Annotation:Littlejohn's Hame

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LITTLEJOHN'S HAME. AKA - "Little John's Home." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927), first printed in his Scottish Violinist [1] (1900). The strathspey has been recorded by Cape Breton fiddlers and by Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples. The title probably refers to a musical family in Aberdeenshire. Alexander Littlejohn was born in Glenmuick, in December, 1854. He was adjudged a good violin player and was the eldest of six brothers, all of whom were musicians: William played the violin and cornet, John played the violin, Charles the flute, James the violincello, and Andrew the violin. The occasionally played at the Queen's balls at Balmoral, and at other 'gentlemen's balls' in the surrounding district, and their services were often in request [Mackintosh, History of the Valley of the Dee, 1895, p. 146].

Sources for notated versions: Jean-Ann Callender (Aberdeen) [Martin];Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin].

Printed sources: Begin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley), 1985; No. 71, p. 81. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 124, p. 51. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 132. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), 1900; p. 17. Tommy Peoples (50 Irish Fiddle Tunes).

Recorded sources: CPN001D, Iain Fraser & Christine Hanson - "Touchwood." Decca 14028 (78 RPM), Colin Boyd (1934). EMI – NTS 127, Angus Cameron - "Strings to the Bow" (1977).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]

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