Your shopping cart is empty!
Modern folk musicians continue to use Vickers' collection as a "primary source" to revitalize traditional English music, ensuring that these 250-year-old tunes remain living pieces of culture rather than museum relics. Developing Your Essay Further
This is the core value of the manuscript. It contains early versions of tunes that are now considered the standards of the Northumbrian Small Pipes repertoire. Tunes like “The Keel Row” and “Blow the Wind Southerly” have roots that intertwine with this era. Vickers provides us with the 18th-century chord structures and melodic contours of these songs, often differing slightly from the versions we hear today.
William Vickers Collection of Dance Tunes (AD 1770) , often called The Great Northern Tunebook
A staple of Northern English music, including early variations of the triple-time hornpipe.
A massive community database where musicians have uploaded user-submitted sheet music, MIDI files, and ABC notation for hundreds of the tunes found in the Vickers tunebook. 4. Published Editions (FolkWorks) Modern folk musicians continue to use Vickers' collection
Rhythmically complex tunes associated with sailors and solo step dancing.
Here is everything you need to know about this monumental work, why it matters to folk musicians, historians, and dancers, and exactly where to find your free copy.
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.
You can also download MIDI files to hear how the melodies sound. 2. Traditional Tune Archive (TTA) Tunes like “The Keel Row” and “Blow the
The "Great Northern Tunebook" is a cornerstone of English traditional music. It contains the William Vickers collection of dance tunes, dated to the year 1770. This historic manuscript provides an unfiltered window into the musical life of 18th-century Northumberland. Today, it remains an invaluable, freely accessible resource for musicians, historians, and folk music enthusiasts worldwide. Who Was William Vickers?
Great Northern Tunebook , based on the manuscript of William Vickers compiled between 1770 and 1772
Many melodies found in the collection remain staples of the modern folk session repertoire. Some notable examples include: – A definitive Tyneside anthem. "Jacky Tar" – A classic maritime hornpipe.
Unlike many surviving 18th-century documents which focus on church music or classical compositions, Vickers recorded the secular, everyday music of ordinary people. A massive community database where musicians have uploaded
The Great Northern Tunebook has had a lasting impact on traditional music. Vickers' collection has:
The collection is famous for its humorous, earthy, and sometimes mysterious titles, such as "Because he was a Bonny Lad," "The Devil in the Bush," and "Up and Worse Shins." How to Find the William Vickers Collection for Free
By accessing these free resources, you aren't just learning new tunes—you are keeping a 250-year-old Northern musical tradition alive for the next generation. What you play
If you need the full scholarly apparatus (provenance, watermark analysis, regional dance history), buy the printed edition from the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society. But for the music itself, the free digital resources are complete and reliable.