The Fife Collections
by George Penman
A chance meeting between two Kirkcaldy men has led to the rediscovery of manuscripts by two 18th century Fife composers. It was on his grandchildren’s school ‘walking bus’ duty to Capshard Primary School that Dunnikier resident and retired pharmacist George Penman struck up an acquaintance with Alistair Robertson, school-crossing officer.
A mutual interest in traditional music prevailed and recent visits by Alistair to The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh revealed on research a cornucopia of musical treasures arranged for violin and cello. Furthermore these were previously unrecorded works in the history of Scottish traditional music. The collections were of the era of Gow and Glen and they match in every respect of quality the outpourings of these better known musicians.
Furthermore, the tunes have added local flavour in the many titles with Fife connections such as The Kirkcaldy Merchants Hall, Dysart Masonic Lodge, Mrs Wemyss Reel, Auchtertool Volunteers March, Dysert House and Myres Castle. The musical collections in question are by James walker of Dysert and Alex Leburn from Auchtermuchty. The dates are in the 1790s.
Walker was a fiddler and teacher in his native Dysert who was greatly patronised by local gentry and upper classes for his services at dances and balls, and it was said that after the main function was over Walker would complete the ‘upstairs-downstairs’ phenomena by impromptu sessions for the domestic staff.
Walker’s first collection of 1793 was dedicated “To the Right Worshipful Master Sir James Erskine St Clair of Sinclair, Bart and the Worthy Brethren of Free Masonic Lodge” and was to be had “at his house in Dysart” and at Johnson & Co, Music Sellers, Lawn Market, Edinburgh. Walker’s second collection was dated 1799 and was dedicated to Ladt Sinclair Erskine of Sinclair. Walker was born in 1771 and died in 1840.
Alex Leburn of Auchtermuchty, who was born in 1767 and died in 1836, had his collection of 1793 dedicated to Mrs Moncrief of Reedie. Reedie was an estate between Auchtermuchty and Strathmiglo, west of Myres Castle. The violin which Leburn played latterly, was of Italian origin and was gifted to him by The Earl of Leven.
An accordionist with The Fife Strathspey and Reel Society, George Penman was well able to delve into the musical delights of the collections which, he said, “sent a tingle up your spine when you considered they were the offerings of over 200 years ago”.
An expert opinion was quickly sought and who better than Douglas Muir, accordionist, composer and arranger for The John Ellis Broadcasting Band to voice the music’s true worth.
“There are many good tunes in the collections by both composers”, wrote Douglas Muir, “and in the course so time I’ll work them into dance sets. It seems to me that the Kingdom of Fife ought to be doing something about highlighting the works of these composers. I really feel it is the duty of the Fife Authorities to put these collections into print. As things stand Fife is simply not represented in this respect”.
On BBC Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’ programme in January, Douglas Muir had a half hour interview with Robbie Shepherd, the programme presenter, in which Douglas spoke enthusiastically about the Collections of the 18th Century Fife Fiddlers. But despite all this acclaim it would appear that no-one in authority in Fife is prepared to do anything.
“All my efforts in getting this traditional musical heritage of Fife Collection published have met a brick wall”, concludes Douglas Muir after interest but no action has prevailed. Any representation of direction the B&F can offer would be welcome.
Biographical – Douglas Muir is a graduate of St Andrews University. He taught in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath High Schools before concluding his teaching career at Huntly in Aberdeenshire. He was tutor in the Scottish Accordion at Stirling University for several years and had a collection under the title ‘Scottish Accordion’ published by the University. Other published works have been ‘Gows and Glen’s’ and ‘The Celtic Connection’.
Box and Fiddle
June 2004
Letters to the B&F - November 2020
Dear Pia
I came across George Penman's interesting article 'The Fife Collections' and thought a wee correction and update might be appreciated.
Dysert fiddler James Walker's two collections, A Collection of New Scots Reels, Strathspeys, Jigs &c, and A Second Collection of Reels, Strathspeys, Jigs &c, are in fact not manuscrips at all, but printed publications. They are indeed in The National Library of Scotland. The compiler published the books himself and, as well as selling them from his house, sold them through Edinburgh music dealers.
B&F readers will be pleased to lern that the collections are now available on-line in the National Library of Scotland's Digital Gallery, available for all to use freely;
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/120565057.
There is a huge wealth of material available at this website, which I can highly commend.
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/97135480
Kind regards
Dr Karen McAulay - Performing Arts Librarian - [email protected]
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
A mutual interest in traditional music prevailed and recent visits by Alistair to The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh revealed on research a cornucopia of musical treasures arranged for violin and cello. Furthermore these were previously unrecorded works in the history of Scottish traditional music. The collections were of the era of Gow and Glen and they match in every respect of quality the outpourings of these better known musicians.
Furthermore, the tunes have added local flavour in the many titles with Fife connections such as The Kirkcaldy Merchants Hall, Dysart Masonic Lodge, Mrs Wemyss Reel, Auchtertool Volunteers March, Dysert House and Myres Castle. The musical collections in question are by James walker of Dysert and Alex Leburn from Auchtermuchty. The dates are in the 1790s.
Walker was a fiddler and teacher in his native Dysert who was greatly patronised by local gentry and upper classes for his services at dances and balls, and it was said that after the main function was over Walker would complete the ‘upstairs-downstairs’ phenomena by impromptu sessions for the domestic staff.
Walker’s first collection of 1793 was dedicated “To the Right Worshipful Master Sir James Erskine St Clair of Sinclair, Bart and the Worthy Brethren of Free Masonic Lodge” and was to be had “at his house in Dysart” and at Johnson & Co, Music Sellers, Lawn Market, Edinburgh. Walker’s second collection was dated 1799 and was dedicated to Ladt Sinclair Erskine of Sinclair. Walker was born in 1771 and died in 1840.
Alex Leburn of Auchtermuchty, who was born in 1767 and died in 1836, had his collection of 1793 dedicated to Mrs Moncrief of Reedie. Reedie was an estate between Auchtermuchty and Strathmiglo, west of Myres Castle. The violin which Leburn played latterly, was of Italian origin and was gifted to him by The Earl of Leven.
An accordionist with The Fife Strathspey and Reel Society, George Penman was well able to delve into the musical delights of the collections which, he said, “sent a tingle up your spine when you considered they were the offerings of over 200 years ago”.
An expert opinion was quickly sought and who better than Douglas Muir, accordionist, composer and arranger for The John Ellis Broadcasting Band to voice the music’s true worth.
“There are many good tunes in the collections by both composers”, wrote Douglas Muir, “and in the course so time I’ll work them into dance sets. It seems to me that the Kingdom of Fife ought to be doing something about highlighting the works of these composers. I really feel it is the duty of the Fife Authorities to put these collections into print. As things stand Fife is simply not represented in this respect”.
On BBC Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’ programme in January, Douglas Muir had a half hour interview with Robbie Shepherd, the programme presenter, in which Douglas spoke enthusiastically about the Collections of the 18th Century Fife Fiddlers. But despite all this acclaim it would appear that no-one in authority in Fife is prepared to do anything.
“All my efforts in getting this traditional musical heritage of Fife Collection published have met a brick wall”, concludes Douglas Muir after interest but no action has prevailed. Any representation of direction the B&F can offer would be welcome.
Biographical – Douglas Muir is a graduate of St Andrews University. He taught in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath High Schools before concluding his teaching career at Huntly in Aberdeenshire. He was tutor in the Scottish Accordion at Stirling University for several years and had a collection under the title ‘Scottish Accordion’ published by the University. Other published works have been ‘Gows and Glen’s’ and ‘The Celtic Connection’.
Box and Fiddle
June 2004
Letters to the B&F - November 2020
Dear Pia
I came across George Penman's interesting article 'The Fife Collections' and thought a wee correction and update might be appreciated.
Dysert fiddler James Walker's two collections, A Collection of New Scots Reels, Strathspeys, Jigs &c, and A Second Collection of Reels, Strathspeys, Jigs &c, are in fact not manuscrips at all, but printed publications. They are indeed in The National Library of Scotland. The compiler published the books himself and, as well as selling them from his house, sold them through Edinburgh music dealers.
B&F readers will be pleased to lern that the collections are now available on-line in the National Library of Scotland's Digital Gallery, available for all to use freely;
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/120565057.
There is a huge wealth of material available at this website, which I can highly commend.
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/97135480
Kind regards
Dr Karen McAulay - Performing Arts Librarian - [email protected]
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland