Annotation:Duke of Gordon's Favourite (1) (The)
X:1 T:Duke of Gordon’s Favorite [1], The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig Q:"Slow" B:Robert Mackintosh – “A Fourth Collection of New Strathspey Reels, also some Famous old Reels” (1804, p. 2) N:Dedicated to the Dutchess [sic] of Manchester N:Robert “Red Rob” Mackintosh (c. 1745-1808) was a Scottish violinist and N:composer active in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century. Originally from N:Tullymet, near Pitlochry, Perthshire. He moved to London in the last decade N:of his life. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Bb (3F/G/A/|{Ac}B>AG .F.E.D|DCC C2 c/d/|e>dc gfe|dcB AGF| {Ac}B>AG FED|Ccc c2e|dfB cBA|[DFB][DFB][DFB] [D2F2B2]:| |:f/e/|def g2 e/d/|cde f2 d/c/|Bcd GAB|cdB AGF| def g2 e/d/|cde f2 d/c/|Bcd Ged|cBA [D2F2B2]:|]
DUKE OF GORDON'S FAVOURITE [1], THE. AKA - "Edinburgh Volunteer." Scottish, Slow Air (6/8 time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The air was composed by biography:Robert Mackintosh (c. 1745-1808), a Scottish violinist and composer active in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century. He was originally from Tullymet, near Pitlochry, Perthshire, and moved to London in the last decade of his life.
Neil (1991) notes that the Gordon family was one of the most powerful in Scotland, probably descended from the Gourdons who came to Britain with William the Conqueror. Most of the Scottish Gordons descend from one Sir Adam de Gordon who was given the lordship of Strathbogie in Aberdeenshire by Robert the Bruce. Adam's descendent George (4th Marquis of Huntly) attained the title of Duke in 1684, which expired in 1836 upon the death of the childless 5th and last Duke of Gordon. Neil remarks the powerful Gordons often stood alone in disputes with the crown, and, under the Earl of Huntly, lieutenant of Scotland, obtained land forfeited by others. As a result the Gordons were frequently engaged in clan disputes with such as the Mackintoshes, Camerons, Murrays and Forbeses.
The tune was entered under the title "Edinburgh Volunteer" in the mid-19th century music manuscript of William Winter (1774-1861), a shoemaker and violin player who lived in West Bagborough in Somerset, southwest England.
