Niel Gow

Subject: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 28 Oct 97 - 12:53 PM

I am looking for the music for Niel Gow's composition: Miss Drummond of Perth's Favorite Scotch Measure

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From: Bruce
Date: 28 Oct 97 - 05:12 PM

Charles Gore's 'Scottish Fiddle Music Index' lists the tune only in Malcolm MacDonald's 'A Fourth Collection of Strathspey Reels' (1797). Is it by N. Gow? N. Gow's 'Miss Drummond of Perth's Strathspey' is in the Gows' 'Strathspey Reels', bk. 3.

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 07:49 PM

I will post your request on the Scots Music list and the Cape Breton Music list, and let you know. There are some learned fiddlers on both of those lists who might be able to help you.

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 10:36 PM

Here is the first response:

Niel Gow's Miss Drummond of Perth (Strathspey) is easy to find in the Skye Collection, Hunter's Scottish Fiddle Music and Kohler's Repository of Violin music. but there's no mention of the "Favorite Scotch Measure" in anything I have.

John Maine Woods

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 10:39 PM

Here is the second response, from the knowledgable Toby Rider, who has promised the ABC notation and the words in Gaelic, which are found on Mary Jane Lamond's "From The Land of the Trees". He says it is unlikely that Gow wrote it.

"It's actually a tune that is a favourite among Cape Bretoner's, it's correctly known as Calum Crubach"

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From: Bruce
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 11:13 PM

Niel Gow composed 3 strathspeys in honour of the Drumonds of Perth - Mr. Drummond the Younger, Mrs. Drummond and Miss Drummond, so it is not impossible by any means. I would just like to see the evidence, if any, from the McDonald's book of 1797.

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From: Bruce
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 11:53 PM

From C. Gore's theme code "Miss Drummond of Perth's Favorite Scots Measure" would appear to be very similar to (or even identical with) "When Absent from the Nymph I Love" (Scots Musical Museum #71, Orpheus Caledonus, II, 1733, and elsewhere). We may just have here a new name for an old tune.

[Charles Gore, The Scottish Fiddle Music Index, 1994, is a MASSIVE bibliography of Scots instrumental tunes with theme codes.]

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From: Bruce
Date: 30 Oct 97 - 11:54 PM

From C. Gore's theme code "Miss Drummond of Perth's Favorite Scots Measure" would appear to be very similar to (or even identical with) "When Absent from the Nymph I Love" (Scots Musical Museum #71, Orpheus Caledonus, II, 1733, and elsewhere). We may just have here a new name for an old tune.

[Charles Gore, The Scottish Fiddle Music Index, 1994, is a MASSIVE bibliography of Scots instrumental tunes with theme codes.]

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From: Murray
Date: 31 Oct 97 - 01:42 AM

Glen [Early Scottish Music], note on the SMM item, says the tune is much older than Orpheus Caledonius: in a MS. flute book, 1694, where it's in 3/4, as opposed to the 4/4 song. Morgan: may I ask where you heard about the tune?

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 31 Oct 97 - 05:06 PM

Here's another response:

This tune is found in The Malcolm McDonald Collection, 1789, volume 4, page 2. It's different from Miss Sarah Drummond of Perth, a strathspey which is also published in the same collection, volume 2, page 1. The latter tune is fairly well known, but I've never seen the Favorite Scotch Measure before. It's a reel-like tune in G minor. The strathspey is in A minor.

I'd be happy to mail or fax a copy (of either tune or both) to whoever wants one. Just let me know an address or phone. Sorry - I don't speak ABCs.

Jan Tappan Fiddlers Crossing

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 31 Oct 97 - 05:11 PM

Here's another. I'll post the Gaelic lyrics for the puirt-a-beul once Toby sends them to me or I copy them off of Mary Jane Lamond's CD liner notes.

You can also find Miss Drummond of Perth's Strathspey in a publication of tunes by Neil Gow and Sons, Third Collection, page 16.

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 04 Nov 97 - 03:11 PM

Actually, it turned out that I did have this fiddle piece.

This is what the included booklet with "Cape Breton Scottish Fiddle" Topic 12TS354 says about Calum Brubach, played on the fiddle on that LP (about 1976) by Mary MacDonald. The notes were written by William Lamey, Father John Angus Rankin, and John Shaw, but don't say who wrote what.

' "Calum Crubach" (Lame Calum, or "Miss Drummond of Perth's Strathspey") is claimed both by Niel Gow and by Malcolm MacDonald, a professional musician from Gow's own town of Inver, Perthshire, who often accompanied him on the cello at dances. The mouth music words are well remembered throughout the Gaelic-speaking world, and seem to refer to the introduction of the Lowland shepherd and the Cheviot sheep into the Highland glens, which led to the clearances:

CALUM CRUBACH

'Ille chrubaich anns a' ghleann
Cum thall na caoraich uile,
'Ille chrubaich anns a' ghleann,
Cum thall na caoraich.

Cum thall, na toir a nall,
Cum thall, na caoraich uile,
Cum thall, na caoraich.


Lame lad in the glen,
Keep all the sheep away,
Lame lad in the glen,
Keep all the sheep away!

Keep them there, don't bring them here,
Keep all the sheep away,
Keep them there, don't bring them here,
Keep the sheep away.'

Subject: RE: Niel Gow
From:
Date: 04 Nov 97 - 06:45 PM

Oops, screwed up the last Gaelic verse. Should be:

Cum thall, na toir a nall,
Cum thall, na caoraich uile,
Cum thall, na toir a nall
Cum thall, na caoraich.

Calum Crubach apparently means Lame Malcolm.

There is a version on Mary Jane Lamond's Bho Thir Nan Craobh (From The Land of the Trees) B. & R. Heritage Enterprises, BRCD 0001, (with Ashley MacIsaac playing the strathspey on his fiddle) but with the piuirt-a-beul lyrics slightly different, namely:

Calum Crubach as a' ghleann
Cum thall na caoraich uile,
Calum Crubach as a' ghleann
Cum thall na caoraich.

Cum thall, na toir a nall
Cum thall na caoraich uile
Cum thall, na toir a nall
Cum thall na caoraich.