Annotation:Lady Loudon
X:1 T:Lady Loudon’s Strathspey M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey B:Aird – Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 4 (1796, No. 23, p. 9) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D f/g/|a<da>f a<da>f|a<da>f (be) ef/g/|a<da>f a<da>f|gbaf fdd:| f|A>dF>d A>dfd|A>dF>d eEE>d|A>dF>d A>dfd|g/a/b Tag fdTd>f| A>dF>d A>df>d|A>dF>d eEEg/a/|b>ga>f g>ef>d|g>bag fdd|]
LADY LOUDEN('S STRATHSPEY). AKA and see "Belles of Campbelltown," "Blind Nora O'Neill," "Blind Norry's," "Highland Plaid (3) (The)," "
Lady Loman's," "Mrs. Parker's Fancy," "Tartan Plaiddie." Scottish, Canadian; Strathspey. Canada, Cape Breton. C Major (most versions): D Major (Aird). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Athole, Cole): AAB (Gow, Lowe): AABB' (Kerr, Skye). Composed by Niel Gow's eldest son William (1751-1791), who was leader of the Edinburgh Assembly Orchestra until his death. He was replaced in that position by his younger brother, Nathaniel. Variants of the tune are known in Cape Breton as "Blind Nora O'Neill," printed in Boston in Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1885) as "Blind Nora." Versions also appear in Boston publisher Elias Howe's publications as "Belles of Campbelltown," and in London publisher Joseph Dale's c. 1800 collection as "Highland Plaid (3) (The)." Hamish Moore notes that "Lady Louden" is also related to "Lucy Campbell (3)." See also the related Irish reel "Donegal Rambler."
County Cork cleric and uilleann piper biography:James Goodman entered a version called "Mrs. Parker's Fancy" in vol. 2 of his large mid-19th century music manuscript collection. The melody can also be found, set as an untitled reel, in Book 11 of the music manuscripts of the Browne Family (Lake District, Cumbria), in the hand of James Lishman, c. 1800.
