Annotation:Mrs. Skinner of Drumins' Strathspey
X:1 T:Mrs. Skinner of Drumins' Strathspey C:James Taylor M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey B:James Taylor – A Collection of Strathspeys & Reels, together with a Set of Scots Quadrilles (Elgin, c. 1835, p. 7) N:”Most respectfully dedicated to Lady Dunbar of Northfield.” Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Bb F2|:SB4 GB3 FB,3D2B,2|FB,3D2B,2 GFED C2c2|B4 G2B2 F3B,D2F2|E3DC2D2 E3FG2B2:| Bcde f3B g3B f3B|Bcde f3B d3ef2b2|Bcde f3B g3B f3B|e3dc2B2 A3Bc2d2| Bcde f3B g3Bf3B|Bcde f3B d3ef2b2|(3b2a2g2 (3a2g2f2 (3g2f2e2 (3d2c2B2|(3G2A2G2 (3F2E2D2 (3C2D2F2 (3F2D2B,2S|]
MRS. SKINNER OF DRUMINS' STRATHSPEY. Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "Mrs. Skinner of Drumins' Strathspey" was composed by James Taylor, a fiddler, composer and teacher of music in Elgin who published two smallish collections. This strathspey was included in his first, c. 1835 collection (the apostrophe is as appears in the publication). The references Drumin Farm, the historical residence of the Duke of Gordon's factor. James Skinner, and subsequently his son, William Marshall Skinner, were factors in the 19th century, together spanning the years 1824 to 1904. William Marshall Skinner was a grandson of the well-known violinist and composer of Strathspey reels, William Marshall (1748-1833), himself a factor to the Duke of Gordon at Drumin from 1794-1816. Taylor's title honors James Skinner's wife, violinist William Marshall's grand-daughter, a union which produced two daughters and four sons, one son being the aforementioned William Marshall Skinner, named in honor of his illustrious great-grandfather.
Later in the century the famed Scottish performer, fiddler and composer J. Scott Skinner composed his strathspey "Drumin (1)", dedicating it to "Wm. Skinner Esq. Factor, Drumin, in whose possession lies one of Wm. Marshall's violins."
