Mazurkas

The Mazurka, or Polka-Mazurka as it is better known in Victoria, was a popular dance all over the country, though there is some suggestion that the Polka-Mazurka was a different dance that used a three part tune, rather than the usual two part mazurka tune. Another theory is that the Polka-Mazurka is in polka - 2/4 - time. Any information appreciated!

Download ABCs of these tunes here

Joe Cashmere was a fiddle player from Hillston in NSW. John Meredith collected a lot of tunes from him in the 1950s. This is Joe Cashmere's Mazurka.

From Sally Sloan came Sally Sloan's Mazurka and Mum's Mazurka. Again from the Meredith Collection, and the transcription of Sally Sloan's Mazurka is by Dave de Hugard.

This three part tune called The Lanky Long Legs Mazurka is from Frank Crenaune, of Gilgandra, NSW. (my home town and he went to school with my mother!)

These two tunes are from the playing of fiddle player Eileen McCoy who was brought up in Tasmania and learnt much of her early repertoire there. Her late husband Athol McCoy was a country singer and guitarist, and the two toured for several years with Tex Morton. The National Library of Australia is recording a CD of Eileen's fiddle playing which should be released soon.These two tunes are called Take Your Boots Off John And Go To Bed and Going Courting.

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