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Image Title Item Description
Page 2 of 2, May Blossom
JSS0253
Page 2 of 2, May Blossom 2nd page of the waltz, May Blossom. In the last line, Skinner has added instructions for fingering and bowing. The accompaniment is unfinished. He writes at the foot: To James McPherson - try & give the whole bow to the dotted minim - Valses are splendid practise for acquiring accurate & tasteful phrasing. The Germans are born Valse composers. See Strauss's 'Blue Danube' & Guigl's 'Venus Regea'.
Haydn's Hymn to the Emperor
JSS0254
Haydn's Hymn to the Emperor Skinner has added his own variations to the well known melody from Haydn's 'Emperor' Quartet,(the German National Anthem). It is confusing to read at first - each line must be read as a single line of music. The lines on the left hand side of the page joining three staves at a time, should be ignored. He writes to his pupil James McPherson: Care. Only M.S. no draft kept'.
Note to James MacPherson from James Scott Skinner
JSS0255
Note to James MacPherson from James Scott Skinner Skinner wrote this note to his pupil James McPherson, Kirriemuir, Angus, on the reverse side of a version of Haydn's 'Emperor' theme. He asks McPherson: 'Do you get the Friend regularly? Peruse Wm Honeyman's remarks re Peter Milne in this weeks Friend'. The Friend refers to the weekly publication, The People's Friend, William Honeyman was the editor. Peter Milne was an early tutor to Skinner.
The Rose o' Letham
JSS0256
The Rose o' Letham This melody has been written on an envelope. Skinner would often use whatever material was to hand when writing out his melodies - he even used a shirtcuff! (See JSS0261). Letham is in Angus, near Arbroath, and the 'Rose' seems to have been 'Miss Nellie McAdam, living at 35 Madiera Street, Leith' (Edinburgh).
The Weeping Birches of Kilmorack
JSS0257
The Weeping Birches of Kilmorack The weeping birches were dying trees at Kilmorack, a glen near Beauly, Inverness-shire. Although a pathetic sight, the grey trees were near a railway line, and suffered when a train, carrying lime, derailed. Skinner wrote this version out on a letter.
Four single bar strains
JSS0258
Four single bar strains These four single bar snatches of melodies have been written on the back of an envelope. They are: at the top, Drumblair (from the second part of the The Laird of Drumblair), The Cradle Song (opening bar), The Bride's Reel (opening bar), The Miller o' Hirn (opening bar).
Double stopping exercise
JSS0259
Double stopping exercise Exercises given to James MacPherson, Kirriemuir for double stopping in 6ths and octaves.
Three Slow Airs
JSS0260
Three Slow Airs Written on the back of an advert for a tailor in Dundee, the instructions for playing '3 Slow Airs' [music not included] are as follows: 'Begin every bar with a down bow - learn to produce first a big note with long bows then put the same in with delicate tremor and small delicate tracings. S.S.'
Descending 'Studie' [on shirt cuff]
JSS0261
Descending 'Studie' [on shirt cuff] 'Descending studie by S.S. [Bar 1:] D major scale descending in semiquavers. [Above empty bar 2:] up. Same all the waydown until low D is reached playing constantly on the three positions given facility.' Skinner wrote these exercises out on a shirt cuff.
Note on a shirt cuff
JSS0262
Note on a shirt cuff On the reverse of his shirt cuff note 'Descending studie' Skinner has written: 'All of us have a proportion of dirty linen to wash?'

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Historic Collections · Kings College · Old Aberdeen · AB24 3SW
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