Peacock's Tunes

Peacock's Tunes

09-Apr-2026 12:28 AM

I am going to the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering this weekend, and reading up on the appropriate music. The first big collection for Northumbrian pipes was published by John Peacock in 1800. The tunes all have a range of an octave from G - for the simple pipes of the time. I would normally play them on a G 10-hole ocarina (or an 8-hole like my Posch G6), but with a bit of finger dexterity they fit a D 10-hole too. Good exercise for high notes.

I've got a PDF of the whole thing but it's on my old and hard-to-use Android tablet. I'll upload it when I can figure out how.

Edit: this is a reprint edition. I have the facsimile of the original on paper but can't find the PDF. Oddity: most tunes use the G to G range, some are written as D to D, a few are unplayably a bit wider. I have no idea what Peacock was up to with those.

CPeacock.pdf

52 pages and they have a LOT of dots..

Edited 07-Jul-2026 03:47 PM by Robert.

RE: Peacock's Tunes

09-Apr-2026 11:19 PM

These are some fantastic tunes! Really enjoyable to play

RE: Peacock's Tunes

09-Apr-2026 11:29 PM

Thank you for sharing these, I agree that they are fun tunes.

I was at a talk at the bagsoc blowout a few years ago that talked about the history of the tune and variations playing style on that instrument.

Edited 09-Jul-2026 11:15 AM by Robert.