Scotland's leading lute player, Rob MacKillop, will present a programme of rarely heard music from the 17th-century Scottish lute manuscripts, including the important manuscript of Robert Gordon of Straloch, Aberdeenshire. Included in the programme will also be items for the 17th-century cittern and 18th-century wire-strung 'guittar'.
The Scottish lute repertoire - some 500 pieces - survives in half a dozen manuscripts from the 17th century, yet the lute's presence in Scotland can be traced back to at least the 13th century. It was the favoured instrument at court, and no less than ten lutars (not the English term , 'lutenists') were employed at the court of James IV. Unfortunately, thanks in large to the Reformation, no manuscripts survive from this period. The lute music that does survive stems from a period between the dissolution of the Scottish court in 1603 and the beginning of the 'Italian musical invasion' at the end of the 17th century. The music is a mixture of classical and traditional elements, and includes the earliest setting of such classic Scots airs as 'Auld Lang Syne' and 'Flowers of the Forest'.
The cittern manuscript of Robert Edwards, Minister of The Murroes, north of Dundee, calls for a 'diatonic' cittern. It is a very curious instrument, tuned in meantone temperament and has some frets missing. This medieval aesthetic was clearly still in use in Scotland, France and Holland, whilst the English were already using completely chromatic instruments.
The 18th-century wire-strung guittar was immensely popular in Scotland, with one of the finest guittar makers, Ruddiman, residing in Aberdeen. William Wilson published songs for it in Aberdeen, but most of the many other publications were published in Edinburgh, including the first ever tutor for the instrument - by Robert Bremner in 1758. In tonight's programme, the more traditional repertoire will be taken from Bremner's tutor, whilst the more classical pieces will be taken from James Oswald's Twelve Divertimentis for the Guittar of 1759.
Rob MacKillop has gained an international reputation as being the finest interpreter of the historical Scottish lute, guitar and cittern repertoire. His background in traditional music, and his studies in classical guitar and lute, have contributed to the uniqueness of his talent. He has recorded seven CDs of early Scottish music, either as a soloist or in various ensembles, has toured Europe and Japan, and has broadcast live many times on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland. In 2001, MacKillop was a recipient of a prestigious Churchill Travelling Fellowship which allowed him to study with Sufi musicians in Turkey and Morocco. He has given academic papers, outcomes of his research into early Scottish instrumental music, at international conferenc-es, and lectures at Dundee University on the history of Scottish music.
Concert at 3 pm Sunday 2 March 2003 King's College Chapel, Old Aberdeen. Tickets £7.50 (£5) from Aberdeen Box Office (Tel 01224 641122) or at the door until sold out.
Scotland's leading lute player, Rob MacKillop:
'A top-drawer player, a master of his instrument' Early Music Today
'A player of real quality, with warmth of personality and communication skills to match...one of Scotland's top professionals.' Classical Guitar
'One of my favourite records of all time. Kill for a copy if you're not a desiccated purist' The Lute Society
'Extraordinary beauty...musical drifts of elixir...a gentle intoxication...bewitching' The Scotsman
'MacKillop displays dazzling virtuosity...the playing is exceptionally musical' Sounding Strings
'This album is delightful!...hauntingly beautiful...Look out for this one, it's worth it.' The Lute Society of America