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Annotation:Niel Gow's Strathspey (1)
X:1 T:Neil [sic] Gow's Strathspey [1] M:C| L:1/8 R:Strathspey Q:"Slowish" B:MacIntyre - Collection of Slow Airs, Reels & Strathspeys (1794) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Eb c|B<Ge>B c<FF<c|B<Ge>B c2-ce|B<Ge>B c<FF<d|e/d/c/B/ EG E2-E:|| F|E<EG>E F<CC<F|E<EE>E e>Bc<e|B<eG>E F<CC<d|e/d/c/B/ eG E2 E:|]
NIEL GOW'S STRATHSPEY [1]. AKA and see "Jack at the Helm" (Shetland) {?}, "Keep Your Country Bonnie Lasses," "Neil Gow's Strathspey (2)," "Niel Gow's Reel (2)," "New Gun Reel." Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). A Major (Campbell, Gow/Repository, Johnson/Petrie, Skye): E Flat Major (MacIntyre): D Major (Gow/Carlin): A Major (Campbell). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Johnson/Petrie): AABB (Campbell, Carlin, Gow, MacDonald, MacIntyre). Composed by Scottish dancing master and musician Biography:Duncan MacIntyre (c. 1767-1807), who established a practice in Edinburgh, but who moved to London in the 1790's. It was in the English city that he published his 1794 collection, dedicated to Lady Charlotte Campbell. MacIntyre spent some years in India (probably as a Master of Ceremonies to the Governor-General's Court), and died there about 1806 or 1807.
Another early printing of MacIntyre's strathspey is contained in Edinburgh publisher John Watlen's A Collection of Celebrated Marches & Quick Steps (c. 1798). "Niel Gow's" is the air for Robert Couper Esq., M.D.'s song "Kinrara; or, Red Gleams the Sun." The song "Red Gleams the Sun", from Johnson's Scots Musical Museum (Volume VI, song 503, p. 519) was also adapted to MacIntyres melody, although John Glen (Early Scottish Melodies, 1900, p. 216) is of the opinion: "As a Strathspey the tune is a great favourite, but is not so effective as a setting to the verses."
A reel-time setting of the tune (with parts reversed) is to be found entered into Book 2 (No. 192) of the large c. 1883 music manuscript collection of County Leitrim fiddler and piper biography:Stephen Grier (c. 1824-1894).
