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Bonaparte's Retreat, aka Groom's Tune?

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I live in the Great Smoky Mountains in East TN and there is a local story about a fiddler who was captured and killed in the mountains during the Civil War (story in Cold Mountain is adapted from this true event).  Before his death, the fiddler played what was called Bonaparte's Retreat, but the accounts tell that it was "much to the minor key. . .plaintive and haunting. . .made dogs howl."  Since the common Bonaparte's is not haunting/plaintive/in a minor key, would anyone be familiar with a similar or reltated version of it that could've been that minor version played by fiddler Grooms?  I know there is Bonaparte Crossing the Rocky Mtns in a minor, but another account says that "Groom's Tune" has a refrain that sounds like "fare the well, fare the well" that is a "high part."  Any ideas would be appreciated!

4 comments

help identifying old fiddle

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 1 comment

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Playing Since: 2003
Experience Level: Novice

Interests:
[Jamming] [Helping]

My Instruments:
vintage and not-so-vintage old (homemade) fiddles, old banjos, fretless mountain banjo, mountain dulcimer

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Created 3/11/2009
Last Visit 4/9/2009

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