Annotation:14th of October (The)

Back to 

 FOURTEENTH OF OCTOBER, THE. English, Air and Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody was published in Alexander Stuart's Musick for Allan Ramsey's Collection of Scots Songs, vol. 2 (1724, pp. 30-31 ), James Oswald's Caledonian Pocket Companion, vol. 3 (1760, p. 9), and Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, vol. 2 (1788, p. 182). Robert Burns thought the title alluded to the legendary King Crispian, patron of the shoemakers' guild, whose feast day falls on the 14th of October (on the old-style calendar). Ritson (Scottish Songs, 1794), however, wrote that the date was the birthday of the popular Scottish King James VII.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. II, 1785; No. 152, p. 56.  Recorded sources:

Back to