hornpipes, Traditional/Folk

Performances

There are no recordings for this tune yet. Submit yours!

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Tune of the Day: Morpeth Rant

Traditional English hornpipe

This composition is often attributed to William Shields, a popular 18th-century musician and composer originally from Swalwell, Northumberland. However, as scholars have pointed out, Shields often appropriated traditional or folk melodies, and “Morpeth Rant” may not be original to him.

The town of Morpeth is in Northumberland, a market center on the River Wansbeck. A special dance specific to this tune has been performed for over two centuries, and the dance itself is called the Morpeth Rant. Like many such dances, however, numerous tunes could be used as the vehicle for the steps.