Annotation:Duchess of Athole (Strathspey) (The)

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 DUCHESS OF ATHOLE [1], THE. AKA and see "Lets to the Ard." Scottish, Strathspey. A Major (most versions): D Major (Köhlers’). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Cole, White): AABB (Kerr): AABBCCDD (Gow): AABBCCDDAABB (Carlin). Composed by Scots fiddler-composer Niel Gow (1727-1807), of Inver, near Dunkeld, Perthshire. The melody appears in his First Collection of Strathspey Reels (Ediburgh, 1784), which he dedicated to "Her Grace the Duchess of Athole." 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).  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 37. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 126. Gow (First Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1784 (revised 1801); p. 1 (appears as "The Dutchess of Athols Strathspey"). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; Set 25, No. 3, p. 15. Köhlers’ Violin Repository, Book 1, 1881-1885; p. 68. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 166. White's Unique Collection, 1896; No. 168, p. 31.  Recorded sources:

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