Blackbird

BLACKBIRD

This is one of Morley’s famous unpublished solos, and was recorded on a cylinder machine in 1918 by Richard Tarrant Bailey senior.   It was copied to tape several decades later for A.P. Sharpe, the Editor of BMG, and this transcription was made from a cassette tape copied from that.   Morley played the piece at his usual tremendous tempo, but despite the piano accompaniment, the poor reproduction, and the questionable replay speed from the aged and well-worn cylinder, it has been possible to transcribe it into notation and tablature with reasonable accuracy.   It would be interesting to compare this version with an original manuscript which must be extant somewhere; probably in some closely-guarded collection, where the owner may gloat over his possession, but prevent interested players from ever having access to it.   Here’s a chance then, for all banjoists to try a challenging solo, improve their technique, and see how Morley imitated the alarm call of the blackbird.

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