====== Aye Me (or the Symphony) ======
John Playford 1st Edition 1650\\
Cecil Sharp, 1916\\
(Country Dance Book, vol 4)\\
4 Cu longways set\\
Part 1
A1 1-4 All, Up a double & back
5 Partners face, men fall back 2 steps
6 Women fall back 2 steps
7-8 All turn single moving forward.
A2 As A1
B1 1-4 Ends cast to middle place & cross with partner (improper)
5-8 1's cast up, cross & 2 hand ½ turn on sides
(Men anticlockwise, ladies clockwise) to change places with 2's,
whilst 4's & 3's do same.
B2 As B1 with new ends.
Part 2
A3 1-4 Partners step & honour, & cross over.
5-6 Partners face, men fall back 2 steps, Woman fall back 2 steps
7-8 All turn single moving forward.
A4 As A3
B3 1-2 All face up, 1's & 3's 4 slip steps away from ptr
whilst 2's & 4's slip together
3-4 1's & 3's fall back a double, 2's & 4's fwd a double
5-6 All face up, 1's & 3's take 4 slip steps towards from partner
whilst 2's & 4's slip away 4 steps
7-8 1's & 3's go Fwd a double, 2's & 4's fall back a double
B4 1-2 All face Down, 1's & 3's take 4 slip steps towards partner
whilst 2's & 4's slip away for 4 steps
3-4 1's & 3's go Fwd a double, 2's & 4's fall back a double
5-6 All face down, 1's & 3's 4 slip steps away from partner
whilst 2's & 4's slip together
7-8 1's & 3's fall back a double, 2's & 4's fwd a double
Part 3
A5 1-4 Partners Arm Right once & a half
5-8 As A1 bars 5-8.
A6 1-4 Partners Arm left once & a half
5-8 As A1 bars 5-8
B5 1-4 Middles cast to nearest end whilst
ends face, lead to middle & ½ Rt & Left in middle.
5-6 (original) 1st & 4th Cu ½ gates on side,
(1/s coming up outside, 4's down inside).
7-8 1's & 4s cross with partner.
B6 As B5 with new middles & ends
====== Aye Me (or the Symphony) ======
Part I
Al 1-4 Partner lead up a double and fall back 2 double.
5-8 Men fall back two steps (5) then women the same (6), then all forward to place,
turning single to right (7-9).
A2 1-8 Repeat Al.
BI 1-4 Top and bottom couples cast to middle, then change places with partner.
5-8 The same cast to nearest ends and cross with partner to original places,
then with neighbors turn two-hands half-way, ends moving outside the set.
{Ends are now in middle. }
B2 1-8 Repeat BI, new top and bottom couples casting.
Part II
Al 1-4 Partners slow set and honor right, then change places passing left shoulders.
5-8 Men fall back two steps, then women the same, then all forward to place,
turning single to right.
A2 1-8 Repeat Al.
BI 1-2 All face up, 1st and 3rd couples go 4 slips out away from partner while
2nd and 4th slip into middle.
3-4 Ist and 3rd couples fall back while 2nd and 4th couples move forward.
5-6 Ist and 3rd couples slip into middle while 2nd and 4th couples slip out.
7-8 1st and 3rd couples move forward while 2nd and 4th couples fall back to place.
B2 1-8 All face down. Repeat Bl with 1st and 3rd couples slipping out to begin,
2nd and 4th slipping in.
Part III
Al 1-4 Partners arm right once-and-a-half.
5-8 Men fall back two steps, then women the same, then all forward to place,
turning single to right.
A2 1-8 Repeat Al, arming left once-and-a-half.
Bl 1-4 Middle couples cast to the nearest ends while end couples forward a
double to meet, pass opposite by right shoulder, then change places with partner. :
5-6 1st man with right hand, take 4th man {in second place} by left hand, change places, both moving forward counter-clockwise {as in a gipsy},
while 1st woman with left with left hand, take 4th woman by
right hand, change places, both moving forward clockwise
7-8 Middle couples change places with partners.
B2 1-8 Repeat Bl, new middle couples casting to end, new end couples meeting.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qBdwFOu-WI
**Symphony**\\
in this period means a harmony or concord, rather than a
specific musical form.
no music