Glise à Sherbrooke

Notes

“Glise à Sherbrooke” (The Sherbrooke Slide) is a quintessential French Canadian tune that captures the lively, percussive spirit of the Quebecois tradition. While the word “slide” in Irish music usually refers to a fast jig in 12/8, in the Quebecois context, this “Glise” is a high-energy 2/4 march or “galop.” It is a staple of the “Veillée” (the traditional house party), where it is often used for the Grande Chaîne or other lively figures in a square dance.

The tune is named after the city of Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, and it has a rhythmic “clatter” that makes it one of the most infectious tunes in the repertoire.

• The Feel: It is a “staccato” tune. It isn’t meant to be smooth or flowing; it is played with sharp, crisp bowing that mimics the sound of a step-dancer’s feet. It has a relentless “down-up” drive that feels like a steam engine picking up speed.

• The Key: Usually played in G Major, it utilizes the bright, ringing qualities of the fiddle’s middle strings. The melody is built around small, repetitive intervals that make it feel like the tune is “spinning” in place.

• The “Podorythmie” Factor: Like most Quebecois marches, this tune is incomplete without the “ching-ka-ching” of seated foot-tapping. The rhythm of the feet provides a syncopated counterpoint to the straight 2/4 beat of the melody.