Annotation:MacKenzie Hay

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X: 1 T: MacKenzie Hay C: J.S.Skinner R: strathspey B: Christine Martin "Ceol na Fidhle" v.2 p.15 1988 D: J.S.Skinner 1906 (wax cylinder) Z: 2008 John Chambers <jc:trillian.mit.edu> M: C L: 1/8 K: D G \ | "D"F<D F>A {c}d2 d>f | "A"e>c "E"d>B "A"c<A A>=c \ | "G"B<G d>B "D"A2 F>D | "A"E>A "E7"^G>B "A"(3ABA "A7"=GFE | y2 \ | "D"F<D F>A {c}d2 d>f | "A"e>c "E"d>B "A"c<A A>=c \ | "G"(3BGB (3dcB "D"(3Afe (3dcB | "A7"(3ABA (3GFE "D"F<D D |] g \ | "D"f<d "A7"g>e "(D)"{^g}a2 "D"f>d | "A"e>c "E7"d>B "A"c<A "A7"A>g \ | "D"f>d "A"g>e "D"a>f "G"b>g | "D"a>f "A"g>e "D"f<d d>g | y2 \ | "D"f<d "A7"g>e "(D)"{^g}a2 "D"f>d | "A"e>c "E7"d>B "A"c<A "A7"A>=c \ | "G"(3BGB (3dcB "D"(3Aag (3fed | "A7"(3cBA (3GFE "D"F<D D |]



MACKENZIE HAY. AKA - "McKenzie Hay." Scottish, Strathspey or Highland Schottische. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927), who recorded it himself on a wax cylinder in London in 1906. It was published in the early 20th century on a single song sheet [1], paired with Skinner's reel "Spey in Spate (The)." MacKenzie Hay, to whom the tune was dedicated, was the President of the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society in London (or, as James Hunter records, The Caledonian Society of London[1]). Cape Breton fiddler Bill Lamey recorded the tune (in medley with Skinner's "Kirrie Kebbuck") on 78 RPM.

J. Scott Skinner
The sheet music cover for "MacKenzie Hay" and "Spey in Spate" (dedicated to Mrs. Hay).


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - fiddler Jean-Ann Callender (Aberdeen) [Martin].

Printed sources : - Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 116, p. 45. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 109. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 2, 1988; p. 20. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 129.

Recorded sources : - Beltona 78 RPM 2313, Jimmy Shand. Culburnie Records, "Alasdair Fraser Directs the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers." Rounder Records 7057, Jerry Holland - "Parlor Music" (2005). Topic 12T280, J. Scott Skinner "The Starthspey King." 3172e (78 RPM), J. Scott Skinner - "Allegory" (1905. Medley of Miller o’ Hirn (The), MacKenzie Hay, Auld Wheel). Beltona 77534 (78 RPM), J. Scott Skinner - "Medley No. 1" (1906. Medley of Mackenzie Hay, Johnnie Steele, Spey in Spate (The)).

See also listing at :
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [2]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]



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  1. The name of MacKenzie Hay is absent from the list of Presidents of the Caledonian Society from 1837-1905. Nor are there records of a MacKenzie Hay connected with a Highland Strathspey and Reel Society in London, nor does the name appear in any other records found to date.