CUNINGHAME MANUSCRIPTS?

[IAN SALTER]

I've received the following email from a friend; can anyone help?

Hi Ian,

I wonder if I can enlist your help again? One of the now sadly neglected players from the early 20th century is John (Jack) Cuninghame. Though interested in him and having completed a fairly thorough bio some time ago it occurred to me when listening to one of his recordings that we are approaching a shadow line where his manuscripts if they survive, could just vanish for good. I have compiled a list from various sources:

Stunt One*
Stunt Two
Fly Around*
Myfanwie
Patrol March Past
Wainalong Rag
Duckbuy March
Marmie Rag
Somerset March
Keynotes Club March
Minuet


None of Cuninghame’s above compositions are catalogued at the British Library. I doubt most or any were published commercially. Recordings exist for those marked with an asterisk, and Richard has shared the manuscript of Somerset March on the Ning website and Joel has shared Keynotes Club March from what looks to be an old  issue of BMG.

If the manuscripts survive they will be in the paper collection of Richard or other elder banjoists. Delicate subject, but these folks will not be around forever. It would be a tragedy if Cuninghame’s compositions were lost in the sunami of clearing and admin that usually follows a death.

I don’t have contact details. Would you be willing to contact and delicately encourage that anyone with copies share these on the Ning website asap?

As you can see this is not a selfish request, it comes from genuine concern to avoid a loss of creativity.

Best wishes

[Richard William Ineson]

I'll take a look at the pile of paper later today, I may have something. I seem to remember that Cunninghame composed the famous WW1 song 'Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag'.

[IAN SALTER]

Thank you Richard.

[Richard William Ineson]

I've just been looking through a few likely piles, I found 'The Somerset March' about which you reminded me and I also discovered that 'The Fly Round' was publishedin 2015 by the ABF in their Morley's Bath Folio Volume 1 where the composition is attributed to Morley but the accompanying notes state, "The Fly-Round is taken from a unison duet played by Bailey Snr. and John P. Cuninghame". If I remember correctly, Pat Doyle was in correspondence with JPC's son Gary Cuninghame, who provided the Ms. for 'Myfanwy' which I think was published in Pat's magazine, 'The Banjo'. I seem to remember that Pat intended to publish more of JPC's works but I do not remember if this actually happened. I also do not know where the Cuninghame MSS are at present, I don't have any in my collection. As to the passage of time and 'the sunami of clearing following a death', I'm 78 years old, 79 in January so well settled into my seat in the 'departure lounge'. Joel also touched on this subject earlier this year and I am thinking about what to do with my mound of mouldering paper and the few bits of worthwhile banjo memorabilia which I possess, my two daughters are certain to just throw it all in a skip when the time comes unless I make other arrangements. A knotty problem, as there is no public collection (museum, university, library etc.) which looks after things like this and very few modern banjoist have any interest in old banjo sheet music other than as a heating material. Time is running out and a decision must be reached.

[Jody Stecher]

"Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag" is usually attributed to two brothers, George Henry Powell (words) and Felix Powell (music).  If Cunninghame was the actual composer, it would seem odd that he chose two names as a pseudonym, although there is a precedent in the  double name "Barney & Seymour", a pseudonym for Theron Bennett, in the publication of St Louis Tickle. The Powells appear to have been actual people. Here's a BBC story on them:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-25968407

Richard William Ineson said:

I'll take a look at the pile of paper later today, I may have something. I seem to remember that Cunninghame composed the famous WW1 song 'Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag'.

[Shawn McSweeny]

There are a few more recordings of JPC performing his own compositions  :  Easy Stunt Two, Minuet, Marmie Rag, Somerset March and Wainalong Rag. No score is known for some of these.  If your friend has a talent for record transcription Ian, perhaps he'd like to have a go at one of them. 

[Jody Stecher]

Good idea.  

Shawn McSweeny said:

There are a few more recordings of JPC performing his own compositions  :  Easy Stunt Two, Minuet, Marmie Rag, Somerset March and Wainalong Rag. No score is known for some of these.  If your friend has a talent for record transcription Ian, perhaps he'd like to have a go at one of them. 

[Richard William Ineson]

I had my doubts about this story myself, it came from JPC's daughter in law if I remember correctly. It might be 20 or so years ago when Pat Doyle was in touch with Gary Cuninghame that I first heard about it. There was another story about JPC ceasing to play the banjo after he heard Segovia play the guitar which might be true, but someone else said that JPC got arthritis in his hands.

Jody Stecher said:

"Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag" is usually attributed to two brothers, George Henry Powell (words) and Felix Powell (music).  If Cunninghame was the actual composer, it would seem odd that he chose two names as a pseudonym, although there is a precedent in the  double name "Barney & Seymour", a pseudonym for Theron Bennett, in the publication of St Louis Tickle. The Powells appear to have been actual people. Here's a BBC story on them:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-25968407

Richard William Ineson said:

I'll take a look at the pile of paper later today, I may have something. I seem to remember that Cunninghame composed the famous WW1 song 'Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag'.

[Joel Hooks]

Does anyone know how many issues Pat put out?  I have 80 that I have found so far, is that all of them?