The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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MRS

 

 

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]

 

 

 

MRS. A. MACGLASHAN. AKA - “Mrs. A. McGlashan,” AKA and see "Mrs. Alexander MacGlashan."

                                      

MRS. A. MACPHERSON OF INVERAN. Scottish. Composed by Pipe Major G.S. McLennan (1883-1927), a bagpiper revered in Highland circles.

                          

MRS. A. R. FINDLAY. Scottish, Reel. Composed in 1931 by Aberdeenshire fiddler and composer J. Murdoch Henderson (1902-1972), dedicated to the Conductor of the Aberdeen High School Orchestra. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935.

                                      

MRS. ABERCROMBYS OF GLUPAS REEL. Scottish, Reel. G Minor. Standard. AAB.

X:1

T:Mrs. Abercrombys of Glupas Reel

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

N:”Slow”

S:William Sydney Mount (1807-1868) manuscripts, c. 1840’s?

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

F | G>DG>A B>cd>g | f<b d>B (c/B/A/G/ F>)A | G>DG>A B>cd>g |

f>c d/(c/B/A/) B>G G2 :| g>fd>f “tr”(g/f/g/a/) b>g | f>dc>d (f>g{f/g/}a>f |

(b>a)(a>g) (g>f)(f>d) | c3f (d/c/B/A/) (B<G) G2 | g>fd>f “tr”(g/f/g/a/) b>g |

f>dc>d (f>g){f/g/}(a>f) | (g>f)(e>d) (c>e)(d>c) | “tr”B/(A/b/c/) (d/c/B/A/) B<G G ||

                                      

MRS. ADIE. AKA - "Mrs. Adye." Scottish, Strathspey. B Flat Major. Standard. AB (Cole, Surenne): AAB (Athole, Gow, Skye). Composed by Major William Logan. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 171. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 124. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 125. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 162. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 279. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pgs. 54-55 (appears as “Mrs. Adye”).

X:1

T:Mrs. Adie

T:Mrs. Adye’s

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:B_

d|B<B ~B2 c>A F<A|B<B c>B A<F F>B|G<A B>G F>D B,<D|

E<G F>E D<B,B,:|

f|d>Bf>B b>Bf>B|A/B/c c>B A<F F2|G>A B>G F>DB,>D|E<G F>E D<B, B,>B|

d>B f<B b<Bf<B|A/B/c c>B A<F ~F>_A|G<E E>G F<D D>F|E<C C>F D<B,B||

N:Last time only ||(3GEE (3EFG (3FDD (3DEF|(3ECC (3CDF (3DB,B, B,||

 

MRS. ALEXANDER BRODIE.  Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AB. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pg. 162.

X:1

T:Mrs. Alexander Brodie

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Surenne – Dance Music of Scotland, pg. 162  (1852)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f | gefd edcA | gefd B3f | gefd edcA | dBAF D3f | gefd edcA | gefd B3f |

gefd edcA | dBAF D3 || F | DFAF BGAF | dBAF E<EEF | DFAF BGAc |

(d/c/B/A/) dF D<DDF | DFAF BGAF | dBAF ({F}E3)g | afge fdec | cBAF D3 ||

 

MRS. ALEXANDER MACGLASHAN. Scottish, Jig. G Minor. Standard. AAB (Glen): AABB’ (Cranford/Fitzgerald). This 18th century melody was probably composed, and certainly published by John MacGlashan (sometimes McGlashan), who may or may not have been related to the famous Scottish fiddle/composer Alexander "King" MacGlashan. Source for notated version: Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cranford (Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 199, pg. 78. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Music), Vol. 2, 1895; pg 34.

X:1

T:Mrs. A. MacGlashan

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Glen Collection, Vol. 2  (1895)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

D|G2G GB,G,|G,B,D BAG|F2c A2f|cdB AGF|G2G GB,G,|

G,B,D BAG|F2f c2A|dBG G2:|

d|g/a/ba gdB|GBd gab|f/g/ag fcA|FAc fga|g/a/ba gdB|GBd gab|

agf cAc|dBG G2d|g/a/ba gdB|GBd gab|f/g/ag fcA|FAc fga|

bgb a^fa|gdg fcf|dfd cAc|dBG G2||

 

MRS. ALLAN MACDONALD. Canadian, Strathspey. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Cape Breton fiddler Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). The ‘B’ part is played in third position. Cameron (Trip to Windsor), 1994; pg. 2.

 

MRS. ANDERSON OF BALGAY. Scottish, Reel. C Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Abraham Macintosh. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Music), Vol. 1, 1891; pg. 34.

X:1

T:Mrs. Anderson of Balgay

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Glen Collection, Vol. 1  (1891)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C
E|CEGc EGce|cAGE FDDG|cGEC EGce|fagf ecc:|

e/f/|gecg afda|gece fdde/f/|gecg afde|fagf ecce/f/|gecg afda|

gece fddf|ecBA GAGE|FDGF ECC||

 

MRS. ANDERSON'S STRATHSPEY--OF FOCHABERS. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). Mrs. Anderson was the wife of Reverend John Anderson, a teacher of the young Marshall (Cowie, The Life and Times of William Marshall, 1999). Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 21.

X:1

T:Mrs. Anderson’s Strathspey—of Fochabers

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:Marshall – 1822 Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

c/d/|e>fec e>fec|~B>cde f(BB)c/d/|e>fec Aag>f|f/e/d/c/ B/c/d/e/ c(AA):|

E|CA,AE cAec|d>e f/e/d/c/ B(FF)B|AcEc BdEd|c/a/g/f/ e/d/c/B/ c(AA)E|

CA,AE cAec|d>e f/e/d/c/ B(FF)B|AcEc BdEd|c/a/g/f/ e/d/c/B/ cAA||

 


MRS. ANNE MACDERMOTT ROE. Irish, Planxty (2/4 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 82, pg. 68.

 

MRS. ARNOT. Scottish. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of this tune in print in John Riddell's 1766 collection (pg. 60).

           

MRS. B. CATTO, ABERDEEN. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. Composed by Aberdeenshire fiddler and composer J. Murdoch Henderson (1902-1972), named in honor of a reciter of Scots poetry. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935.

                       

MRS. BABS ANDERSON. Shetland, Strathspey. Composed by Tom Anderson (Shetland) in memory of his late wife, who encouraged his composing and collecting. Topic 12TS379, Aly Bain & Tom Anderson ‑ "Shetland Folk Fiddling, vol. 2" (1978).

           

MRS. BAILLIE. See “Mrs. Colonel Bailie of Red-Castle.”

                       

MRS. BAIRD. AKA – “Mrs. Baird Hill’s Reel.” Scottish, Reel. G Minor. Standard tuning. AA'B. The melody appears in Malcolm MacDonald’s 4th collection, dedicated to the Countess of Breadalbane. MacDonald (A Fourth Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1797; pg. 2. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 187.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baird hill’s Reel

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

A | BGA^F GDD=E | F/F/F AF cFAc |1 BGA^F GDDg | fdcA G2G :|2

BGA^F GABg | fdcA G2G || ^f | gdgb =fcfa | gdgb gagd | fgdf AFAc |

dBcA BGG^f | gdgb =fcfa | gdgb gafg | dfcf AFAc | dBcA {^F}G2G ||

 

MRS. BAIRD OF NEW BYTH [1]. AKA and see “Miss Baird of Newbyth.” Scottish, Strathspey. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Niel Gow (1727-1807). Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 172. Gow (First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1784 (revised 1801); pg. 7.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baird of New Byth [1]

C:Niel Gow

M:C

L:1/8

N:”Slowish”

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

B | AD ({B}A)G/F/ E(=CC>)E | AD (B/A/G/F/) AD (B/A/G/F/) | BGAF E(=CC>)E |

AD ({B}A)G/F/ AD D :| (g | f>)dAd e(=cc>)e | f>dAd f>dAd | A>dfd e(=cc>)e |

f>dAd F(DD>)(g | f>)dAd e(=cc>)(e | f>)dAd f>dec | d>A=c>=F E(=CC>)E | AD ({B}A)G/F/ AD D ||

 

MRS. BAIRD OF NEWBYTH [2]. Scottish, Strathspey. C Major. Standard tuning. AB (Surenne): AABB' (Kerr, Stewart-Robertson). The tune is attributed tow William MacDonald in the Gow’s 2nd Collection (1788). Newbyth is in East Lothian, and lies on the Peffer Burn north of East Linton. It is the birthplace of Sir David Baird of Newbyth (1757-1829, whose mother may be the Mrs. Baird honoured by MacDonald’s melody. Sir David was a hero of military campaigns in India and saw service in the Napoleonic Wars. He was made baronet in 1809. This anecdote is told of Mrs. Baird of Newbyth:

***

Mrs. Baird of Newbyth, the mother of our distinguished countryman the late General

Sir David Baird, was always spoken of as a grand specimen of the class. When the news

arrived from India of the gallant but unfortunate action of ‘84 against Hyder All (ed. AKA

Hyder Ali {1722-1782} or Haider ‘Alt), in which her son, then Captain Baird, was engaged,

it was stated that he and other officers had been taken prisoners and chained together two

and two. The friends were careful in breaking such sad intelligence to the mother of Captain

Baird. When, however, she was made fully to understand the position of her son and his gallant

companions, disdaining all weak and useless expressions of her own grief, and knowing

well the restless and athletic habits of her son, all she said was, "Lord pity the chiel that’s

chained to our Davie!”

***

Gow (Second Collection of Neil Gow’s Reels), 1788, 3rd ed.; pg. 9. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 92, pg. 12. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 75. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pgs. 150-151.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baird of Newbyth  [2]

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

F|E/F/G G>A c>de>d|c>AG>E A<D D>F|E/F/G G>A c>de>d|c>AG>E G<CC:|

f|e/f/g c>g e<c g>e|f>g a/g/f/e/ f<d d>g|e/f/g c>g e<c g>e|c<A G>E G<C C>f|

e/f/g c>g e<cg>e|f>g a/g/f/e/ f<d d>g|e>gd>e c>de>d|c>AG>E G<CC||

 

MRS. BAIRD OF NEWBYTH [3]. Scottish, Strathspey. E Dorian. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Malcolm McDonald, who dedicated his first collection to Mrs. Baird. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Music), vol. 1, 1891; pg. 47. MacDonald (Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol. 1), c. 1788; pg. 1.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baird of Newbyth [3]

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:MacDonald – Collection of Strathspey Reels I  (c. 1788)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

d|B<E B>G B>EBe | dBAG FADd | BEBG BEBf | {g}f2 e^deE E :|

B | (e>fg)e fde^c | dBAG FADd | (e>fg)e fde^c | {g}f2 e^d eEEB |

e>fge fde^c| dBAG FADd | BEBG Bcde | {g}f2 e^d eE E ||

 

MRS. BAIRD OF NEWBYTH’S JIGG.  Scottish, Jig. A Major. Standard. AABB’. Composed by Malcolm MacDonald, the melody appears in his first collection (c. 1788), dedicated to Mrs. Baird of Newbyth. MacDonald (A Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1788; pg. 21.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baird of Newbyth’s Jigg

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:MacDonald – Collection of Strathspey Reels, vol. 1 (c. 1788)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

F | E3E3 | EFA {d}”tr”c2A | F3F3 | B>dB “tr”c2A | E3E3 | EFA “tr”(c2A) |

(F2B) (B2d) | cAA A2 :: (c/d/) | e>ce e>ce | ece {=g}(f2e) | fdf fdf |

fdf {a}(g2f) |1 ece ece | ece {=g}(f2e) | faf ece | cAA A2 :|2 faf ece |

d2e f2e | faf ece | cAA A2 ||

 

MRS. BAKER'S HORNPIPE. AKA and see "Miss Baker's Hornpipe," "Miss Bacon's Hornpipe." English, Hornpipe. F Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Mrs. Baker was a famous stage dancer who performed the hornpipe in the 18th century theater (along with Miss Anne Catley and Nancy Dawson, among others, according to Frank Kidson in his entry on hornpipes in Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians): “About 1760 the hornpipe underwent a radical change, for it was turned into common time and was altered in character. Miss Anne Catley, Mrs. Baker, Nancy Dawson, and other stage dancers, introduced it into the theatre, and they have given their names to hornpipes which are even now popular.” Versions of this tune can be found in Thompson's Complete Collection of Country Dance Tunes (Vol. III, pg. 29, No. 58), and in the Alymore MS, the John Clare ms. (Helpston, Northants, 1820, as "Miss Bacon's Hornpipe”), and the John Rook ms. (Warerton, 1840). Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 111a, pg. 46.

X:1

T:Mrs. Baker’s Hornpipe

M:C

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

B:Ashman – Ironbridge Hornpipe

K:F

cB | A2(F2 F)AGF | EG (B2 B)dcB | Acde fcdB | …

X:2

T:Mrs. Baker’s

M:C

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:John Rook manuscript (Warerton, 1840)

K:G

dc|B2G2 GBAG|FA c2 cedc|Bdef gdec|B2G2G2:|

|:(3def|adBd gbag|afdf ac’ba|bgaf geag|f2d2d2gd|

(3efg (3Bcd cc’b|agfe edcB|(3cde (3FGA GdcA|B2G2G2:|

 

MRS. BARCLAY. Scottish, Reel. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker for Mrs. Barclay, Kincardine O'Neil. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c), 1866; No. 41, pg. 15.

 

MRS. BARNEY BRALLAGHAN. AKA and see "Barney Brallaghan."

 

MRS. BEATTY WALLACE. Canadian, Jig. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. D Major (Cameron): A Major (Perlman). Standard tuning. AABB (Cranford/Fitzgerald): AA’BB’ (Cameron, Perlman). Composed by Cape Breton fiddler and composer Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). Sources for notated versions: Kenny Chaisson (b. c. 1947, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island; now resides in Rollo Bay) [Perlman]; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton), who reversed the ‘A’ and ‘B’ parts [Cranford]. Cameron (Trip to Windsor), 1994; pg. 52. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 89, pg. 38. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 90.


 

MRS. BERTHA AIM. Scottish, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Shetland fiddler Arthur S. Robertson (b. 1911) and dedicated to Mrs. Bertha Aim, widow of the late Ronnie Aim of Orknay (1919‑1982) who was a reknowned fiddler of those islands. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 142, pg. 181.

 

MRS. BIGGS (OF NEWCASTLE'S) DELIGHT. Scottish, Stathspey. B Flat Major. Standard. AA. The air appears in Watlen's collection of Celebrated Circus Tunes (1791) with the note "The celebrated Strathspey Minuet as danced by Mr. Lassells and Mrs. Parker at the Royal Circus, London and Edinburgh" (the Strathspey Minuet was a couple dance performed to a strathspey). Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; No. 66, pg. 154.

 

MRS. BIRMINGHAM. Irish, Air or Planxty. The air has been attributed to the blind Irish harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738), though there is no definitive evidence for this according to Donal O’Sullivan.

 

MRS. BLAIR OF AVONTOWN'S FAVORITE. Scottish, Slow Quickstep. D Major. Standard. AABB. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 576.

 

MRS. BOSWELL OF AUCHINLECK'S REEL. Scottish, Reel. B Flat Major. Standard. AAB. Composed by John French (1752‑1803), originally from Cumnock. Published in his posthumous 1803 collection "Strathspey Reels &c," which collection was dedicated to Mrs. Boswell, the wife of James Boswell, Dr. Johnson's amanuensis. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 89, pg. 143.

 

MRS. BOURKE. Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard. AAB. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 236.

X:1

T:Mrs. Bourke

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

C|~F2 AF EGGB|AFAc ~f2 cf|dBcF EGGB|AcCE F2F:|

c|~fcfa gceg|a/g/f g/f/e ~f2 cB|AcdB cffd|cBAG ~F2 FA|

~fcfa gceg|a/g/f g/f/e ~f2 cf|AFcF fdcB|AcCE ~F2F||

 

MRS. BOUTH'S MINUET. Scottish, Minuet. The melody appears in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768).

 

MRS. BRODIE SHERIFF OF BATTLEBLENT'S STRATHSPEY. Scottish, Strathspey. G Major. Standard. AABB'. Composition credited to G. Rankin by Kerr. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 176, pg. 20.

 

MRS. BRODIE SHERIFF OF BATTLEBLENT'S REEL. Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard. AABB'. Composition credited to G. Rankin by Kerr. Largely a reel version of the strathspey of the same name. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 177, pg. 20.

 

MRS. BROWN('S REEL) OF LINKWOOD. Scottish, Reel. E Minor. Standard. AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). Mrs. Brown was probably the wife of either George Brown or his son Peter Brown. The Browns were surveyors, and Peter turned the whiskey still at Linkwood into a licensed distillery that still produces spirits toady (Cowie, The Life and Times of William Marshall, 1999). Marshall may have come in contact with the Browns through his interest in surveying, or in the context of his employment as Steward of the Household for the Duke of Gordon (the elder Brown was factor for forty years to the Earl of Findlater). MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 79. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 60. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 252.

X:1

T:Mrs. Brown of Linkwood

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:The Athole Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

F|E>FG>A B2 B>^c|d>Bad FDAF|E>FGA B2 Bf|gef^d e/e/e e:|

f|gef^d e2 Be|dBAd FDDf|gef^d Be|d>BAF E/E/E Ef|gef^d e2 Be|

dBAd FDDF|E>FGA B2 Bf|gef^d e/e/e e||