The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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LORC - LORP

 

 

Notation Note: The tunes below are recorded in what is called “abc notation.” They can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then “cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC Convert-A-Matic” at

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html 

 

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.   [AK]

 

 

 

LORCA’S REEL. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB’. Composed by editor Paul Stewart Cranford. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 28, pg. 9.

           

LORD ABOYNE. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 116. The Lords Aboyne were the Gordon family. Aboyne Castle was a stronghold for the Gordons from the 13th century onward. In the hills above the village of Aboyne stands an ancient cairn, said to mark the spot where MacBeth made his last stand before being slain by Malcolm in 1057. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 3.

X:1

T:Lord Aboyne

M:C

L:1/8

R:Slow Strathspey

S:Gow – 2nd Repository  (1802)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

DE|F2 F>E F3d|A2 {B}A>F E2 D>E|F2F2 d2 F>E|F4G2:|

~d>e|f2 f>e d2 B>A|A>BdF E2 ~d>e|(dc) (BA) d2 F>E|

F4 B2 ~d>e|f2 f>e d2 B>A|A>BdF E2 ~d>e|(dc) (BA) d2 (F>E)|F4 B2||

           

LORD AIRLEY. AKA – “Lord Airly’s Reel.” Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard. AAB (Gow): AABB (Athole). Composition of the melody was claimed by Niel Gow, or for him by his son Nathaniel, although John Glen (1895) insists the tune was published earlier by another composer. He was probably referring to Malcolm MacDonald of Dunkeld, who published the tune in his 3rd Collection, dedicated to Miss Drummond of Perth. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 269. MacDonald (A Third Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1792; pg. 3. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 235.

X:1

T:Lord Airlie

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

f | cFAF EGGf | cFAF cFAF | BdAc GABd | cFAF C(FF) :|

|: c | ~fcfa dg~g>a | gcfa cfAF | BdAc GABd | cFAF CFF :|

           

LORD ALBERMARLE. Scottish. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest  appearance of this tune in print in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 32).

           

LORD ALEXANDER GORDON('S). Scottish, Strathspey. A Major. Standard. AB (Cole, McGlashan, Surenne): AAB (Gow, Marshall): AABB (Athole, Kerr): AABB' (Skye). The melody was composed by William Marshall (1748-1833) and appears earliest in his First Collection of 1781. It was republished by the Gows in Repository, Part First, 1799, without composer credit. A Scottish fiddler and composer, Marshall is most famous for his many fine strathspeys. He worked for much of his life for the Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon as the Steward of his Household, and it is fortunate that the Duke was an enthusiastic supporter and patron of Marshall’s music. Lord Alexander was the son and namesake of Marshall’s employer, born in 1785, who lived only until the age of 23, dying in Musselburgh Barracks on January 8th, 1808, “after a life of dissipation” (Cowie, 1999). Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 127. Gow (Complete Collection), Part 1, 1799; pg. 23. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 23, pg. 5. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 25. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 17. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 38. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 166. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pgs. 116-117.

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

X:1

T:Lord Alexander Gordon

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

c|A,>(A A)c/d/ e<A c2|e>e f/e/d/c/ d<B B>c| A,>(A A)c/d/ e<A c>e|

(3fga (3efd c<AA::E|C<(E E)F/G/ A<E A2|F<B B>c d>cB>A|

(3cde (3fga a>cd>c|(3Bcd (3efd c<AA:|

           

LORD ALEXANDER RUSSELL'S JIG--WOBURN ABBEY. Scottish, Jig. C major. Standard. AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). A Scottish fiddler and composer, Marshall is most famous for his many fine strathspeys. Marshall worked for much of his life for the Duke of Gordon as the Steward of his Household, and it is fortunate that the Duke was an enthusiastic supporter and patron of Marshall’s music.

***

Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, has been the home of the Russell family, Dukes of Bedford, for over 450 years, and houses one of the finest private art collections in the world, the result of generations of collecting. The history of the house begins in the year 1145 when a religious house was begun for a group of Cistercian monks. The present north wing of the mansion is on the site of the monastic church and the present courtyard is on the site of the great cloister and garth. In 1538 the Abbot, Robert Hobbes, was found guilty of treason and the monastery confiscated. Legend states that he was hanged from an oak tree at the Abbey's gate. The Russells were granted Woburn Abbey in 1547 by Edward IV, although it did not become their residence until 1619 with the first Duke of Beford. The tune’s namesake, Lord Alexander George Russell, was born on the 16th of  December, 1821, at Woburn Abbey, the son of John Russell (1766-1839), the 6th Duke of Bedford, and his second wife, Lady Georgiana Gordon, the daughter of Alexander Gordon, the 4th Duke of Gordon, Marshall’s employer. Marshall’s jig commemorates the birth of the Duke’s grandson.  Lord Alexander Russell died in 1907, at Wood Eaton, Oxford.

***

Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-1873). The First Leap: Lord Alexander Russell on his Pony “Emerald”.

***

From Queen Victoria’s journal of her trips to Balmoral, Scotland, Sept. 4, 1860:

***

We met Lord and Lady Alexander Russell at a small farmhouse, just as we rode out of the wood, and had some talk with them. They feel deeply the ruin of the place where they formerly lived, as it no longer belongs to them. We rode on for a good long distance, twelve miles, till we came to the ferry of the Spey. Deer were being driven in the woods, and we heard several shots. We saw fine ranges of hills on the Spey-side, or Strathspey, and opening to our left, those near Loch Laggan. We came to a wood of larch; from that upon cultivated land, with Kinrara towards our right, where the monument to the late Duke of Gordon is conspicuously seen on a hill, which was perfectly crimson with heather.

Before entering the larch wood, Lord Alexander Russell caught us up again in a little pony carriage, having to go the same way, and he was so good as to explain everything to us. He showed us "The Duke of Argyll's Stone" -- a cairn on the top of a hill to our right, celebrated, as seems most probable, from the Marquis of Argyll having halted there with his army.

***

Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 59.

X:1

T:Lord Alexander Russell’s Jig—Woburn Abbey

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Marshall1822 Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

G|[G,3E3c3] (c2e)|(B/c/d)B c2G|cBA GFE|D3 (D2B)|[E3c3] (c2e)|(de)c B2G|
cBA GEG|C3 C3:|

(e/f/g)c gfe|(f/g/a)f agf|gec cde|d3 d2 e/f/|(e/f/g)c gfe|(f/g/a)f agf|edc GAB|c3 c2 e/f/|

gec afd|gec afd|gec cde|d3 d2 e/f/|gfe fdcB|cBA GEG|C3 C2||

           

LORD ALEXANDER’S REEL. Canadian, Reel. A classic of Canadian ‘Down-East’ fiddling, composed by Abbe Andrews.

 

LORD AMHERST’S. Scottish, March. The tune was published by Robert Bremner in 1778, but was composed by John Reid for the Third Regiment of Foot. Reid, ultimately to become a general, was an officer who fought the Jacobites and later served in France. He subsequently turned up in North America with the Black Watch in 1755 and took part in the capture of Montreal.  In addition to his military prowess, Reid was also an accomplished and sensitive player on the German flute and a composer of merit.

           

LORD AND LADY COURTNEY’S DELIGHT. AKA – “Lord Courtney’s Delight,” “Lady Courtney’s Delight.” English, Reel. C Major. Standard. AABB. Peter Kennedy references “Dance to Your Daddy” as a related tune. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 107, pg. 26.

 

LORD ARTHUR'S CAIRN. Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 165, pg. 57.

           

LORD ATHLONE'S MARCH. AKA and see "The Atholl Highlanders."

           


LORD BALGO(W)NIE'S FAVORITE. AKA and see "Reverend Mr. Patrick MacDonald of Kilmore," "Gloomy Winter('s Now Awa)," “Lord Balgonie’s Delight.” Scottish, Slow Strathspey. A Minor (Gow): C Minor (Gatherer): D Minor (O’Farrell). Standard. ABC (Gatherer, O’Farrell): AABBCC (Gow). Appears in Gow's Fourth Collection (1800) with the note "A very old Highland tune." The same melody was claimed and published (in 1792, and again in Albyn's Anthology, 1815) by Alexander Campbell as "Reverend Mr. Patrick McDonald of Kilmore", and later used as the melody for Tannahill's popular song "Gloomy winter's now awa;'" John Glen (1891), for one, is convinced that Gow has no claim on the melody, which he concludes was composed by Campbell. The editor of Wood's Songs of Scotland, George Farquhar Graham, notes that an air appearing in Fraser called "An Dileachdan" (The Orphan) is similar in many respects, and could be the ancestral tune of "Balgonie' Favorite." Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 117. Gatherer (Gatherer’s Musical Museum), 1987; pg. 27. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 55.

X:1

T:Lord Belgonies Favorite (sic)

M:C
L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:O’Farrell – Pocket Companion, vol. III (c. 1808)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Minor

A | d2 d>e dc A2 | f2 f>a gf e>c | d<d a2 dc AF | GG A^c d2 D || E |

F2 FA G>F EG | F>E D>F EA A2 | f2 fa g>f eg | f2 (ed) f/e/d/c/ Add || e |

f(a/b/) c’/a/(g/f/) (ef) g2 | f>e df ea a2 | A2 (BA/G/) Ad eg | f(e/d/) (f/e/)d/c/ Add ||

 

LORD BALLENDEN. Scottish, "Very Slow" Strathspey. E Major (Gow): D Major (Johnson). Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Composed by George Jenkins (c. 1760-1806). According to John Glen (1833-1904), Jenkins “followed the profession of a teacher of Scotch dancing in London about the year 1794, at which date he probably published his Collection of New Scotch Music &c., dedicated to the Prince of Wales. We are not aware of his nationality...” Jenkin’s most famous composition is “The Marquis of Huntly’s Highland Fling.” The 'C' and 'D' parts to “Lord Ballenden” were added by Nathaniel Gow. Lord Bellenden (note spelling) is now a dormant title, last held by William Ker (1728-1805), 7th Lord Bellenden and 4rd Duke of Roxburgh, who died childless. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 118. Gow (The First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1784 (revised 1801); pg. 21. Gow (The Beauties of Niel Gow), 1819; pg. 8. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's No. 10: Airs & Melodies of Scotland's Past), 1992 (revised 2001); pg. 9.

X:1

T:Lord Ballenden

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:Gow – First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels (1784)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E

e|B2 B>G GFF>e|B2 B>G Beg>f|e>c BG “tr”GFF>G|E<B, B<C E2 E:|

|:a|g<(ee>)g ~a>gfb|g(ee>)b gebg|a>fg>e “tr”f>ec>f|e>cBG B2 B:|

|:e|E>BG>B “tr”F>ECF|E>BG>B E>ege|f>de>G “tr”F>ECf|e>cBG B2B:|

|:g|e>bg>b (a/g/)(f/e/) cf|e>bg>b e>gbg|”tr”ab/a/ ~ga/g/ (a/g/)(f/e/) c>f|{d}e>cBG B2B:|

 

LORD BANFF('S STRATHSPEY). Scottish, Strathspey. E Major. Standard tuning. AAB. “Very Slow” says Gow. The melody was composed by one Issac Cooper of Banff (b. 1755, d. 1810/1811 or 1820), a multitalented musician who taught and published several collections in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Collinson (1966) pronounced it "a good tune," while John Glen (1895) describes it as one of the excellent compositions from this composer. See also “Lord Banff’s Reel.” Gow (Complete Repository), 1799, Part 1; pg. 7. MacDonald (A Third Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1792; pg. 12.

X:1

T:Lord Banff’s Strathspey

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:Gow – 1st Repository (1799)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E

G/F/ | E<B, B,>C E>FG>c | B>(G A/G/)(F/E/) F>EC>F | E<B,B,>C EFGg | f>e{e}g>f f2{ef}e :|

B | e>gb>g (a>g)(f>e) | fa/f/ gb/g/ f>ec>f | e>gb>g (a>g)(f>e) | (f/a/)(g/a/) (b/a)g/f/ {f}e2 e>B|

e>g {eg}b>g (a>g)(f>e)| (f/a/)(g/f/) (g/b/)(a/g/) f>ec>{d}e | B>e (c/B/)(A/G/) A>Bc>A | G>E BG/E/ F2E ||

                          

LORD BANFF’S REEL (Ríl an Tiarna Banff). Irish, Reel. E Major. Standard tuning. AAB. A reel version of the Scottish strathspey “Lord Banff.” Breathnach (1996) notes that it is unusual to have an Irish reel set in the key of E Major, but that “some musicians—particularly fiddlers—like to have the occasional one as a challenge.” Source for notated version: a c. 1880's collection by fiddler and uilleann piper Stephen Grier (Farnaght, County Leitrim) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ IV), 1996; No. 127, pg. 63.

 

LORD BAYKIM. Irish, Slow Air (2/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: Hugh O'Beirne, professional fiddler from Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, 1846. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 617, pg. 317.

 

LORD BEICHAN. English, Air (3/4 time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning. One part. "There are several versions of this highly popular and apparently ancient ballad in the works of Jamieson, Kinloch, Motherwell, &c., and in the Local Historian's Table Book, Vol. II, p. 20, Newcastle‑Upon‑Tyne, 1842, the last being an English traditional version communicated by Mr. J.H. Dixon, of Seaton Carew. Jamieson suggests that the name of the hero should not be 'Beichan,' but 'Buchan;' and another editor or annotator (Percy Society Publications, No. 43) surmises 'that the hero was one of the ancient and noble border family of 'Bertram;'' whilst Motherwell refers the ballad to an incident in the life of Gilbert, father of the celebrated Thomas a Becket. In this opinion he is supported by Professor Child, of Boston, USA. There is also the popular song 'Lord Bateman,' a lucicrously corrupt copy of this ballad,an edition of which (in the Cockney vernacular, with comic illustrations by George Cruickshanks, and notes of a burlesque character) was published by Tilt, of London, many years ago, containing the air to which the ballad was sung in the South of England‑‑totally different from the Northern melody, which is here given" (Stokoe).

***

Lord Beichan was a noble lord,

A noble lord of high degree;

He shipped himself on board a ship,

He longed strange countries for to see. (Stokoe)

***

Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pgs. 64‑70.

X:1

T:Lord Beichan

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Bruce & Stokoe – Northumbrian Minstrelsy  (1882)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D|GA B2 (GA)|cB A3 D|GA B2 c2|d^c d3 D|Bc d2 c2|AG F2 (GA)| Bc d2c2|AG G3||

 

LORD BINNING/BINNY. Scottish, Reel. E Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Daniel Dow, appearing earliest in his c. 1775 collection (pg. 11). Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 396. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg. 20.

X:1

T:Lord Binnings Reel

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Gow – 3rd Repository  (1806)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

B|E/E/E GA B2 Ee|dBAd FDAF|GEGB DFAd|BdFA BEE:|

B|eBge ^dfB(g|f)dBG FADf|eBge dBe^c|dAFA BEEB|eBge ^dfB^c|

DBAG FADF|GBEe ^dfBA|GBAF GEE||

 

LORD BLANTYRE'S. AKA and see "Tulleynet/Tulleymet Hall." Scottish, Strathspey. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB (Athole, Gow, Skye): AABB' (Kerr). Composed by Niel Gow, probably in honor of Robert Walter Stewart (1777-1830) the 11th Lord Blantyre, a Major-General in the British army. Stewart was the commanding officer of the 42nd Regiment—the famous Black Watch—during Wellington’s Napoleonic War campaigns in Portugal and Spain in 1811-12. He was also the Lord Lieutenant of Renfreshire. Blantyre accidentally shot himself in Brussels in September, 1830. See also “Lennox Love to Blantyre” for more on the family. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 119. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 19. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 34. Rounder 7059, Alex Francis MacKay with Gordon MacLean – “Gaelic in the Bow” (2005).

X:1

T:Lord Blantyre

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

R:Strathspey

K:A

e|c<e A<e c<e a2|f<d =g2 B<=G G>B|c<e A<e c<e a>f|=g>d B>d e<AA:|

e|c>e a2 a/g/f/e/ a2|B>d =g2 B<=G G>B|c>e d>f e>=g f>a|=g>ea>e c<AA||

 

LORD BLAYNEY'S DEMESNE. Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard. AB. Source for notated version: piper Daniel Markey (Drogheda, Ireland) [Darley & McCall]. Darley & McCall (Darley & McCall Collection of Traditional Irish Music), 1914; No. 23, pg. 10.

                                               

LORD BREADALBANE’S DELIGHT.  Scottish, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB’. The melody appears in the 4th collection of Malcolm MacDonald of Dunkeld, a volume dedicated to the Countess of Breadalbane. MacDonald had dedicated his 2nd collection to the Earl of Breadalbane, and the family evidently were patron’s of his music. MacDonald (A Fourth Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1797; pg. 8.

X:1

T:Lord Breadalbane’s Delight

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:MacDonald – 4th Collection of Strathspey Reels (1797)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A, | DDD DDD | D>EF/G/ AFD | DDD DDD | EFA “tr”B2d | DDD DDD |

D>EF/G/ AFD | E>DE “tr”(F2E) | DB,B, B,2 :: (A/4B/4c/) | ddd d>ef | AFd (B/A/)G/F/E/D/ |

ddd e>fg | fdB B2 (A/4B/4c/ |1 ddd d>ef | AFd B/A/G/F/E/D/ | E>DE F2E | DB,B, B,2 :|2

d>ef B>cd | AFd B/A/G/F/E/D/ | E>DE F2E | DB,B, B,2 ||

                       

LORD BREADALBANE'S MARCH. Scottish, Slow March (6/8 time). D Major. Standard. AABBCD. David Murry, in his book Music of the Scottish Regiments (Edinburgh, 1994), notes this tune is said to have been played to turn the soldiers of the highland regiments out in the early hours of the morning of Quatre Bras (1815), the battle just prior to Waterloo. He says it is “the tune of a song from Strathspey in the Central Highlands. ‘People of this Glen, Awake!’, the song begins, and goes on to warn that James Grand of Carron on Speyside, a notorious ruffian and reiver, has been seen in the glen with his henchmen. ‘People of this Glen’ is also said to have been played in the gloaming of the winter’s evening before the massacre of Glencoe in February 1692, in a last-minute attempt to warn the people of the treacherous attack that was planned for the next morning. It was played by Hugh MacKenzie, piper to Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, who commanded the soldiers of the Earl of Argyll’s Regiment who carried out the massacre. The tune, and its connotations, would be well known to the Highland soldiers of the Black Watch, the 79th and the 92nd who heard it in the first light of that June morning” (pg. 106). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 16, pg. 48.

X:1
T:Lord Breadalbane's March
B:Songs of Scotland Without Words, J T Surenne
N:Transposed from another key (no shaps or flats)
Z:Nigel Gatherer <gatherer@argonet.co.uk>
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:D
d \
| "D"A>BA f>ed | "G"B>AB d>BG | "D"A>BA f>ed | "Em"B>ee "A7"e2d \
| "D"A>BA f>ed | "G"B>AB d>BG | "D"A>BA f>ed | "Em"B>ee "A7"e2 ||d \
| "Em"e>fe a>fe | "D"f>ef f>ed | "Em"e>fe a<fe | "A7"e>fe e2d \
| "Em"e>fe a>fe | "D"f>ef f>ed | "D"a>fe f>ed | "Em"Bee "A7"e2 |]

 

LORD BUCHAN. Scottish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Major/B Minor. Standard. ABB. "Very old" (Gow). Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 596. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg. 2.

X:1

T:Lord Buchan

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Gow – 3rd Repository (1806)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f>e|(e2B2)A>F|A2(f2e2)|(dB)d2d2|d4 f>e|(d2B2)A>F|A2 (f2e2)|(dB)d2d2|d4:|

|:A2|d3 efg|a4 (ba)|(g2f2)d2|B4A2|d3 efg|a4 (ba)|g2f2d2|B4 f>e|(d2B2)A>F| A2(f2e2)|(dB) {F}d2d2|d4:|