Annotation:Mr. A. Troup's

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MR. A. TROUP'S. Scottish. The title references Alexander Troup of Crathie and Ballater, born at Dalbadgie, in the vicinity of Ballater, in September, 1835. He was locally renowned as a violinist and muiscographer and was often called upon as a judge at pipe and violin competitions. He had a wide and accurate knowledge of the works of Scottish violin composers, and possessed a valuable collection of works on Scottish music and musicians. A contemporary account [c.f. Mackintosh, History of the Valley of the Dee, 1895, p. 146]] said "he is esteemed as one of the highest living authorities upon all points relating to Scottish music. He has played on various occasions at Balmoral. He is also a good vocal musician. In his twenty-first year, he led the psalmody in the church of Crathie before Her Majesty the Queen. He is a man of rare gifts and energy. His elder brother, James, who went to Australia, is also a fine violin player. He also performed before her with Willie Blair, 'The Queen's Fiddler'. See also Troup's compositions "Cluny Castle" and "Patrick Glennie's."

The long-lived Willie Blair, farmer, fiddler, composer, violin maker, was Queen Victoria's fiddler from 1848 until his death in the 1880's, and composed "Mr. A. Troup's."

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