(THE) BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND
(aka: Up The Pond)
The Banks of Newfoundland is a dancing/marching tune that dates back to 1820, and is attributed to Chief Justice Francis Forbes. (This should not be confused with an English ballad of the same name.)
From early days it has been associated with the annual St. John's Regatta, where the tune is traditionally played as the racing shells pass the bandstand, moving "up the pond" towards the finish at the west end of Quidi Vidi Lake.
Since the first World War, at least, it has been played officially as a quick march of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band.
From early days it has been associated with the annual St. John's Regatta, where the tune is traditionally played as the racing shells pass the bandstand, moving "up the pond" towards the finish at the west end of Quidi Vidi Lake.
Since the first World War, at least, it has been played officially as a quick march of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Everything needs to be checked !!!
Time signature: 6/8 played as a quick march or as a jig.
Typical dance tempo ~150 bpm, and quick-march tempo ~100 bpm (more or less)
Typical dance tempo ~150 bpm, and quick-march tempo ~100 bpm (more or less)
Accordion Notation (Adapted from The Session, with a couple of minor changes.)
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Beats per bar = 2 (as a quick jig or march)
Beat symbol = Semi-colon ( ; ) or equivalent |
Either row: Buttons 4 - 8
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Part A
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "7* "6 "6* "5*
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "8* "7* .6
Repeat Part 1 (Optional)
Part B:
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | .5* "7* .7* "6 | "6* "6 "5* .5
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 2 (Optional)
Part C:
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "6* "6 .8* "7 | ;7 .7*
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 3 (Optional)
Part D:
"7 | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5* "5 | "6 "6* "6 "7 "7* "6 | "6 "7 "8 "6 "7 "8 | "8* "7 "7* "6 "6*
"5* | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6~
Repeat Part 4 (Optional)
Repeat the above as needed or desired, with or without the (Optional) repeat of separate parts,
~ holding final note at the very end.
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "7* "6 "6* "5*
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "8* "7* .6
Repeat Part 1 (Optional)
Part B:
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | .5* "7* .7* "6 | "6* "6 "5* .5
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 2 (Optional)
Part C:
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "6* "6 .8* "7 | ;7 .7*
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 3 (Optional)
Part D:
"7 | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5* "5 | "6 "6* "6 "7 "7* "6 | "6 "7 "8 "6 "7 "8 | "8* "7 "7* "6 "6*
"5* | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6~
Repeat Part 4 (Optional)
Repeat the above as needed or desired, with or without the (Optional) repeat of separate parts,
~ holding final note at the very end.
Guitar Accompaniment- Chord (Pattern) Notation
First (rough) Draft, prepared with the aid of Chordify and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band youTube video embedded below).
First (rough) Draft, prepared with the aid of Chordify and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band youTube video embedded below).
Key of G: To play in G, but sound in key of Ab - place capo at fret 1
Key of C: To play in C, but sound in D - place capo at fret 2
Key of C: To play in C, but sound in D - place capo at fret 2
Since there are no lyrics to guide the placement of chords, I've included the "bar" structure from the accordion notation above, with two beats (or two strums) per bar when played as a "jig" or quick march.
BELOW: Each number is a button note played by the accordionist, and each capital letter is a chord strummed by the guitarist. Thus for this tune, as for most jigs, a single guitar strum, or beat interval, can cover up to three notes on the accordion
Part A
G D
C G
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5*
G D G
C G C
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "8* "7* .6
Repeat Part 1
Part B:
G C Am G
C F Dm C
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | .5* "7* .7* "6 | "6* "6 "5* .5
C D G
F G C
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 2
Part C:
G C D
C F G
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "6* "5* .8* "7 | ;7 .7*
D G
G C
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "7 | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 3
Part D:
G D G
C G C
"7 | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5* "5 | "6 "6* "6 "7 "7* "6 | "6 "7 "8 "6 "7 "8 | "8* "7 "7* "6 "6*
D G
G C
"5* | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | "6 .7* .6
Repeat Part 4
Repeat the above as needed or desired.
SUGGESTION: When performing this quick jig in the key of C, some guitar players may find it easier to maintain the tempo if the G chord is replaced by the G7 chord, and if the Dm chord is ignored.
BELOW: Each number is a button note played by the accordionist, and each capital letter is a chord strummed by the guitarist. Thus for this tune, as for most jigs, a single guitar strum, or beat interval, can cover up to three notes on the accordion
Part A
G D
C G
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5*
G D G
C G C
"5 | .8 "8* "7 "7* "6 | .7* "6 "6* "5* "5 | "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 "8* | "7 "8* "7* .6
Repeat Part 1
Part B:
G C Am G
C F Dm C
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | .5* "7* .7* "6 | "6* "6 "5* .5
C D G
F G C
"5 | "5 "5* "6* "6 "7* "7 | ;8* ;7 | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 2
Part C:
G C D
C F G
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "6* "5* .8* "7 | ;7 .7*
D G
G C
"5 | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "7 | ;7* .6
Repeat Part 3
Part D:
G D G
C G C
"7 | "7* "7 "6 "6* "5* "5 | "6 "6* "6 "7 "7* "6 | "6 "7 "8 "6 "7 "8 | "8* "7 "7* "6 "6*
D G
G C
"5* | "5 "5* "5 .4 "4* | .5 "6 .6 "6* | "5* "7* "6 "6* "5* "6* | "6 .7* .6
Repeat Part 4
Repeat the above as needed or desired.
SUGGESTION: When performing this quick jig in the key of C, some guitar players may find it easier to maintain the tempo if the G chord is replaced by the G7 chord, and if the Dm chord is ignored.
Embedded youTube Videos
Six videos in keys of: Ab=1 A=1 C=1 D=2 G=1
There are also minor differences in melody, and a tempo range from about 110 bpm (RNR Band) to nearly 160 bpm (Shanneyganock).
Disclaimer: In converting the sheet music on the SESSION to my accordion notation, I made a few minor changes to better fit the notation to the tunes played in the Pickachune and RNR Band videos. You may need to made your own adjustments for individual videos.
There are also minor differences in melody, and a tempo range from about 110 bpm (RNR Band) to nearly 160 bpm (Shanneyganock).
Disclaimer: In converting the sheet music on the SESSION to my accordion notation, I made a few minor changes to better fit the notation to the tunes played in the Pickachune and RNR Band videos. You may need to made your own adjustments for individual videos.
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Key: D
Group: Pickachune Posted by: Matt Selic Pickachune, from Wakefield (Quebec), includes Eve Vanderberg (fiddle), Matt Selic (accordion), Steve Renehan (bodhran), & Pat Maher (guitar). The group makes three runs through the four parts, taking about 15 seconds for each part. Learners may initially want to set playback at 50% for a few runs, then 75%, before returning the playback speed to normal. |
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In the sixth bar of Part 2 and the first bar of Part 4, the group's playing differs from my accordion notation ; otherwise similar.
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Key: D
Guitarist: ? Posted by: jwhelan709 An interesting interpretation by a talented guitarist. However, it may not lend itself easily to button accordion accompaniment. |
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Key: G
Group: Shanneyganock Posted by: VenomousNewfie From The Session: "Here’s a link of Shanneyganock (box player Mark Hiscock) tearing through this tune with a little extra thrown in." The Group makes two runs through the four parts, some with optional repeats, some not, and "with a little extra thrown in". Great energetic performance. |
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Key: Ab
Band: of The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band (RNR Band) Posted by: Eric Steele The band does each part once only in each of its two runs through the four parts of the tune. In quality, tempo and format, this is the band-music I remember from the St. John's Regatta in past (non-covid-19) years. |
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Key: A
Player: Kevin Winters Posted by: Kevin Winters |
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Key: C
Player: ? Posted by: Ryan98063 |
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LYRICS, BACKGROUND & LINKS
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Lyrics:
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I'm not aware of any lyrics for this "marching" or "dance" tune.
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