Annotation:Mr. Charles Grant

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MR. CHARLES GRANT. Scottish, Strathspey. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by Aberdeenshire fiddler-composer biography:Alexander Walker in honor of Mr. Charles Grant of Aberlour, a town in the Speyside region of Moray. He "was one of the best known of all the long race of schoolmasters. He was affectionately known as "schooley Grant" - born in Strondhu, Knockando 1807. He started in Aberlour in 1844 and taught, much of the time single handed, for the next 30 years. (Logbook 1874 - 87 pupils, 1 principle teacher - C. Grant AM.). He was a man of varied accomplishments - a classical scholar (loved Horace) a musician - famed for his skill in composing fiddle music, Highland reels and Strathspeys. (His daughter had a private collection of his Strathspey and Reels some of which are incorporated in the books of the Scottish Country Dancing Society). He lived at the Schoolhouse (Glenmorag) and had a lovely garden which extended down to the school - now Victoria Terrace. He was a first class shot - good fisherman and knew every pool of the run of the Spey. He had a high reputation as a teacher and young men from other parishes came to finish under his able tuition. His daughter - wife of Dr. McPherson of Banff died 1957 - came frequently back to Aberlour and she had his fiddle music printed in book form." [Grant's Strathspey & Reels].

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 85, p. 30.

Recorded sources:




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