On 22 Sep 2008, Ormston, Chris wrote: > We don't really know what Peacock meant by the trill marks. It's even > been suggested that Mr Wright, the publisher, was wholly responsible > for the transcriptions, and, not being a piper, gave it his best shot.
To Chris' comments I'd just like to add that the original title was "A Favourite Collection of Tunes with Variations adapted for the Northumberland Small PIpes Violin or Flute" ...so presumably some of the markings arguably refer to these other instruments, for which they would be eminently suitable. We believe that Peacock played the fiddle. I think it was Ian Bain (the Bewick expert) who suggested that Mr Wright did the transcription, and his opinion was that the blocks would have been produced elsewhere - I think Birmingham or London, rather than the North-East. Early in my publishing career I wrote that the trill sign could be interpreted as an inverted mordent, which was my understanding at the time. At the risk of raising yet another firestorm, I now don't think this was either correct or appropriate. I would follow Chris's advice, or just take most of these marks to mean that "something" (to the performer's taste) should be done at these points. Hope this helps Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
