- Oct 20, 2013
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This awesome tune has been played by bluegrass musicians in America, since bluegrass was created in 1945. It still is played, and is one of the most popular tunes commonly called "fiddle tunes". Billy in the Lowground however is not at all a typical fiddle tune (which are actually dance tunes transformed into listening music).
The tune was composed in 1690, at the Battle of the Boyne, in northern Ireland. The title refers to one of the main participants in that fierce battle >> King William III, the king of England, AKA William of Orange, and AKA "King Billy" by the Irish and English people who revered him greatly. William was revered by the British people, because of his masterful military skill, his immense courage, and valor. Courage, because of his engaging in combat, which in 1690, still had many of the attributes of medieval warfare (hand to hand, sword to sword), and valor, because of his willingness to do it.
Unlike most kings, of his baroque era, or any era (who simply sat on thrones and gave out orders), William of Orange (King Billy) actually put on a suit of armor, a helmet, picked up a sword, and rode a horse leading his men into battle - something kings didn't have to do.
Small wonder why the English parliament, after the abdication of King James II, called upon William III and Mary II to be king and queen of England in 1688.
The "Lowground" refers to the Boyne, a low, swampy area around the river Boyne, where the Battle of the Boyne was fought, and the tune, composed by a mandolin player, is a mimic of the horse's hoofs galloping down the incline to the lowground (in the first part). It is composed in the key of C (quite unusual among folk tunes, which are usually in the keys of D or A - easier to play on the MAND-olin and VI-olin (fiddle).
There's a reason why. The open C chord on the mandolin is very loud and powerful, and played in a strong, syncopated rythym, closely mimics the horse's gallop. The second part of the tune, is more intense, with 2 voicings of the F chord, and mimics the actual combat.
The tune was composed in 1690, at the Battle of the Boyne, in northern Ireland. The title refers to one of the main participants in that fierce battle >> King William III, the king of England, AKA William of Orange, and AKA "King Billy" by the Irish and English people who revered him greatly. William was revered by the British people, because of his masterful military skill, his immense courage, and valor. Courage, because of his engaging in combat, which in 1690, still had many of the attributes of medieval warfare (hand to hand, sword to sword), and valor, because of his willingness to do it.
Unlike most kings, of his baroque era, or any era (who simply sat on thrones and gave out orders), William of Orange (King Billy) actually put on a suit of armor, a helmet, picked up a sword, and rode a horse leading his men into battle - something kings didn't have to do.
Small wonder why the English parliament, after the abdication of King James II, called upon William III and Mary II to be king and queen of England in 1688.
The "Lowground" refers to the Boyne, a low, swampy area around the river Boyne, where the Battle of the Boyne was fought, and the tune, composed by a mandolin player, is a mimic of the horse's hoofs galloping down the incline to the lowground (in the first part). It is composed in the key of C (quite unusual among folk tunes, which are usually in the keys of D or A - easier to play on the MAND-olin and VI-olin (fiddle).
There's a reason why. The open C chord on the mandolin is very loud and powerful, and played in a strong, syncopated rythym, closely mimics the horse's gallop. The second part of the tune, is more intense, with 2 voicings of the F chord, and mimics the actual combat.
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