Annotation:Lady Melville’s Strathspy

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X:1 T:Lady Melville’s Strathspy M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey C:Niel Gow (?) N:Saunders attributed the tune to the famous Scottish fiddler-composer N:Niel Gow, but it was published in 1823, some fifteen years after N:his death, by his son John Gow, a publisher in London. B:Saunders – New and Complete Instructor for the Violin (Boston, 1847, No. 82, p. 42) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Dmin A|~d>e fd (e^c) d2|(A/d/)(=B/c/) G>F ECC>E|~d>e fd (e^c) d2| Ac E>G FDD:||A|(F/G/A) (DA) FA d=B|c>G AF ECC>E| (F/G/A) (DA) FA d>=B|{B}c>GEA FDD>A|(F/G/A) (DA) FA d>=B| {B}c>G A>F ECC>E|(FA) (G_B) .A(d ^c)(g|f>)d e>^c dDD||



LADY MELVILLE'S STRATHSPEY. Scottish, Strathspey. D Minor (Gow, Saunders): E Minor (Eames). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The tune was first published by John Gow (1764-1826), youngest son of famed Scottish fiddler-composer Niel Gow, in a three-page folio entitled Gow's collection of the newest and most favorite dances for the year 1823 (London). John ran the London branch of the family music publishing business, first with his brother Andrew, then by himself when Andrew died in 1803. Providence, Rhode Island, music teacher, violinist, and dance fiddler George Saunders included the melody in his 1847 violin tutor, attributing the tune to Niel Gow. The Strathspey was one of two entered into the music manuscript copybook of musician M.E. Eames, frontispiece dated Aug. 22nd, 1859 (p. 28). Nothing is known of this fiddler, save that a few of his titles have Philadelphia, Pa., associations.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : - Saunders (New and Complete Instructor for the Violin), Boston, 1847; No. 82, p. 42.

Recorded sources: -



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