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Annotation:Captain Campbell of Carphen
X:1 T:Captain Campbell of Carphen M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey S:MacDonald - 2nd Collection of Strathspey Reels (1789) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Amin E | A/A/A AB cABE | G/G/G Gc {B/c/}d>cBG | A/A/A (AB) cABG | e>dgB A2A :| B | Aa Ta>g e/g/e/d/ cd | e^fge (d/c/)B/A/ GB | AaTa>g e/g/e/d/ ce | dBgB A2 A2 | eaTa>g e/g/e/d/ cd | e^fge d/c/B/A/ GB | cAdB e>dce | dBgB A2A ||
CAPTAIN CAMPBELL OF CARPHEN. AKA – "Captain Campbell," "Captain Campbell's Strathspey." AKA and see "Cameron House." Scottish (originally), Canadian; Strathspey (whole time). Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. A Minor or Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Hunter, Kerr, Lowe, Martin, Perlman): AABB' (Athole, Carlin, Lerwick): AA'BB' (Little). The tune appears in biography:Malcolm MacDonald's 2nd collection of 1789, a volume dedicated to the Earl of Breadalbane. MacDonald was a professional musician from Perthshire and a contemporary of Inver fiddler-composer Niel Gow, whom he sometimes accompanied on the cello. MacDonald himself was from nearby Dunkeld, Perthshire, born around the year 1750. "Captain Campbell of Carphen" may have been composed by him, although this has not been ascertained.
The title refers to a Campbell of Carwhin (note spelling), although which one is unknown. A titled contemporary of MacDonald was John Campbell, 1st Marquis of Breadalbane (1762-1834) who was educated at Winchester and at age 19 succeeded to the earldom of Breadalbane and Holland in 1782. In 1784 he was elected as one of the sixteen Scottish representation Peers to sit in the House of Lords and was also appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society in the same year.
Although a military man, there is no record that John Campbell was ever a "Captain" or was addressed as such. He raised the Regiment of Fencibles and served as Lieutenant-Colonel in Ireland becoming Colonel in 1802, Major-General in 1809 and Lieutenant-General in 1814. In 1806 he was created Baron Breadalbane of Taymouth Castle, Perth which entitled him to a seat in the House of Lords. He was made Earl of Ormelie and Marquess of Breadalbane in 1831 and died at Taymouth Castle three years later.
Campbell was the son of Colin Campbell of Carwhin by Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of Archibald Campbell, of Stonefield. He was a great-grandson of Colin Campbell of Mochaster, younger son of Sir Robert Campbell, 3rd Baronet, of Glenorchy.
Some see similarities with the Shetland tune "Up and Doon da Harbour." The strathspey is also popular among Cape Breton/PEI musicians. See also Irish variants "Mo ceoil sibh a laochra," "George Gubbin's Delight," and "Humors of Schull (The)," and the Donegal Highlands "Molly Gharbu" or "Mullach Garbh Highland (The)." Researcher Conor Ward also finds a cognate melody in Rev. Luke Donnellan's reel "Devil among the Tailors (5)" (albeit with parts reversed).
