2024-12-25 20:17:10 23218 sess.cgi on minya from 13.58.211.135 V=1 Vtest=1 B=0
Minuets Cotillons & Country Dances
Ignatius Sancho
~1729-1780
This directory contains ABC transcriptions of some of the works of Ignatius Sancho (full name Thomas Gainsborough Ignatius Sancho), the 18th-century musician and dancer of African origin, who was born on a slave ship, and lived most of his life in England, in the household of the Montagu family. Here are subdirectories named for the publications:
MCCD Minuets Cotillons & Country Dances
CNS A Collection of New Songs
Here's the British Library summary of Ignatius Sancho's life and contributions to the music and dance tradition:

As well as his famous letters, Ignatius Sancho wrote four books of songs and lively dance music, including this collection of Minuets, Cotillons & Country Dances. He was the first composer of African descent to publish music in the European tradition, and this book shows how he managed this cultural balancing act.

Where did Sancho learn to write music?

According to Joseph Jekyll's 1782 biography, Sancho was born around 1729 on a slave ship bound from Africa to the West Indies. When he was about two, he was brought to England and presented by his master to three sisters in Greenwich, London. Yet he managed to escape and secure himself an education and employment in the noble Montagu household, where he gained an extensive knowledge of British literature and music. His music was probably performed at the Montagus' private parties, and perhaps also at gatherings of black servants in Georgian London.

European music 'composed by an African'

Although most of his letters were not published in his lifetime, Sancho paid for this volume to be printed around 1767. Like many amateur musicians, he published it anonymously, but stated on the title page that it was 'Composed by an African'. He might have hoped to increase sales by making it sound exotic. Yet, at the same time, he made it clear that he had noble English connections. The work is dedicated to Henry, Duke of Buccleuch, who had married into the Montagu family.

Minuets, Cotillons & Country Dances

Sancho's 24 dance tunes, with their French and English titles, use the musical styles most fashionable in polite Georgian society. The minuet, in triple time, was the most important couple dance of the 18th century. Cotillons were French dances with varying figurations, while country dances were performed in line-dance formation. Alongside the score, Sancho offers step-by-step dance instructions. In 'Les Contes des Fees', the gentleman should 'turn his Partner, Balance' and perform a 'Rigadoon Step' - a tricky hopping manœuvre.

List files with: Session lister - Collection lister - Tune lister
Transcription Notes

.. Found 4 tune files in "/music/book/IgnatiusSancho"
C - M
— C —   top
get gif png pdf svg img src Class K B st w Name Titles d i
abc gif png pdf svg CNS v1 0:A Collection of New Songs
1:Sweetest Bard
9:Friendship Source of Joy
abc gif png pdf svg CNS v2 0:A Collection of New Songs
1:Sweetest Bard
9:Friendship Source of Joy
— M —   top
get gif png pdf svg img src Class K B st w Name Titles d i
abc gif png pdf svg MCCD v1 0:Minuets Cotillons & Country Dances
31:Minuetto 1
41:Minuetto 2 Rondo
51:Minuetto 3
61:Minuet 4
62:Minuet 5
71:Minuet 6
81:Le Jour de May F
82:The Merry wives of Westminster. E
91:Le Contes des Fees. F.
101:Christmas Eve. E.
102:Le Douze de Decembre. F.
1:Nothing at all E.
121:Kew Gardens E.
122:La Loge de Richmont. F.
131:The Carravan E.
141:L'Homme et La Femme F.
151:Les Nains F.
152:The Friendly Visit E.
161:Just so in the North E.
162:Les Matadors F.
171:Le Vieux Garcon F.
181:La Maison de la Reine. F.
182:The Sword Knott E.
191:L'Etourderie de Catos. F.
abc gif png pdf svg MCCD v2 0:Minuets Cotillons & Country Dances
31:Minuetto 1
41:Minuetto 2 Rondo
51:Minuetto 3
61:Minuet 4
62:Minuet 5
71:Minuet 6
81:Le Jour de May F
82:The Merry wives of Westminster. E
91:Le Contes des Fees. F.
101:Christmas Eve. E.
102:Le Douze de Decembre. F.
1:Nothing at all E.
121:Kew Gardens E.
122:La Loge de Richmont. F.
131:The Carravan E.
141:L'Homme et La Femme F.
151:Les Nains F.
152:The Friendly Visit E.
161:Just so in the North E.
162:Les Matadors F.
171:Le Vieux Garcon F.
181:La Maison de la Reine. F.
182:The Sword Knott E.
191:L'Etourderie de Catos. F.
Footnotes:
B: Bar count for once through the tune.
Class: The tune's classification (rhythm, dance, origin, etc.).
date: The earliest reported date for a tune. This is generally not very reliable, of course.
img: Source files of the type(s) shown. Image files are often formatted for printing, and may contain extra information in addition to the music.
src: Source files of the type(s) shown. Source files are usually formatted for printing, and may contain extra information in addition to the music.
info: Assorted information about the file, depending on what has been implemented and supplied. Currently only shows the date of (earliest known) publication.
K: The tune's initial or main key.
st: Staff count for this version of the tune.
Name: is taken from the file name, with underscores replaced by spaces. If a link, points to a directory with several versions of the tune. Bold names or titles mean that the tune is in the session's "first binder", and has been played more often than the tunes in a normal font.
Titles: is a list of the titles found in the file. Duplicate titles are only shown once. For tunes that don't have a T: title, the first P: value is shown.
w: Words (lyrics) line count for this version of the tune.
Time: 0 sec (0:0:0)
Exit with status 0 at 1735157830.