Annotation:Abegweit Reel

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ABEGWEIT REEL. Canadian, Reel (2/4 or cut time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. "Abegweit" (or "Abegwit") was composed by Waldo Munro (1930-2006), best remembered as the pianist in Don Messer's Islanders. The word Abegweit is derived from the Mi'kmaq word for Prince Edward Island, Epekwit'k, meaning "cradled (or cradle) on the waves." It was also the name of an ice-breaking car ferry that plied the Port Borde, P.E.I., to Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick, route. Munro joined the band in 1951 upon the departure of Jackie Doyle and remained with the group until Messer's death in 1973. He recorded the tune originally as a piano solo on a 78 RPM disc. Maritime/Boston fiddler Tommy Doucet played it as a fiddle solo, first in the original key of 'A', then again in the key of 'D' (requiring position playing).

Source for notated version: Tommy Doucet [transcribed by Stacey Phillips in Devil's Box].

Printed sources : - Davis, Devil's Box, vol. 21, no. 3, Fall 1987; p. 20. (Don Messer's Favorite Melodies), 1950; No. 10.

Recorded sources: Apex 26335-A (78 RPM), Don Messer and His Islanders (1952). Apex AL 1612, Don Messer - "The Best of Don Messer and His Islanders, volume 5". Fiddler FRLP001, Tom Doucet (Nova Scotia/eastern Mass.) - "The Down East Star".

Recorded sources: See also listing at:
Hear Don Messer and His Islanders recording on youtube.com [1][2]



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