in April tells how Grainger came to find the folk song ‘Brigg Fair’, which he and Delius immortalised soon after. As with and the Irish ballad ‘Star of the County Down’. The existence of ‘families’ of melodies is well-attested, especially amongst folk songs. One clear connection that has long intrigued me is that between the country dance ‘Sellinger’s Round’ and the hymn tune ‘St Theodulph’. The dance tune was familiar at least as far back as the 1580s and it may have had Irish origins. On the other hand, hymn books regard ‘St Theodulph’ as having been composed in 1603 by one Melchior Teschner, a German cantor, composer and theologian. It would be interesting to know what happened here…
