BONNIE KATE [1] (Cait Deas). AKA - "Bonny Kate." AKA and see "The Boys of Limerick," "The Bonny Lass of Fishirron/Fisherrow," "Cait Bhoidheach." Irish, English, Canadian; Reel. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, Ontario. D Major. Standard. AB (Breathnach, Kerr, O'Neill): ABB' (Moylan): AABB (Brody, Allan, Cole, Phillips): AA'BB' (Perlman): ABCD (Breathnach, Miller). The tune, which appears to have been derived in Ireland from the Scot Daniel Dow's C Major reel "The Bonnie Lass of Fisherrow" (published in his Complete Repository, vol. 3, c. 1773), was popularised by the famous Irish-American fiddler Michael Coleman whose setting has become a classic. Daniel Michael Collins (in notes to Shanachie 29009) opines: "The reel has a great potential for creating boredom because of the fact that it contains phrases that are repeated over and over again. It is only through the use of variation and good presentation of rolls and triplets can any musician make the tunes in anyway interesting." An untitled setting appears in Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music and Song, No. 126. The tune was picked up by Texas style fiddler Benny Thomasson (from Cole's 1001??). Sources for notated versions: Kevin Burke (London/Co. Clare/Oregon) [Brody]; Benny Thomasson (Texas) [Phillips]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, October, 1984 [Moylan]; Kenny Chaisson (b. 1947, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island, now resident of Rollo Bay) [Perlman]; piper Seán Potts (1871-1956) and fiddler Tommy Potts (Ireland) [Breathnach]; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin]. Allan's Irish Fiddler, No. 44, pg. 11. Begin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley), 1985; No. 65, pg. 75. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 174-176, pgs. 68-69 {three versions}. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 53. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 6 (appears as "Bonnie Kate's"). Kennedy (Fiddlers' Tune Book), Vol. 1, 1951; No. 37, pg. 19 (appears as "Bonny Kate"). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 4; No. 41, pg. 7. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; Vol. 3, No. 19. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 141, pg. 83. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1277, pg. 240. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 545, pg. 101. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 78. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 34. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 160. Roche Collection (two settings), 1982; Vol. I, pg. 70, #'s 182 and 183. Avoca 139, Sean Maguire--"Music of Ireland." Breton Books and Music BOC 1HO, Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald - "Classic Cuts" (reissue of Celtic Records CX17). Copley Records EP9-20 (45 RPM), Paddy O'Brien (195?). Edison 50604 (78 RPM), John H. Kimmel, 1918 (appears as first tune of "Bonnie Kate Medley Reels"). Folkways FW 8876, Kevin Burke- "Sweeney's Dream." Folkways FG 3531, Jean Carignan- "Old Time Fiddle Tunes" (1968). Legacy 120, Jean Carignan- "French Canadian Fiddle Songs." Shanachie 29009, "Andy McGann & Paul Brady." Shanachie 33004, James Morrison- "The Pure Genius of James Morrison."
T:Bonnie Kate
R:reel
M:C
K:D
dB|AFdB ABAF|DFAF E2 EB|AFAd cde/f/d|cABc dcdB|
AFdB ABAF|DFAF E2 EB|AFAd ((3Bcd) ((3efd)|cABc defg||
a2 fd fafd|fafd e2 ef|gfef gbag|fedc defg|
a2 fd fafd|gabg fgaf|gfef gbag|1 fedc dcdB:|2 fedc d2 d2||
MISS ADMIRAL GORDON'S REEL/STRATHSPEY. AKA and see "Glasgow Flourish," "Of a' the airts the wind can blaw." Scottish, Slow Strathspey ("Slow when not danced"). A Major. Standard. AB (most versions): ABCD (McGlashan). One of the first composed and most famous tunes (c. 1775) by Scots fiddler William Marshall (1748-1833) in honor of Margaret Gordon, daughter and only surviving child of Admiral William Gordon (d. 1769), Carmelite House, Banff; four other children died before adulthood. Margaret survived to marry Mr. Forbes-Seton of Aberdeen, and their daughter married Lord James Hay. Moyra Cowie (1999) points out that Banff was a social hub for the well-to-do of North East Scotland in the 18th century, many of whom retained town-houses there and who spent the season socializing. Cowie believes Marshall would have met many through his position as the 4th Duke of Gordon's Steward of the Household. The Admiral's Carmelite house, which he built, survives today and has been converted into a small hotel.
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"Miss Admiral Gordon" was first published in Marshall's Strathspey Reels (1781, pg. 3). As was not uncommon, it was republished afterwards by Joshua Campbell, although unattributed and renamed "Glasgow Flourish" after that city's motto (Alburger, 1983). Niel Gow wrote a tune called "Major Graham (of Inchbrakie)," which has a similar motif, and there have been accusations by some (e.g. John Glen) of plagerism; it appears derivative in any case (as is the Gows' "Sir John Whitefoord's Strathspey," both published in their 1784 First Collection). Its popularity is due in part to the fact that Robert Burns wrote one of his best songs to it which begins: "Of a' the airts the wind can blaw." Burns' manuscript notes for the Scots Musical Museum contain the following -- "I have been told by somebody who had it from Marshall himself, that he took the idea of his three most celebrated pieces, 'The Marquis of Huntley's Reel,' 'His Farewell,' and 'Miss Admiral Gordon's Reel' from the old air, 'The German Lairdie'" (Emmerson, 1971). William Stenhouse maintains that Marshall fashioned the tune from the old melody of "The Lowlands of Holland" (by adding a second part), but John Glen (1891 & 1895) disputes this, saying that Stenhouse was in error and that "The Lowlands of Holland," especially as published by James Oswald in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, bears no resemblance. Nor does Glen credit Johnson (Scots Musical Museum) or Urbani (2nd Volume, 1794) who also published "The Lowlands of Holland" with originating "Miss Adimiral" for they were both published after Marshall published his tune. Burns wrote his lyric in honor of his bride-to-be, Jean Armour, while he was at Ellisland awaiting her arrival from Mauchline in Ayrshire, where he had first met her.
***
O a' the airts the wind can blaw,
I dearly lo'e the west
For there the bonnie lassie lives,
The lass that I lo'e best.
Tho' wild woods grow an' rivers tow,
Wi' mony a hill between,
Baith day and nicht, my fancy's flicht,
Is ever wi' my Jean.
***
The melody has been used for other songs, including a Canadian folksong, "The Scarborough Settlers' Lament" and a Scottish song "The Scottish Settlers' Lament" (see Stan Rogers' album "For the Family" and the Tannahill Weavers' album "Land of Light,", respectively.
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Source for notated version: Marshall's Strathspey Reels, 1781; pg. 3 [Johnson]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 64, pgs. 104-105. Emmerson (Rantin' Pipe and Tremblin' String), 1971; No. 61, pg. 150. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 5. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 147. Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 80, pg. 227. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1781 Collection, pg. 3. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 16. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 4. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 62, pg. 86.
T:Miss Admiral Gordon's Reel
L:1/8
M:C|
S:McGlashan - Reels
K:A
E|A/A/A A<A A>E A<f|e<c B>A F2 F2|A/A/A A<A A>E A<f|
e>f a<c (e2 e>)f|e>f a<c e<cB<A|Bc d/c/B/A/ F2 F2|A/A/A A<A AE A<f|
e<c B>c A2 A||E|C>E A<E F<EA<E|c>e d/c/B/A/ F2 FE|C>E A<E F<EA<E|
c>d e/f/g/a/ (e2 e>)g|a>g f<e f<e d<c|B>c d/c/B/A/ F2 F2|A/A/A A<A A>E A<f|
e<c B>c A2 A||E|A/A/A A/A/A A<E A<f|f/e/d/c/ d/c/B/A/ F2 F2|
A/A/A A/A/A AE A<f|e>f a<c e2 e>f|e>fa>b e<cB<A|B/A/B/c/ d/c/B/A/ F2F2|
A/A/A A/A/A A<E A<f|e<c B>c A2A||E|C/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/ F/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/|
c/B/c/e/ d/c/B/A/ F2 F>E|C/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/ F/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/|
c/B/c/d/ e/f/g/a/ e2 df/g/|a<gf<e fed<c|B>c d/c/B/A/ F2F2|A/A/A A/A/A A>E A<f|
e<cBc A2 AE|C/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/ F/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/|c/B/c/e/ d/c/B/A/ F2 FE|
C/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/ F/E/D/E/ A/E/D/E/|c/B/c/d/ e/f/g/a/ e2 e>g|
(3agf (3gfe (3fed (3edc|(3dcB (3cBA F2 F2|A/A/A A<A AE a<f|e<cB<c A2A2||
OF ALL THE AIRTS (THE WIN' CAN BLAW). See "Miss Admiral Gordon's Strathspey." Scottish, Air (4/4 time) or Strathspey. A Major. Standard. AB. The song is Robert Burns' adaptation of William Marshall's strathspey "Miss Admiral Gordon's Strathspey." It was written by the poet while he was at Ellisland awaiting the arrival of his bride-to-be, Jean Armour, from Mauchline in Ayrshire, where he had first met her.
***
O a' the airts the wind can blaw,
I dearly lo'e the west,
For there the bonnie lassie lives,
The lass that I lo'e best.
Tho' wild woods grow an' rivers row,
Wi' mony a hill between,
Baith day and nicht, my fancy's flicht,
Is ever wi' my Jean.
***
The melody has been used for other songs, including a Canadian folksong, "The Scarborough Settlers' Lament" and a Scottish song "The Scottish Settlers' Lament" (see Stan Rogers' album "For the Family" and the Tannahill Weavers' album "Land of Light,", respectively. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg 124. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 63, pg. 87.
T:Of A' the Airts the Wind Can Blaw
T:Miss Admiral Gordon's Strathspey
N:adapted to 2/4 time for comparison
Z:Nigel Gatherer
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:G
D|G>G G>G|G>D Ge|d>B AG|E3 D/E/|
G>G G>G|G>D Ge|d>e gB|d3 e|
d>e gB|d>B AG|A/ A B/ c/B/A/G/|E3 D/E|
G>GG>G|G>D Ge|d<B A>B|G3 |]
D/C/|B,>D G>D|E>D GA|Bd c/B/A/G/|E3 D/C/|
B,>D G>D|E>D GA|B>c d/e/f/g/|d3 e/f/|
g>f ed|e>d cB|A>B c/B/A/G/|E3 D/E/|
G>GG>G|G>D Ge|d<B A>B|G3 |]