The Wellerman Jig
Watch on YouTube:
This is a fast and lively Jig based on the 19th Century Sea Shanty "The Wellerman Song"
recently made famous on Tik Tok and YouTube, sung by Nathan Evans.
Nathan Evans on YouTube
I've strayed away from the original purpose of the song, which is a song for sailors, similar to a Sea Shanty, (intended to be performed "a capella" by sailors on ships, as they carry out boring and laborious tasks), and instead made it into a fast lively "Jig".Watch a performance by my friend Chih Wei Hseih and his young family:
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Fresh ideas in flute music
A Tale of the High Seas.....
The song's lyrics are quite controversial and it will be hard reading for most of us who despise the practice of whale-hunting...
... but the hard fact is that the song is about a whaling ship called the "Billy o' Tea" and the crew's hunt for a "right whale".
In 1831, three British-born brothers, Edward, George and Joseph Weller, founded a whaling station in New Zealand. Their employees became known as "wellermen". The song describes how the ship's crew hope for a "wellerman" to arrive and bring them supplies of luxuries.....
.... because the crew were not paid wages, they were paid in luxuries like clothing, rum and tobacco.
The song's lyrics are quite controversial and it will be hard reading for most of us who despise the practice of whale-hunting...
... but the hard fact is that the song is about a whaling ship called the "Billy o' Tea" and the crew's hunt for a "right whale".
In 1831, three British-born brothers, Edward, George and Joseph Weller, founded a whaling station in New Zealand. Their employees became known as "wellermen". The song describes how the ship's crew hope for a "wellerman" to arrive and bring them supplies of luxuries.....
.... because the crew were not paid wages, they were paid in luxuries like clothing, rum and tobacco.
Oooh, Arrr, me Hearties....
Listen to the Wellerman Jig:
Arranged for 2 flutes and optional piccolo....
It's now a lively folk-style Jig - with a very lively backing track.
It also works fine with just piano accompaniment.
To download the flute and piano score,
or
2 flutes (with optional piccolo part) and piano (or backing track).
Score and flute parts in one download:
$5 (£4.49)
27 pages.
