Jenny lind (lynn) -- revisited

[Bernie Daniel]

This tune has been discussed before. #It is a famous song but not frequently recorded for some reason.

Recently Mike Compton and Jim Richer have posted some great versions of Jenny Lynn on YouTube. #Compton's version is in saw mill tuning.

(Shouldn't the title be Jenny Lind - asking).

However I have never seen a video of Bill Monroe playing it. Then I came across this this morning.

Here it is Kenny Baker and Bill Monroe demonstrating the tune for the great Scottish fiddler, Aly Bain.

You "have" to listen to "Scotland" first. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Cool #My apolgies if you've seen this before.

Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu5J5UCvUEw&feature=related)

[mando_dan]

Very nice- thanks!

[fishdawg40]

Great stuff! Thanks for posting.

[danb]

Wonderful! Does anyone know, is that youtube content posted by Aly Bain himself? It all seems to include him. I'm a long-term fan of his. He was my introduction to American Old-timey music, not to mention the great Scottish playing.

[evanreilly]

There is a long history and differences between the "Jenny Lynn" as played by Baker and Monroe in this video and "Jenny Lind". Not an easy determination as to which is the original, or older, tune.

[allenhopkins]

Jenny Lynn if you listen closely, has subtle echoes of Jenny Lind Polka, named after the "Swedish Nightingale" opera singer who toured America several times in the mid-19th century. I wonder if the composed tune filtered through generations of fiddlers, is what ended up being played for Monroe by his Uncle Pen.

[Bernie Daniel]

allenhopkins: Jenny Lynn if you listen closely, has subtle echoes of Jenny Lind Polka, named after the "Swedish Nightingale" opera singer who toured America several times in the mid-19th century.

Allen, Thanks for posting that. #

I also have long wondered if there was any connection between Jenny Lind (the opera singer) and the fiddle tune Jenny Lynn. #

The real Jenny Lind from Sweden was a huge sensation just before the Civil War in the US --- before that she has also established herself as a legendary singer throughout Europe. #She enjoyed almost mythical adoration and fame.

She was much sought after by men of the age and once was supposedly engaged or a least had romances with both Mendelsshon and Chopin. #

Her first tour in the USA was arranged by the great circus owner P.T. Barnum. #The performances were very successful and Barnum made a great deal of money on them. #

Ms. Lind took her share of the profits from the concertes back to Sweden and gave them to charity. #

The song you mention the "Jenny Lind Polka" was composed by A. Wallerstein and I have a date for it of 1845 but I think that might be incorrect as that would have been before her US tour.

Does anyone have an mp3 of the Jenny Lind Polka? It would be cool to listen to it.

[Bernie Daniel]

evanreilly: There is a long history and differences between the "Jenny Lynn" as played by Baker and Monroe in this video and "Jenny Lind". #Not an easy determination as to which is the original, or older, tune.


Evan did you every happen to pick Bill's brain on this? #

I would assume the song he plays is the one that Pendleton Vandiver would play at the Kentucky dances? #

Uncle Pen (James Pendleton Vandiver) was born in 1867 in Kentucky. (Do you know when he died?) #

If the Jenny Lind Polk was composed in 1847 -- it is possible that Vandiver could well have used the song as the basis for Jenny Lynn the fiddle tune that he taught his nephew Bill Monroe.

I was also trying to find out what year Monroe wrote "Uncle Pen".

[Bernie Daniel]

Some information on the Jenny Lind Polka:

Read on further for information about Monroe's Jenny Lynn.


JENNY LIND (POLKA) [1]. AKA and see “The Bridal Polka [2],” "Jenny Lind's Favorite Polka," "Da Bonnie Polka," "Heel and Toe Polka [1]," "Hole in Her Stocking," "Reel du Pont," “Sally/Sal with the Run Down Shoes,” "The Tempest [3].” American & Australian, Polka; English, Polka and Morris Dance Tune (2/2 or 4/4 time). USA; New York, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina. England; Dorset, Oxfordshire and North‑West England. F Major (Trim): G Major (Bacon, Brody, Mallinson, Phillips): D Major (Kerr): D Major {'A' part} & G Major {'B' part} (Bacon, S. Johnson, Taylor, Wade): D Major {'A' and 'B' parts}, G Major {'C' and 'E' parts} & C Major {'D' part} (Ford). Standard or AEae (Art Stamper) tunings. AB (Brody): AABA (Trim): AABB (S. Johnson, Taylor, Wade): AA'BB (Kerr): AA'BB' (Phillips): ABCDE (Ford): ABB, x4 (Bacon, Mallinson). A dance tune composed in 1846 as “Jenny Lind’s Lieblings-Polka,” attributed to the composer Anton Wallerstein, commemorating the "Swedish Nightingale," Johanna Maria “Jenny” Lind (1820-1887), an operatic soprano. It was hugely popular and entered a number of English-speaking folk traditions, though in America the melody usually appears in two parts rather than the multiple parts that were originally printed. She toured Europe during 1844-48 to much popular acclaim, and took London, then Dublin by storm in 1847 and 1848. P.T. Barnum promoted an American tour of the by then world-famous singer in 1851-52, and she played a 150 concerts, at $1,000 a performance. She earned enough so that upon her return to Europe she retired from professional performing and became a philanthropist and singing teacher. She eventually settled in Malvern, Worcestershire, England, where she died and is buried. Lind’s fame coincided with the rise in popularity of the polka, although she and the form were not directly related except by this famous piece, dedicated to her.

***

The tune is almost universally known among older traditional fiddle and squeezebox players in England and morris dance versions have been collected from the Bampton area of England's Cotswolds (Mallinson), and North‑West England (Wade) where it is used as a tune for a polka step. It was a hit of the late 20th century folk revival in England, its popularity spurred by Bill Leader, Reg Hall and Bob Davenport’s influential recording “English Country Music” (1965), which featured fiddler Walter Bulwer and his wife Daisy (piano), and Billy Cooper (hammered dulcimer).

***

Tom Carter and Barry Poss say the tune has "only occasionally" been recorded in Virginia and West Virginia, sometimes under the title "Heel and Toe Polka," however, it appears in the repertory of many North Carolina Piedmont old-time musicians. “Jenny Lind Polka” (Sal with the Run Down Shoes) was in the repertoire of fiddler S.S. Ransdell (Louisburg, Granville, County, N.C.) who competed in 1905 in the Raleigh, N.C., fiddler’s convention, as recorded by the old Raleigh News and Observer. The melody is mentioned in accounts (1926‑31) as having been played at the De Kalb County (Alabama) Annual (Fiddlers') Convention (Cauthen, 1990), and also appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Jim Herd, from Seattle but originally from the Ozarks, played an old-time variant he called “Dance All Night with a Gal with a Hole in Her Stocking” (merged with “Buffalo Gals”). An early recording on 78 RPM was by Henry Whitter's Breakdowners, from southwestern Virginia.

***

Jenny Lind (1820-1887).

***

Sources for notated versions: Hollow Rock String Band (N.C.) [Brody]; Bradley Grimshaw (northern N.Y., 1958), Hogg (Pa., 1948), John Moore (Indiana County, Pa., 1948) [Bayard]; Arnold Woodley (Bampton, England) [Bacon]; Kenny Baker [Phillips]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980’s [Taylor]. Adam, No. 4 (appears as "Hole in Her Stocking"). Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 35 (two versions). Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 420, pgs. 397‑398. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 94. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 145. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 167 (appears as "Jenny Lind's Favorite Polka"). Jarman (Cornhuskers), pg. 79. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 4: Collection of Fine Tunes), 1983 (revised 1991, 2001); pg. 7. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 439, pg. 50. Mallinson (Mally’s Cotswold Morris Book), 1988, vol. 2; No. 48, pg. 24. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 350. Roche Collection, vol. 2; No. 308 (appears as "Old Set Dance"). Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 37. Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990; No. 67. Wade (Mally’s North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 26. County 201, Babe Spangler ‑ "The Old Virginia Fiddlers: Rare Recordings." County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper – “Goodbye Girls I’m Going to Boston” (2000). Rounder 0024, "Hollow Rock." #MCA DL7‑5348, Bill Monroe‑ "Uncle Pen" (appears as "Heel and Toe Polka"). Topic TSCD607, Billy Cooper, Walter & Daisy Bulwer – “English Country Music” (2000. Originally rec. 1962). Wildgoose Records, Rattle on the Stovepipe – “8 More Miles” (2005).

****

JENNY LYNN. AKA - "Jenny Lind." Bluegrass, Breakdown. USA, Ky. A Major. Standard or AEae tunings. AABB. Composed by mandolin player Bill Monroe, the "Father of Bluegrass." Sources for notated versions: Bill Monroe (Kentucky) [Brody]; Kenny Baker [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 145. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 123. MCA DL7‑5348, Bill Monroe‑ "Uncle Pen." Flying Fish 021, Buddy Spicher‑ "American Sampler."



Cited From (http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/JENN.htm#JENNY_LIND_(POLKA)_[1)

[earthsave]

Uncle Pen died when Bill was in his late teens and working up near Chicago with Birch and Charlie for SInclair oil, so that would have been around 1930 or so.

[glenmorebuckman]

Uncle Pen died June 22, 1932 and I believe Bill wrote Uncle Pen in 1950.

[Bernie Daniel]

Well, here is a nice version of the Jenny Lind Polka. You will note that, as mentioned in some of the write ups on the history of the tune that the well-known song the "Heel and Toe Polka" that is often used to teach children to polka comes from the the first two sections of the Jenny Lind Polka. It's a catchy tune and well performed here.

Jenny Lind Polka (http://youtube.com/watch?v=xKga_qpUN30)

[Ken Olmstead]

Pure gold folks!!! Keep it coming, I've died and gone to heaven!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Bernie Daniel]

Pardon me for resurrecting this string -- but I have some something else to mention. #Remember the quote by Allen?


Allenhopkins: Jenny Lynn if you listen closely, has subtle echoes of Jenny Lind Polka, named after the "Swedish Nightingale" opera singer who toured America several times in the mid-19th century. #I wonder if the composed tune filtered through generations of fiddlers, is what ended up being played for Monroe by his Uncle Pen.

OK well I listened to the Jenny Lind polka and was not convinced that Allen was correct about that point.

HOWEVER I just found something out this week that seems #relevant and makes me rethink Allen's suggestion.

One of the favorite fiddle tunes played by Bill Monroe's mother, Malissa Vandiver, was the "Heel and Toe" polka. #

As was noted in the history of the "Jenny Lind" polka that I posted earlier the "Heel and Toe" is really just the first two sections of the "Jenny Lind's" four sections.

So if Malissa Vandiver played the "Heel and Toe" it seems quite reasonable that, Pendelton (Uncle Pen) her brother might also have played the tune -- so maybe it did influence his version of "Jenny Lynn"? #

Still not sure I hear that connection but maybe I am missing something.

[woodwizard]

Wow! This is all good stuff! Thanks to everyone. I play it in the style of Big Mon. Always have loved that song. It's a great one to clog to. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Red Henry]

The new, very large and informative Bill Monroe discography by Wolfe & Rosenberg discussed this point at some length, about the relationship of Bill's "Jenny Lynn" and "Heel and Toe Polka."

I think the two cuts may have been one after the other on Bill's "Uncle Pen" album-- a great LP. Has this excellent collection #of Bill's work been reissued (by itself, not in scattered cuts) on CD? -- if not, it's sad for the mandolin world. The "Uncle Pen" LP (and "Bluegrass Instrumentals" too, for that matter) presented a superb group of thematically-related tunes which you can hardly study by hunting-and-pecking through the big box sets.


Red

[tree]

That's a little snatch of "Jenny Lynn" on the fiddle, at the end of the song "Uncle Pen". #I've always loved that Big Mon mentioned it in the lyrics ("the greatest of all was Jenny Lynn, to me that's where fiddlin' begins") and the fiddle quoted the actual tune at the end.

[evanreilly]

I found my copy of Ed Haley's recordings (Rounder CD 1131/1132) "Forked Deer. He recorded "Jenny Lind" and it is the same tune Monroe recorded as "HEEL AND TOE POLKA". John Hartford's notes read: "This is what we call ' Heel and Toe Polka'....What we always called JENNY LYNN is the closing melody on BIll Monroe's recoird of Uncle Pen, but then that's the bluegrass in us."

[evanreilly]

Oh, someone wanted to hear Bill Monroe playing Jenny Lynn? Jenny Lynn (http://theworld.com/~ereilly/jennylynn.mp3).
Enjoy!

[Bernie Daniel]

Evan,

Thanks so much for that tune!

Its great.

Was this recorded at a later period in his life? The picking does not seem as powerful as some of recordings from his early days. But that Monroe timing and style is unmistakable.

[GTison]

sounds like the cir 1966 Richard green back of the bus tapes to me.

[Wolfboy]

I think the two cuts may have been one after the other on Bill's "Uncle Pen" album-- a great LP. Has this excellent collection #of Bill's work been reissued (by itself, not in scattered cuts) on CD? -- if not, it's sad for the mandolin world.
Not that I'm aware of, and yes, I agree it's too bad. When Butch Baldassari and John Reischman and I recorded a medley of "Dead March/Jenny Lynn" on our "Travellers" CD we got the tunes from Butch's vinyl copy of "Uncle Pen" and Butch and John based their twin mandolin parts on "Dead March" on the twin fiddle parts on the Monroe recording. Got to hear the rest of the album that day at Butch's house and it blew me away, and I've been looking for it ever since but as far I know it's never seen the light of day on CD. (Somebody please correct me...)

[evanreilly]

The entire collection of Bill's 'Uncle Pen' tunes has not been released on a single CD.
Bill always said he had more tunes of his Uncle that he wanted to record as well.

[A.N. Orange]

That is what bluegrass music means to me