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Notes
Reel BĂ©atrice (or Reel de BĂ©atrice) is a cornerstone of the French-Canadian fiddle repertoire and a staple in the contra dance communities of New England and beyond. While it is celebrated as a quintessential Quebecois tune, its history is quite worldly; it originated in Italy as a polka titled “Oggi Nevica” (It’s Snowing Today) and was brought to North America by the legendary Quebec fiddler Joseph Bouchard, who recorded it in 1938.
The tune is famous for its elegant and slightly melancholic A Minor sections, which transition into a bright C Major “B” part. It is characterized by its wide melodic range and a technical “shimmering” effect in the third part (the C-part), where the fiddle alternates rapidly between melody notes and a high drone.