Given the geographical proximity and political climate of the time (post-Union), the collection features a heavy influence of Scottish music. Jigs, reels, and strathspeys are abundant.
Search for "William Vickers 1770." You will find user-uploaded PDFs of the original handwritten manuscript. Pro tip: Look for the version that includes a modern alphabetical index. While the handwriting is beautiful (copperplate script), it takes time to decipher.
The William Vickers Collection of Dance Tunes (AD 1770) stands as a monument to the working musician. It is not a polished treatise on high art; it is a functional book of dance music, stained by the metaphorical fingerprints of the 18th century. It preserves the raw energy of the Northumbrian dance floor, the echo of the village green, and the cross-border exchange between England and Scotland. Given the geographical proximity and political climate of
For anyone interested in the lineage of British folk music, the Great Northern Tunebook remains an indispensable, free, and deeply rewarding resource.
| Feature | Available free? | |---------|----------------| | Full facsimile (original handwriting) | Yes (Internet Archive) | | Modern notation of all 500+ tunes | Yes (Village Music Project) | | PDF download | Yes | | Searchable tune index | Yes | | Historical notes / introduction | Partial (some editions redact commentary) | | ABC files for easy editing & playback | Yes | | MIDI or MP3 renditions | Yes (via ABC tools) | | Feature | Available free
The specific year, 1770, is the secret to the collection’s power. This sits squarely in the "Golden Age" of the fiddle and the transition from Baroque to Classical music.
In 1770:
Vickers’ tunebook captures the music right before the folk revival and right after the standardization of printing. Because it is handwritten, it includes mistakes, variations, and local ornamentation that printed London songbooks of the era intentionally smoothed over. This is folk music in its raw, breathing state—not as a publisher thought it should be played, but as a northerner did play it.