Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine | Mountain Dulcimer Duet at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

00:00 - Intro 01:55 - 1st Dry Run 04:59 - Final Cut Our latest mountain dulcimer duet is here! We are performing the traditional tune "Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine," arranged by the talented Tom Miller. https://miller-reecedulcimerduo.com/t... This performance is played in the Key of D using standard DAD tuning. The Location: We filmed this "Dry Run" performance on location at the historic Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina. The backdrop is the beautiful, preserved farmhouse in the recreated mountain farm located just behind the visitor center. If you enjoyed this performance, please like, comment, and subscribe for more mountain dulcimer music! The Core Melody: Folk music historians believe the melody itself is of great antiquity and originated in the British Isles long before Napoleon's campaigns. Melodically, it shares incredibly close DNA with early English hornpipes and marches, specifically ones called "Durham Rangers" and "Sherwood Rangers". In the early 1800s, a highly popular variant called the "Caledonian March" was published in Scotland and later printed in Philadelphia in 1837. This serves as the clearest direct ancestor to the version folk musicians play today. In the 19th century, folk musicians in Ireland, Scotland, and America became deeply fascinated with Napoleon Bonaparte. He became a folk-hero figure, leading to an entire sub-genre of fiddle tunes known as "Bony Tunes". #mountaindulcimer #dulcimer #folkmusic #cherokeenc #greatsmokymountains