I’m not sure the origin of the Woodchopper’s Breakdown. I think it may be a Ned Landry composition. I believe it to be a Canadian tune at least, although it is played in America and other parts of the world as well.

Here’s Ned Landry’s recording:

Here’s a fine performance of the tune by a British fiddler, known as Peakfiddler on YouTube.

Patti Kusturok recorded it for YouTube as part of her 2015 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes. She mentions in the video it comes from an old Don Messer Book. That’s a book I have at home, called Don Messer’s Way Down East Fiddlin’ Tunes. It has loads of great fiddle tunes.

I’m trying to learn this one now. It’s pretty notey and usually played quite fast, so it’s a challenge, but I love this tune and it turns out it’s a lot of fun to play, even for a duffer like me.