Designed & produced by Eric Maclewis
© ericdentinger.com
2008-2024
Gordon Duncan (1st jig)
Willie McCallum
This Old Wife is a goddess of the crops, even present in the dust on the floor of the mill.
The tune is associated with an old dance, Cailleach an Dùdain, depicting the cycle of life.
NB : as for the Reels, there are many tempi to play a jig, ranged from about 120 to 136, according to the piper or his audience (dancers or listeners).
The tune is of course essential for choosing a beat.
That being said, tempi under 130 are often a good option to preserve all the musicality and the grace notes clarity.
The two videos bellow show Willie McCallum at about 122 BPM and Gordon Duncan at 128-131;
I prefer the first value that gives more place to the embellishments.
I will usually keep this 122 beat for the other jigs displayed here : that is only an indicative beat, as a working base.
The Old Wife Of The Milldust
- score written by Eric Maclewis with CelticPipes
JIG