Composer:	O. Bonnell	Suppliers:
Editor:	Geoff Grainger	Sextet	A/T+S/T/B/B/GB(B)
Publisher:	Ditty Box Enterprises	Publication:	DBE 224

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Purchasing information Notice for leaders/bass players
Length: approx. 1½ mins.
Turkey in the Straw has a long ancestry. It is known as an Irish fiddle tune and can be found in that great compendium of Irish music, Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem Songbook although its true origin is probably from earlier Scottish sources. Variations on this tune were used with an American folk song (itself in many versions) and the first known publication was in 1835 by J. L. Hewitt & Co., N. Y. Under the title of Zip Coon . Otto Bonnell in his rag-time piano version provides just lyrics for the chorus (bars 37-44): Turkey'n the straw, Turkey'n the straw, Turkey'n the straw, Turkey'n the straw, The funniest thing I ever saw is to play the same old tune and call it Turkey'n the straw. Perhaps at that time the song was universally known and there were a myriad of verses available and an inclusion in the sheet music unnecessary. It is a typical type of folk music for making up verses on the fly. Incidentally, Bonnell intended this work to be played by orchestras and bands so what should prevent a recorder adaptation? This is a real fun piece, the only technical difficulty being the glissando in bar 32. A tempo of 224 crotchets/min.is suggested.
Turkey in the Straw was published by Leo Feist, New York, USA.
This recorder adaptation is respectfully dedicated to Doris Buth, bass recorder player, late of Meyenburg, near Bremen, Germany.