Annotation:Duchess of Athole (Strathspey) (The)
X:1 T:Dutchess [sic] of Athole's Strathspey, The M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey B:James Aird – Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 3 (Glasgow, 1788, No. 566, p. 216) N:”Humbly dedicated to the Volunteers and Defensive Bands of Great Britain and Ireland” Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D d2|:A3df3d e3d TB4|A3df2d2 a3d Tf4|g3b fb3 e3d TB4| A3df3d Te4 d4:| |:a3fd'3f gfed TB4|a3fd'3f afab d'4|Tb3ad'2f2 gfed TB4|[DA]3dfd3 Te4d4:| |:.D2.d2.f2.d2 .B2.e2.c2.A2|D2d2f2d2 a2d2f2d2|g2bg f2d'f .B2.e2.c2.A2|D3df2d2 Te4 d4:| |:(defg a).f3 d'e3cA3|defg af3 d'f3af3|g2bg f2d'f B2e2c2A2|d3df3d e4 d4:|]
DUCHESS OF ATHOLE (STRATHSPEY), THE. AKA and see "Let's to the Ard/Let Us to the Aird." Scottish, Strathspey. A Major (most versions): D Major (Aird, Köhlers’). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Cole, White): AABB (Kerr): AABBCCDD (Gow): AABBCCDDAABB (Carlin). "The Duchess of Athole Strathspey" was composed by Scots fiddler-composer Niel Gow (1727-1807), of Inver, near Dunkeld, Perthshire. The melody appears in his First Collection of Strathspey Reels (Edinburgh, 1784), which he dedicated to "Her Grace the Duchess of Athole," born the Honourable Jane Cathcart (1754-1790), daughter of Jane Cathcart and Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart. She married John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl, two days after Christmas, 1774. The Duke and Duchess were the local gentry for Gow, who was often called upon to perform for them at Dunkeld House and at Blair Castle. For these services he was paid an annuity of five pounds. Gow directed the tune be played "slow". Glen (1891) finds a tune by this name in Angus Cumming's 1780 collection (p. 4).
