Waltzing Matilda

This tune is an iconic one for Australians. There is a fair amount of conjecture and opinion round the traps in this part of the world but there is no doubt that the emergence and evolution of Australia's unofficial national anthem makes quite a story.

1. It seems that the story begins in Scotland in the late C.18th with the words of a poem by Robert Tannahill (1774-1810). The text of that poem can be found here: http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/craiglea.html

2. James Barr (1770-1836) a friend of Tannahill's composed a tune for the poem, said to have been published in 1818.

3. Archibald Milligan, (1848-1919) was a musician based in Glasgow, who made something of a name for himself both as a player and publisher. Milligan seems to have picked up the tune and published it under the pseudonym Carl Volti. (This bit would really benefit from fact checking)

4. Thomas Edward Bulch (1862-1930) born in Shipton, Durham, UK, emigrated to Australia, Ballarat mostly, where he earned respect as a conductor and leader of brass bands. Bulch composed many tunes and arranged many others in pursuing his musical interests. He arranged and published a version of "The Craigielee" for brass band. Bulch attributed the composition to Carl Volti. More backgroung on Bulch can be found here: <http://www.wizardandtyphoon.org/>, and here: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bulch>

5. Some version of Bulch's arrangement was available to the Warrnambool Garrison Artillery Band, which played it on 28 April, 1894, during the Warrnambool Race Carnival.

6. Christina Macpherson (1864-1936) attended the races in Warnambool in 1894 and remembered the tune (or perhaps misremembered it) when she played it for Banjo Paterson (1863-1941) at Dagworth Station and again a few days later at her brother's home in Winton, in August 1895. Paterson wrote lyrics for the tune. An image of Macpherson's transcript of the tune and lyrics can be found in the NLA <https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4494967?lookfor=Christina%20Macpherson&offset=3&max=26. Some 40 years later Christina Macpherson confirmed, in a letter she wrote but did not send, the fact that she had heard the tune played in Warrnambool.

7. In 1903 Paterson sold his copyright to the lyrics, together with a 'lot of old junk', to Angus & Robertson, for five pounds. The copyright was subsequently bought by Inglis & Co, who used the song to brand and sell "Billy Tea".

8. Marie Cowan ( -1919), wife of the manager of Inglis & Co, rewrote the tune introducing a more upbeat tempo, adding the word "Jolly" to the lyrics. The tune and lyrics were printed on the packaging for the tea. The tea, the tune and the lyrics were distributed widely throughout Australia.

T: THOU BONNIE WOOD O' CRAIGIELIE R: march, reel B: James Kerr "Merry Melodies" v.3 p.41 #368, (pub c.1880) Z: 2016 John Chambers <jc:trillian.mit.edu> M: 2/4 L: 1/16 K:G (GA) |B2Bc A2AB | G2B2E3G | D2G2B2G2 | d2cB A2GA |B2Bc A2AB | G2B2E3G | D2G2d2B2 | AGAB G2 :| |: (Bc) |d3ed2B2 | g2f2e2d2 | d3e edcB | B2A2A2 (Bc) |d2B2c2d2 | e2f2g3e | d2G2d2B2 | AGAB G2 :|

References: "Waltzing Matilda", Dennis O"Keeffe, Allen & Unwin, 2012 ;

"Waltzing Matilda", W. Benjamin Lindner, Boolalong Press, 2019

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