DALKEITH HOUSE. Scottish, Reel. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. Composed by James MacDonald, whom Hunter (1988) identifies as one of the "professional" fiddlers who contributed to the Gow collections. Gow (1817) notes he is the "late" Mr. MacDonald. Dalkeith is a Celtic name meaning 'meadow by the wood.' Dalkeith Palace, Midlothian, was a 12th century castle that came into the ownership of the Scotts of Buccleuch in 1651. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 37. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 209. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 39. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 111.
T:Dalkeith House
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:D
f|~d2 AB/c/ dAFD|Geed cAA=c|B2GB AdFA|GEAG FDD:|
g|f2df eace|dBed cAA=c|B2GB AdFA|GBAG FDDg|
fefd eace|dfed cAA=c|BABG FGA=c|Bgge fdd||
KINRARA (STRATHSPEY) [1]. AKA and see "Countess of Dalkeith." Scottish, Strathspey. B Flat Major. Standard. AB (Marshall): AAB (Athole, Hunter). Kinrara was the summer residence "where the Duchess of Gordon resided in Badenoch" (Marshall). The strathspey was composed by William Marshall (1748-1833) on short notice, at the request of Jane, Duchess of Gordon, wife of his patron and employer, Alexander, the fourth Duke of Gordon. Moyra Cowie (1999) writes that Jane had become estranged from Alexander because of his liason with Jean Christie, the daughter of the housekeeper at Gordon Castle, and since she would not abide long in the same house, she had Kinrara built on the banks of the Spey in Badenoch, below the hill of Tor Alvie. The tune was first published in 1800 by Pietro Urbani and Liston (Edinburgh), alongside a piece by the Duke (who was an amateur fiddler) called "Brodie House." It was republished by the Gows in their Fourth Collection (1800) under the title "The Countess of Dalkeieth," althought without crediting Marshall. Jane Gordon died in 1812 and is buried on the Kinrara estate, overlooking a broad curve in the Spey.
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Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurches describes her experiences of Kinrara:
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We are often over at Kinrara, the Duchess having perpetual dances, either in
the drawing room or the servants hall and my father returning these entertainments
in the same style. A few candles lighted up bare walls, at short warnings fiddles
and whisky punch were always at hand and then gentles and simples reeled
away in company till the ladies thought the scene becoming more boisterous
that they liked remaining in; nothing more however, a highlander never forgets his
place, never loses his native inborn politeness, never presumes upon on favour.
***
Hunter (The Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 170. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, pg. 2 and the Kinrara Collection (1800), pg. 25. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 293.
T:Kinrara
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:B_
F|B>cB>d F<B G/F/E/D/|B<F B>d c<C C>A|B>cB>d F<B G/F/E/D/|
E<g f>e d<BB:|
f|d>f e/d/c/B/ b>Be>g|f>g e/d/c/B/ d<c cd/e/|f>Bd>B g>Be>g|
F>B cB/c/ d<B ~B>d|fg/a/ b>B g>Bf>B|e>cd>B A>cc>d|
B<F G<BF<B G/F/E/D/|E<g f>e d<B~B||
PETER BAIL(L)IE [1]. Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard. AAB (Athole, Honeyman, Skinner, Skye): AABB' (Kerr). Part of "Scott Skinner's Set." The tune was named after Pate Baillie of Loanhead (1774-1841), known as the fiddling tinker, though actually his similar occupation was making horn-spoons. He was also sometimes a stone-mason who participated in the erection of the stone pillars forming the gateway of Edinburgh University (during which he broke his leg). In addition, he was a reknowned fiddler (who, by accounts, had a strong up-bow and a talent for improvisation and double stops) and much in demand for dances and other occasions and published a collection of strathspeys, reels and other tunes under the title A Selection of Original Tunes arranged for the Piano Forte and Violin (1825). He was patronized by the nobility and played regularly at Dalkeith House (home of Sir James Montgomery) and at Stobo Castle. Neil (1991) relates:
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The story is told that one night after playing in a town in Berwickshire
he 'went on a spree' and ended up not having enough money to pay for
lodgings. Wandering about the town he came to a hall from which there
came sounds of music and dancing. He slipped in with his violin under
his coat and worked himself nearer and nearer to the fiddlers. When
they noticed him they made fun of him, believing him to be an
itinerant fiddler and jokingly asked him to play. He responded by
amazing them with a fine selection in his inimitable style. When he
had finished, the leader exclaimed that he 'must either be the devil or
Pate Baillie!
***
A County Donegal adaptation of the tune appears under the title "The Brown-Sailed Boat," which has a legend attached to it. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 14. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 29, No. 1, pg. 18. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 30. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist, with one variation), pg. 12. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 251.
T:Peter Bailie
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:E Minor
e|B<E B>A B<E B>A|F>AD>A d>A B/A/G/F/|B<E B>A B<E B>A|
(3Bcd (3FGA B<EE:|
f|g>fe>b g<e b>g|a>fd>a f<d a>f|~g>fe>b g<e b>g|a>fd>f g<e e>f|
~g>fe>b g<e b>g|a>fd>a f<d a>f|(3gab (3efg (3fga (3def|
(3Bcd (3FGA B<EE||