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The Polish Minuet

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Source: John & Mary Thurston Music Book - 1736
Place Collected: Kington Lane
Date collected: 1736

Thurston Manuscript
The manuscript is dedicated “To John Thurston Gent in Kington near Thornbury Gloucestershire 1736”. Below this, in a different hand, is the name “Mary Thurston”. A number of hands have contributed to the book. John & Mary were married in 1736.
Some pages, particularly in the early part of the book, have large parts missing. I have not attempted to transcribe the fragmentary tunes.
A facsimile of the book with an introduction was prepared by Christopher Challen and Thornbury and District Museum and published by Vox Humana Press. Our information is derived from this publication. Our thanks are due to Mr Challen and the Museum for allowing us to use the information.

Many of the tunes were recorded on 26 March 2007 by the following musicians.
Martin Harvey double-bass
Naomi Sargent violin
Ann Summers piano accordian
Steve Witcombe guitar, mandolin
The recordings were issued on a CD, PMM-CD093, with the cooperation of Christopher Challen and Thornbury and District Museum. We are grateful to all concerned for permission to use the recordings.

The Polish Minuet was a song sung by Mr Ray at the Theatre Royal, published 1725.

Two dynamic symbols are used in the manuscript. Two short horizontal parallel lines we have transcribed as emphases. The other symbol is a baroque trill, which resembles a mordant with a downward pointing tail at the beginning. (See the pdf of the tune as collected.) We have transcribed it as a trill in the version to play.

Note by Charles Menteith

Media & Downloads

See the song/tune as collected (PDF file)
Hear the song/tune (midi file)
Version to sing (PDF file)
Hear a version to sing (midi file)

Modern recording performed by: Naomi Sargent & Friends play the Polish Minuet and Prince Fredrick's Minuet

Song/tune as collected (abc file)
Version to sing (abc file)