Annotation:Brodie of Brodie
X:1 T:Mr. Brodie of Brodie's Strathspey M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey B:Gow & Shepherd - Collection of entirely original strathspey, reels, B:marches, quicksteps etc. (1796, p. 1) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D A,3DD3A, A,3DD3B|TA3FD3F E4[C4E4]|A,3DD3A, A,3DD3B|TA3FE3F D4D4:| Ad3d3e defg a2d2|g3bf3a Te4e4|Ad3d2e2 defg a2f2|B2c2 F2d2 D4D4| Ad3d2e2 defg a2d2|g3bf3a Te4e4|A,D3D3A, A,D3D3B|A2F2TE2F2 D4D4||
BRODIE OF BRODIE. AKA - "Mr. Brodie's Strathspey," "Mr. Brodie of Brodie's Strathspey." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The tune was published (as "Mr. Brodie of Brodie's Strathspey") by the Edinburgh publishing firm of Nathaniel Gow and William Shepherd in a volume entitled A Collection of Entirely Original Strathspey Reels, Marches, Quick Steps &c. (1797, p. 1), "by Ladies resident in a remote part of the Highlands of Scotland, as corrected by Nath. Gow." Unfortunately, the composers names are not given. The Leeds antiquarian Frank Kidson (1854–1926) penciled a note in his copy of the volume that the composers were, or included, “the Misses Whyte,” and modern researcher Charles Gore thinks “the Misses Whyte” may possibly be a Miss White and a Miss Brocky, of Morayshire, east Highlands.
At the time "Mr. Brodie of Brodie" was published, at the end of the 18th century, the Thane and Chief of Clan Brodie was James Brodie of Brodie (1744-1824), Morayshire. He was a Scottish politician and botanist and served as MP for Elginshire from 1796 to 1807. James was also an expert in crytogamic flora (i.e. plants which reproduce via spores, such as ferns and mosses) and discovered several new species around Edinburgh and his home at Brodie Castle. See note for "annotation:Brodie House" for more information.
The tune was also entered into the 1840 music manuscript collection of multi-instrumentalist John Rook (Waverton, Cumbria) as "Mr. Brodie's Stathspey," set in the key of 'G'.
