Cornish Tunes

 

 Cornish traditional music has its origins in the jobbing tunes of the past. Tunes that were used to lead feast day celebrations, the procession of combatants to Wresting tournaments, accompany dancing or simply street and pub entertainment.  They were adapted from and to other genres and could become connected to and disconnected from songs and ballads. It is a living tradition and many new tunes have been added to Cornish session and dance tune repertoire in recent years but there remains a core that takes us back to the crowders (fiddlers) and horners of the 19th century and beyond.

The list below includes examples of both traditional and newly written Cornish tunes. The links will take you to entries on our sister site, the Cornish National Music Archive, which has audio and visual files as well as scores and backstory. The archive is  a work in hand . If you have a tune you would like to include you can register as a contributor or contact the archive direct.

 

Altarnun Volunteer

4/4

Hornpipe

An Awhesyth / The Lark

4/4

March

An Marrak

6/8

Jig

Begone from the Window

2/4

Polka

Bishops Jig

6/8

Jig

Bodmin Riding

4/4

Furry

Bonnets Blue

2/4

Polka

Bokiddik

4/4

Hornpipe

Boscastle Breakdown

4/4

Hornpipe

Breakfast at Bryonys

2/4

Polka

Cat in the Bag

4/4

Hornpipe

Carnega Waltz

3/4

Waltz

Causeway Head

4/4

Hornpipe

Cock In Britches

4/4

Hornpipe

Cornish Girls / Mowysi Kernow

2/4

Polka

Cornish Quickstep

2/4

March

Daras An Skyber / Barn Door

3/4

Waltz

Delyow Sevi

2/4

March

Duncan Hunkin

4/4

Hornpipe

Dutch Girl / Mowes Yseldyryow

3/4

Waltz

Egloshayle Ringers ( 2 versions )

6/8

March

Estren / Stranger

3/4

Waltz

Fer Lyskerys / Liskeard Fair

4/4

Furry

Flight March / St Keverne's Feast

2/4

Polka

Forty Thieves

6/8

Jig

Four Hand Reel

4/4

Reel / Scoot Dance

Gelasma

4/4

March

Giovannas Polka

2/4

Polka

Goel Locsuluyan

4/4

Furry

Golden Meadow

3/4

Waltz

Gunwen

3/4

Waltz

Harvey Darvey

6/8

Scoot Dance

Hard Rock Miner

2/4

Polka

Helston Furry Dance

4/4

Furry

Hernen Wyn

6/8

Jig

Heva Dance

4/4

Furry

Jim Stacey

4/4

Hornpipe

Kan Jack / Can Jack /Jacks-Song/

3/4

Waltz

Kan Jack / Jack's Song

3/4

Waltz

Kan Skooswas / Squires Song

4/4

Hornpipe

Karol Koref

4/4

March

Keur Eledh

5/4

Kamm Pemp

Killigrew Fancy

4/4

Hornpipe

Kulyek Hos

6/8

Jig

Further resources:

The Great Big Cornish Music Session / Esedhek Ilow Kernow Bras was hosted by Lowender Peran  at Perranporth Memorial Hall on 23rd Oct 2021. During September of that year over 60 tunes were captured from different sessions across Cornwall from Saltash to Penzance. These videos are posted on the Cornish National Music Archive music score and the story behind the tunes. Follow link to web page.

Image of book cover - Racca 2

The Racca Project recorded 146 traditional Cornish dance tunes and airs and a further 105 compositions from groups and individual performers involved with Cornish music between 1995 – 1997.  43 individuals and groups  contributed tunes to the project. Click to download this collection of tunes is available as a pdf e-book

image of booklet cover - Prys Ton

Prys ton literally means tune time in Cornish and this project captures a snapshot of some of the tunes played in Cornish sessions in Penzance, Perranporth, Bodmin, St Issey and Lanson (Launceston) during 2007.The original project published a pocket booklet of 44 tunes. This is now available as a free e-book courtesy of the An Daras Folk Cornish Folk Arts Project:  Prys Ton click to download pdf e-book.