Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O

Subject: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: Kim C
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 12:44 PM

Does anyone know anything about these two tunes? I know Gobby-O was the melody for Jefferson and Liberty but if anyone has any ideas about their age or origin it would be very helpful. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 12:57 PM

See the Irish tune index on my website for early copies of "The Gobby O", and an ABC of a copy of c 1794 as T062 in file T1.HTM. www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: IanC
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 12:58 PM

Hi

Captain Mackintosh was written by Neil Gow (1727 - 1807)

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: Kim C
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 01:02 PM

Ian do you know if it was written before 1790?

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 01:13 PM

Captain Macintosh [In section 'Fashionable Dances in Edinr. 1787-88.' So probably not by Gow]; Gow's Strathspey Reels, II, p. 25 (1788). Page 35 of 3rd edition (reprinted).

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 01:22 PM

There are 9 tunes in the 'Fashionable Dances in Edinb.' section, and at least 7 certainly aren't by Gow, so I have little doubt that it isn't by Gow. There is also no other known early copy under any title.

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: Kim C
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 01:48 PM

So I will be safe playing Macintosh at a 1790 living history event?

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 02:29 PM

Depends only on how well you play it.

One of those 'Fashionable dances in Edinb.' was "Madame Cassey", not primarily a dance tune. This is a tune, apparently Irish, that O'Keeffe came up with, (for "The British lion is my sign") that was apparently well known but never previously published (before O'Keeffe's play). Since then it's been collected as the tune for many folk songs and ballads in the British Isles and North America.

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: Kim C
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 03:32 PM

I wasn't planning on playing it at all unless 1) I could do it well, and 2) it fits within the time period.

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: IanC
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 07:45 AM

Bruce

Probably best to distingiush between the (well known) scottish dance "Capt. Mackintosh" and the reel. Are any of the tunes called Captain Mackintosh?

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 07:58 AM

Only the one tune has that title. [Charles Gore, 'The Scottish Fiddle Music Index', 1994]

Subject: RE: Help: Origins of Capt. Macintosh & Gobby-O
From: GUEST,lighter
Date: 03 May 03 - 03:12 PM

"Jefferson & Liberty" (earlier "The Gobby-O") is played prominently in the well-known Civil War movie "Glory."