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Image |
Title |
Item Description |
JSS0563
|
Explanation of ornaments, Fifty Favourite Scotch Airs |
Francis Peacock, official Aberdeen dancing-master for fifty years, published this collection in 1762. Perhaps to help ensure that his arrangements of Scottish tunes were played as he would like, he included a list ornaments (decorations to the notes) from Geminani's 'Art of playing on the Violin' [1751]. This highly successful violin tutor was still in print well into the nineteenth century, and facsimilies are available today. |
JSS0564
|
Page 1 of 2, Table of Contents, John Niven Collection |
John Niven's collection dates from 1761, the year before Francis Peacock's Fifty Favourite Scotch Airs (JSS0559) appeared. Niven may have copied from printed music collections, perhaps belonging to friends. Or he could have written down tunes which he had learned by ear, as seen in the James Christie MS 1730-1760. Niven, a wealthy Jacobite sympathiser, lived in what is now known as Provost Skene's House, one of the oldest houses in Aberdeen. Niven's 70 pages of music include 227 tunes, some published by Robert Bremner, and James Oswald. |
JSS0565
|
Page 2 of 2, Table of Contents, John Niven Collection |
Collection of music 'July 11 1761' transcribed by John Niven. Niven, a wealthy Jacobite sympathiser, lived in what is now known as Provost Skene's House, one of the oldest houses in Aberdeen. Niven's 70 pages of music include 227 tunes, some published by Robert Bremner, and James Oswald. Pasted at bottom right is an Aberdeen Press and Journal clipping [23 March 1933] from Niven's great-grand-daughter, concerned about the possible demolition of Niven's home. The Duke of Cumberland was billeted there in 1746, during the Jacobite War. Perhaps Niven had been his willing - or unwilling - host. |
JSS0566
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Title page, John Niven Collection |
Collection of music 'July 11 1761' transcribed by John Niven. Niven, a wealthy Jacobite sympathiser, lived in what is now known as Provost Skene's House, one of the oldest houses in Aberdeen. Niven's 70 pages of music include 227 tunes, some published by Robert Bremner, and James Oswald. The '1st part Sett by Alexr Fraser Aberdeen'. His title page reads 'Inflamed by Musick Soldiers fight / Inspired by Musick Poets write / Musick can heal the Lovers wound / And calm fierce raging by gentle sound / Philosophy attempts in vain / What Musick can with ease attain.' |
JSS0567
|
Rudiments of Music, John Niven Collection |
Collection of music 'July 11 1761' transcribed by John Niven. Niven, a wealthy Jacobite sympathiser, lived in what is now known as Provost Skene's House, one of the oldest houses in Aberdeen. Niven's 70 pages of music include 227 tunes, some published by Robert Bremner, and James Oswald. This page shows scales and notes for learning to read music, and is similar to Catharine Moir's (JSS0547). The handwritten section discussed bowing, so Niven was presumably a fiddler. |
JSS0568
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The Flowers of Edinburgh, Gilder Roy |
Collection of music 'July 11 1761' transcribed by John Niven. Niven, a wealthy Jacobite sympathiser, lived in what is now known as Provost Skene's House, one of the oldest houses in Aberdeen. Niven's 70 pages of music include 227 tunes, some published by Robert Bremner, and James Oswald. 'The Flowrs' was first published by William McGibbon in the 1750s, and reprinted by Bremner around 1762. Gilder Roy (Gilderoy), a traditional Scottish ballad, was printed in a Ballad Opera, The Jovial Crew, in 1731.
You can hear Skinner playing this tune on the audio clip cd15a. |
JSS0569
|
Major McLean |
This slow strathspey was 'communicated by [Clementina] Lady Elphinstone' (1749-1822), and may be another example of music by a woman composer of traditional dance music. The tune was first published in Gow's Fifth Collections, and is also known as 'Lothian Lasses' and 'Lady Loughborough's Reel', according to J. Murdoch Henderson's handwritten note under the music. |
JSS0570
|
Rosabell |
This slow strathspey was 'Composed and communicated by Miss Murray of Auchtertyre' (about three miles from Crieff, Perthshire), so is an undeniable example of the work of a woman composer of traditional dance music. She may be the Euphemia Murray of Auchtertyre to whom Robert Burns wrote his poem 'Blythe Was She' on a visit there in 1787: / By Oughtertyre grows the aik, / On Yarrow banks the birken shaw; / But Phemie was a bonier lass / Than the braes o' Yarrow ever saw. The tune was first published in Gow's Fifth Collection |
JSS0571
|
The Pic Nic |
This first and last sections of this piece were written by Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831), son of the famous fiddler Niel Gow. Mr Giornovichi, an Italian violinist with the Edinburgh Musical Society in the 18th century, wrote the middle section. He also wrote other music, including violin concerti. |
JSS0572
|
Mrs Normand Lockharts Reel |
This reel was 'Composed and communicated by Mr Wm. Clarke Organ[ist]' (c. 1780-c. 1825). Clarke was the son of the better-known Stephen Clarke (1735?-1797), Durham-born Edinburgh organist. Clark harmonised and arranged much of James Johnson's 'Scots Musical Museum', which contained many songs by Robert Burns. |