MR

The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

_______________________________

HOME        ALPHABETICAL FILES        REFERENCES

 

MR

 

 

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]

 

 

 

MR. A. G. WILKEN'S FAVOURITE. Scottish, Solo Strathspey. F Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by the great Scottish fiddler and composer J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927). The Mr. Wilken was an amateur violinist from village of Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Source for notated version: Bill Hardie (Scotland) [Hardie]. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; pg. 72. Skinner, Miller o' Hirn Collection.

 

MR. A. McWHINNIE. Scottish, Reel. G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Duncan Macintyre. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Music), Vol. 2, 1895; pg. 13.

X:1

T:Mr. A. McWhinnie

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Glen Collection, Vol. 2 (1895)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

c|BGdB cABG|A=fcf A=FFc|BGBd cABG|Agdg BGG:|

g|bgaf gdeB|cA=fc A=FFg|bgfa gdeB|cAgd BGGg|bgaf gdeB|

cA=fc A=FFc|BgcA dBec|fdaf gGG||

 

MR. ABEL BANKS. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. C Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Source for notated version: Mr. William Martin (Inverkeithing Turiff, Scotland) [Skye]. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 160.

X:1

T:Mr. Abel Banks

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:MacDonald – Skye Collection (1887)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

E<E cA (AGE)D|E<E c>A G>c E>c|(3ABc GA (3AGE D2|C<C cd eE Gc:|

e<g g>a (3age d2|e<g e<a e<a e<c’|e<g g>a (ag/e/) de|cd ed cEGc|

e<g g>a (3age d2|e>g g>a (3gdd (3eBB|(3cBA (3GFD (cEE)D|C<C cd eEGc||

 

MR. ADAM GEORGE. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Cape Breton fiddler and composer Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). Cameron (Trip to Windsor), 1994; pg. 13.

           

MR. ALEXANDER CUNNINGHAM'S STRATHSPEY. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. D Major. Standard. AAB. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 67.

X:1

T:Mr. Alexander Cunningham’s Strathspey

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:MacDonald – The Skye Collection (1887)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

D>E G/F/E/D/ B,<E E>F|D>E (G/F/)E/D/ F<A A2|(d>e/2f/2) AF BB,B,>A,|

D/D/D D/D/D F>E F<A:|

d>f (g/f/)e/d/ ceef|d>efb adf(b|a)dAF BB,B,>A,|D/D/D D/D/D F>E F<A|

d>f fe/d/ ceef|d>efb afge|fdAF BB,EC|D/D/D F>A d>D F<A||

           

MR. ALEXANDER LAING'S HORNPIPE--LEUCHOLD. Scottish, Hornpipe. E Major (Marshall): D Major (Miller). Standard. AB (Marshall): AABB (Miller). Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; pg. 38. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 37. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 272, pg. 164 (appears as “Alexander Laing’s Hornpipe”).

X:1

T:Mr. Alexander Laing’s Hornpipe—Leuchold

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:Marshall1822 Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E

E2 ge edcB|cdec cBAG|GABc defg|acfe edcB|e2 ge edcB|cdec cBAG|

GABc defa|gefd e2e2||GABG cAAc|FGAF BGGB|EFGA Bcde|fgaf edcB|

GABG cAAc|FGAF BGGB|B,EGB egba|gfed e2 e2||

           

MR. ALEXANDER LAWSON. Scottish, Strathspey. E Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Alexander Walker for Alexander Lawson of Mill of Newe. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 115, pg. 40.

           

MR. ALEXANDER MONTGOMERIE. Scottish. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of this tune in print in John Riddell's 1766 collection (pg. 59).

           

MR. ALEXANDER MUNRO. Scottish, Strathspey. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Alexander Walker in honor of one Alexander Munro of Braemar. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 178, pg. 61.

           

MR. ALEXANDER MUNRO'S FAVOURITE. Scottish, Strathspey. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Pipe tune. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 42.

X:1

T:Mr. Alexander Munro’s Favourite

M:C

L:1/8
R:Strathspey

S:MacDonald – The Skye Collection (1887)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

e|A<A c>A d>Bc>A|B<B c>A d>BG>B|A,A c>A d>Bc>A|e>Be>d c>BA>a|

A<A c>A c>Bc>A|B>Gg>d B>AG>B|A<A c>A d>Bc>A|d>Ba>e c>BA>a||

e>ac>a e>ac>a|d>Bg>d B>AG>B|e>ac>a e>ac>a|d>Be>d c>BA>e|a>ec>e a>ec>e|

B<Bg>d B>AG>g|a>fg>e f>de>c|d>Ba>e c>BA:|

           

MR. ALEXANDER SHERIFF. Scottish, Strathspey. A Major. Standard. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker in honor of Gerrard St., Aberdeen. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 25, pg. 10.

           


MR. ALEXANDER THOM’S. Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard. AABB’. A 19th century composition by James Daniel.  Source for notated version: Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 43, pg. 16.

           

MR. ALEXANDER TROUP. Scottish, Strathspey. F Sharp Minor. Standard. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker in honor of Alexander Troup of Dalbagie. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 159, pg. 54.

           

MR. ALEXANDER WATTIE. Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard. ABB'. Composed by Alexander Walker for Mr. Alexander Wattie who was a drummer in the Castle Newe band of musicians; Walker worked at Castle Newe as a gardener and probably the leader of "The Castle Newe Band." Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 171, pg. 59.

           

MR. AMBROSE BEATON. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Cape Breton fiddler and composer Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). The Beatons are a famous musical family from Mabou, Cape Breton. Cameron (Trip to Windsor), 1994; pg. 12.

           

MR. AND MRS. A. ROSS. Scottish, March (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Composed by John Macgregor. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 19.

           

MR. AND MRS. MAPLE. Canadian, Waltz. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by fiddler Ward Allen, who won contest after contest in Canada in the 1950’s and who had a successful career playing over the radio. GRT Records SP 203, “Ward Allen Presents Maple Leaf Hoedown, Vol. 1” (reissue). GRT Records 9230-1031, “The Best of Ward Allen” (1973).

X:1

T:Mr. and Mrs. Maple

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Waltz

K:Bb

Bc|d3 ^c de|d2 B2 d2|f3 =e fg|f2 e2 d2|

c4 cd|f2 f2 e2|d3 ^c de|d2 F2 B2|

d3 ^c de|d2 B2 d2|f3 ^e fg|f2 e2 d2|

c3 c de|d3 A cA|B3 A Bc|B4:|

|:DE|F3 =E FG|F2 D2 F2|d3 ^c de|dB FB dB|

c4 cd|f2 f2 e2|d3 ^c de|d2 D2 E2|

F3 =E FG|F2 D2 F2|d3 ^c de|dB FB dB|

c3 c de|d3 A cA|B3 A Bc|B4:|

                       

MR. ANDERSON'S STRATHSPEY. AKA and see "Grey Daylight." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The tune is said by some to have been reworked by William Marshall into his famous melody "Craigellachie Bridge" which he composed sometime around 1812‑1815.  The first strains are very similar, though John Glen (1895) for one does not believe him guilty of musical plagiarism.  "Mr. Anderson's Strathspey" was published by Kirkmichael, Perthshire, fiddler and composer Robert Petrie in his Second Collection (1796, pg. 23), and reappeared four years later as "Grey Daylight" in a collection by the Perthshire publisher John Anderson.

X:1

T:Mr. Anderson's Strathspey

C:R. Petrie

S:Petrie's Second Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances &c.

Z:Steve Wyrick <sjwyrick'at'astound'dot'net>, 6/11/04

N:Petrie's Second Collection, page 23

L:1/8

M:C

R:Strathspey

K:D

E|DAFA d/c/B/A/ FD|=C<CTE>D C2CE  |DAFA d/c/B/A/ FD|E<E e>c d2d  :|

f|d<df>d g>ef>d|eeed  =c2ce|d<df>d g>ef<d|e<ea>f  d2(df)|

d<df>d g>ef>d|e<ee>d  =c2(cg)|f<ae<f d<fB<d|E<Ee>c d2d  |]

 

MR. BAILLIE OF MELLERSTON. Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard tuning. AAB (Gow, Glen): AABB' (Athole). Composed by Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831), Scottish fiddler, composer, music publisher and bandleader, and one of the sons of the famous Dunkeld, Perthshire, fiddler Niel Gow. Mellerstain House is a stately manor north of Kelso in the Borders, Scotland, home of the earls of Haddington. The title perhaps honors George Baillie (1763-1841) of Mellerstain House and Jerviswood—the latter was the original seat of the Baillie family, the former was the principal property and their private residence. He was brother to Thomas, 7th Earl of Haddington, and younger son of Charles Lord Binning. George married Mary Pringle, youngest daughter of Sir James Pringle, in 1801. He was a Captain in the Hopetoun Fencibles (Lord Hoptoun’s regiment), formed after war with France broke out in 1793. In 1796 he was elected MP for the county of Berwick, defeating Sir Alexander Don, and he retained his seat until the election of 1818. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 160. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Dance Music), vol. 2, 1895; pg. 45. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1792; pg. 25 (3rd ed.). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 259. Rounder Records CDROUN7053, Theresa Morrison – “Lake Bras d’Or: Scottish Violin Music from Cape Breton Island” (2005).

X:1

T:Mr. Baillie of Mellerstain

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

e|B<E B>d D>E F<d|B>EB>F E>F G<A|B<dF<d D>E F<d|B>EB>F E2E:|

|:g/a/|b<e e>f d>ef>a|b<(e e)>g e>ge<B|d>fB>d D>EF>d|1 B<E B>F E2E:|2 E>e B/A/G/F/ E2 E||

X:2

T:Mr. Baillie of Mellerston’s Strathspey

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

C:Nathaniel Gow

B:Gow – 3rd Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels, 3rd ed., pg. 25 (orig. 1792)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

e|B<EB>d D>EFd|B<EB>F “tr”E>FGA|B>dF>d D>EFd|B<EB>F {F}E2E:||g/a/|

b(ee>)f “tr”d>efa|b(ee>)g e>ge^c|d<fB>d D>Efd|B<E”tr”B>F {F}E2 Eg/a/|

(b(ee).f “tr”d>e f/e/f/a/|b(ee>).f e>ge^c|d<fB>d D>EFd|Ee (B/A/)G/F/ {F}E2E||

 

MR. BAIRD OF NEWBYTH’S JIG. Scottish, Jig. E Minor. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Malcolm MacDonald, who dedicated his first collection to Baird's spouse, Mrs. Baird of Newbyth. MacDonald (A Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol. 1); pg. 18.

X:1

T:Mr. Baird of Newbyth’s Jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:MacDonald – Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol. 1

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

d | B2E EGE | BGE BGE | F2D DFD | AFD AFD | B2E EGE |

BGE BGE | BdB AFA | BGE E2 :: a | ^g2(ee)ge | ^geg geg |

f2d dfa | afa aba | ^g2e ege | ^geg geg | fdf ecA | BGE E2 :|

 

MR. BAIRD OF NEWBYTH’S REEL. Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Malcolm MacDonald, who dedicated his first collection to Baird's spouse, Mrs. Baird of Newbyth. MacDonald (A Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol. 1); pg. 7.

X:1

T:Mr. Baird of Newbyth’s Reel

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:MacDonald – Collection of Strathspey Reels

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d | D/D/D AD FDAF | E=cGc E=CGE | FADA GBEg | fdec dD D :|

f | defg abag | fdaf geef | defg abag | faeg fddf | defg abag |

fdaf geeA | FADA GBEg | fdec dD D ||

                       

MR. BARCLAY. Scottish, Strathspey or Reel. D Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Alexander Walker in honor of Mr. Barclay of Braes of Enzie. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 99, pg. 34.

                       

MR. BARNARD('S REEL). AKA - "Mr. Bernard." Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard tuning. AB (Gow): AAB (Athole). Composed by Scottish fiddler, composer, music publisher and bandleader Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831), son of the famous Niel Gow. The tune was  named after an Edinburgh dancing master. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 81, pgs. 132‑133. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 293. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 225. Atlantica Music 02 77657 50222 26, Jerry Holland - “Atlantic Fiddles” (1994). Fiddlesticks Music CD1, Jerry Holland - “The Fiddlesticks Collection” (1992). Rounder 7001, Joe Cormier ‑ "The Dances Down Home" (1977).

X:1

T:Mr. Bernard

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

G|~F2 CF AFEF|DFCF A,FCF|~F2 CF AFEF|GA~BA GG,G,:|

d|~c2 df cdAB|cfAB caAB|~c2 df cdAc|~BGAF GG,G,d|~cfef dfcf|

cfef afef|dbca BgAf|~BGAF GG,G,||

                       


MR. BASSE, HIS CAREER. AKA and see "The Hunter in His Career."

                       

MR. BERNARD. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. Probably "Mr. Barnard." Atlantica Music 02 77657 50222 26, Jerry Holland - “Atlantic Fiddles” (1994). Fiddlesticks Music CD1, Jerry Holland - “The Fiddlesticks Collection” (1992). Rounder 7001, Joe Cormier ‑ "The Dances Down Home" (1977).

                       

MR. BEVERIDGE. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by J. Scott Skinner, appearing first in his "Miller o' Hirn Collection" (1881). Mr. Beveridge was a "violin maker, late of Tough," a village near Alford in Aberdeenshire. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1986; pg. 42.

                       

MR. BEVERIDGE'S MAGGOT. English, Country Dance Tune (3/2 time). G Minor. Standard tuning. ABB (Sharp): AABB (Barnes). Beverdige was a court dancing master whose hey-day was in the 1680's in England and who, along with Issacs, began devising maggots--distinctive longways country dances to triple-time hornpipes. A maggot was another name for a dram, a unit of liquid measure, but also meant a small thing of little consequence or a plaything, from the Italian maggioletta. The melody dates to 1701. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Fleming‑Williams & Shaw (English Dance Airs; Popular Selection, Book 1), 1965; pg. 8. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 28. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 79.

X:1

T:Mr. Beveridge’s Maggot

M:3/2

L:1/8

S:Sharp – Country Dance Tunes  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

g4 ^f3 =e/f/ g4|d2 cB AB c2 B2 G2|g4 a3 g/a/ b4|f2 ed cd e2 d2 B2|g4 ^f3 =e/f/ g4|

d2 cB AB c2 B2 G2|g4 a3 g/a/ b4|f2 ed cd e2 d2 B2||

|:d2 f4 f2 f4|c2 e4 e2 e4|B2 d4 d2 d2 cB|AB c2 B2 AG ^F2 D2|d2 a4 a2 a2 d2|

b2 a2 g2 ^f2 g4|de f2 Bc d2 AB c2|B2G2 G3 ^F G4:|

                       

MR. BOBBIE. Scottish, Jig or Two‑Step. G Major ('A' & 'B' parts) & D Major ('C' part). Standard tuning. ABCC. The tune was composed by Bert Murray and named for his small daughter's imaginary friend. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 68, pg. 93.

                       

MR. BUSHBY MAITLAND. Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AA'B. Composed by Nathaniel Gow, probably for John Bushby-Maitland (1767-1822), Member of Parliament for Camelford, Dumfries, and a Whig. He was the son of John Bushby of Tinwald Downs and was an advocate and Sheriff of Wigtownshire when he came to the attention of poet Robert Burns. In the second of the Hernon Election Ballads, Burns lashes him as an advocate and refers to him as having the heart but not the head of his father. See also other tunes for the family: “Miss Bushby Maitland’s Reel.” Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 294. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1792; pg. 8 (3rd ed.).

X:1

T:Mr. Bushby Maitland’s Reel

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

C:Nathaniel Gow

B:Gow – 3rd Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels, 3rd ed., pg. 8  (orig. 1792)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A|FDAF “tr”d2 dA|d2 “tr”df eEEA|1 FDAF d2 dB|cdeg fdd:|2 FDAF dABG|

FA dg fdd||g|”tr”f>ede fgaf|”tr”gfed cAeg|”tr”fede fgaf|

ecdB Addg|fdfg fgaf|”tr”g>fed cAeg|fdgb afge|fdec dDD||

                       

MR. CAMPBELL CRAIGNISH. Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB'. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 210.

X:1

T:Mr. Campbell Craignish

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

B|A/B/c cB Acfc|A/B/c cA BGGB|A/B/c cB Acfd|cABG F/F/F F:|

c|fcfa fcfa|cfaf egga|1 fcfa cfag|fdcA F/F/F F:|2 fgag ~fcdf|cABG F/F/F ~F2||

                       

MR. CAMPBELL OF GLENLYONS REEL. Scottish, Reel. A Major. St