Rhona MacKay: Music of the Harp

Rhona MacKay: Sings & Plays the Music of the Harp
(Lismore LILP 5130, 1984)

01 Buain a Choirce/Domhnall an Dannsair/Glenlivit
02 Cro Cheann T-Saile (Seaforth Lullaby)
03 Waly, Waly
04 Gealach nan Eilean (Island Moon)
05 Jamie
06 Bi Falbh o'n Uinneig (Go Away from the Window)
07 Do Dh'Eirinn Cha'n Innis Mi Ah-Ainm (For Ireland I Will Not Ter Her Name)
08 Cearcall a Chuain (Ocean's Cycle)
09 Gruagach Og an Fhuilt Bhain (My Fair Young Love)/Fr John MacMillan's Farewell to Barra/72nd Highlander's Farewell to Aberdeen
10 Gradh Geal Mo Chridh (Eriskay Love Lilt)
11 Mais an Taobh Tuath (The Beauty of the North)/Peat Fire Flame
12 Dean Cadalan Samhach (Lullaby)/Tha mi Sgith (Fairy Love Song)
13 Alasdair a Gleanna Garradh (Alastair of Glengarry)

Like many Glaswegians, Rhona MacKay's family were involved with Gaelic culture from the Highlands and Islands. As well as playing with the Scottish National Orchestra, she was a member of the folk group The Whistlebinkies.

Doonload

The Vikings (1965)

The Vikings: Orkney Goes Dancing (Phoenix Recordings, 1965)

Published by Phoenix Recordings and recorded in the Phoenix Cinema in Kirkwall, Orkney. The band's line-up was Allan Anderson (accordion), Jim Anderson (accordion, piano), Robin Bain (bass), Hugh Inkster (Stroh violin), Brian Fidlay (guitar) and Linay Linklater (drums). According to the sleeve notes, the band were known all over the mainland of Orkney. Fiddler Hugh Inkster was recorded a few times and pops up on some interesting albums later on, from the Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society (recorded in 1976) to School of Scottish Studies recordings and a Smithsonian Folkways album of 1979.

01 Roxburgh Castle/Wind That Shakes the Barley/Inver Lasses
02 The Balintore Fisherman/The Royal Scots Polka
03 Bonnie Dundee/Jackson's Jig/Kenmuir's On an Awa
04 Meeting of the Waters/Gledaruel Highlanders

Doonload

Songs of Scotland (EP, 1981)

Various Artists: Songs of Scotland (EP, SRTS 81 CUS 1091, 1981)

01 Craven: The Rose of Allandale
02 Killiecrankie: Killiecrankie
03 Elizabeth: Sons o' the Soil
04 Elizabeth: Dark Lochnagar

This was a fundraiser for the Dundee branch of the Scottish Nationalist Party, featuring "Elizabeth" (singer Elizabeth Barry, backed by Tom Berry), "Craven" (Arthur and Ian Dryden on vocals and guitars) and "Killiecrankie" (Tom Berry on bass, guitar, piano, synthesiser and vocals, with George Boag on vocals and guitar).

Doonload

Ron Gonnella: Fireside Fiddle Chats 3

Fiddle Chats 3a: A Gordon for Me (William Marshall)

1) Miss Admiral Graham
2) The Marquis of Huntly’s Snuffmill/Lady Loiusa Gordon/Charles of Pettyvaich
3) Lady Niven Lumsden of Auchindoir/The Earl of Fife/Lowe’s Hornpipe
4) Lament for Sir Harry Niven Lumsden of Auchindoir
5) Mr Morison of Bognie/Miss Stewart’s Jig of Bombay
6) Miss Ann Cameron of Balvenie/Mrs Stewart’s Strathspey of Inverogie
7) Mrs James McInness/Lochrynach
8) Mrs Maj L Stewart of Java/Mrs Maj L Stewart of Java

Fiddle Chats 3b: Playing Second Fiddle

1) Jamie Lyall (Peter Milne)
2) Mrs Campbell of Saddell (air)/Mrs Campbell of Saddell (jig) (Robert Mackintosh)
3) Miss Barstow/Miss Robertson (Robert Mackintosh)
4) Miss Rose/Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive (Robert Mackintosh)
5) Miss Mary Lee’s Delight (Abraham Mackintosh)/Miss Marianne Oliphant of Rossie (Robert Mackintosh)/The Hon Mrs Maule (Robert Mackintosh)
6) The Flooers o’ the Forest
7) Miss Agnes Louden (Robert Lowe)/Rachel Rae (John Lowe)
8) The Prince of Wales (Joseph Lowe)/Sauteuse (Joseph Lowe)
9) Dandy Dismount (Joseph Lowe)/Sir David Davidson of Cantray (John Lowe)

This is the third of Ron Gonnella's Scottish Fireside Fiddle Chats, this time on the subjects of William Marshall, and a handful of other Scots composers (the Lowe family, Peter Milne, and Abraham and Robert Mackintosh).

Doonload

Ron Gonnella: Fireside Fiddle Chats 2

Fiddle Chats 2a: James Scott Skinner

1) Mrs Will/Sandy Grant of Battan
2) The Bonnie Lass o’ Bon Accord
3) The Queen’s Welcome to Invercauld
4) Sarona
5) The Fallen Chief
6) Death and Dr Hornbook
7) Donald MacPherson’s Lament
8) Sandy’s Goat/MacLeod and MacLay
9) Highland Cradle Song

Fiddle Chats 2b: Have You the Gaelic? (Cpt Simon Fraser of Knock)

1) The Fall of Foyers
2) The Rebel/Belladrum House/The Favourite Dram
3) Sitting In the Stern of a Boat
4) The General Gathering 1745
5) Prince Charles’s Last View of Scotland
6) Gudewife Admit the Wanderer
7) Lament for Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
8) Angus Fraser/Three Sheeps Shanks
9) The Northern Meeting/The Sprightly Minnikin

The second Fireside Fiddle Chats from Ron Gonnella, this time exploring the music of James Scott Skinner, and on the other side, the music collected by Simon Fraser.

Doonload

Ron Gonnella: Fireside Fiddle Chats 1

Fiddle Chats 1a: Robert Burns

1) There Was a Lad That was Born in Kyle

2) My Love She's But a Lassie Yet

3) I Am My Mammie's Ae Bairn/Killiecrankie

4) Afton Water

5) Comin' Thro' the Rye/Corn Rigs

6) Ay Waukin O

7) Green Grow the Rashes o/Willie Brew’d a Peck o’ Maut

8) My Wife’s a Winsome Wee Thing/O Kenmure’s On and Away, Willie

9) Awa’ wi’ Yer Witchcraft o’ Beauty’s Alarms/Last May a Braw Wooer

10) O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast

11) Guid Nicht and Joy Be Wi’ Ye A’

Fiddle Chats 1b: The Gow Family

1) Come Ye By Athole?

2) Atholl Volunteers

3) Coilsfield House

4) Miss Stewart of Grandtully/The Fairy Dance

5) Farewell to Whisky

6) Miss Graham of Inchbraikie/Lady Charlotte Campbell

7) Caller Herring

8) Miss Sally Hunter of Thurston/Miss Margaret Brown

9) Miss Lucy Johnston’s Compliments to Niel Gow

In the mid-1980s, Scots fiddler Ron Gonnella issued a series of cassettes on various aspects of fiddle music. I know of three of these, the first of which featured music associated with the poet Robert Burns, as well as music from the Gow family on the other side. Gonnella was a master fiddler, and these rare recordings are a joy. 

Doonload

Ron Gonnella: National Scotland (1985)

01 Loch Lomond 1
02 Loch Lomond 2
03 Miss Margaret Brown's Favourite/Lady Charlotte Murray
04 Flowers of Edinburgh
05 The White Cockade
06 The Yellow Haired Laddie
07 Will Ye No Come Back Again
08 Lady Madelina Sinclair/De'il Amang the Tailors
09 Major Graham of Inchbraikie
10 Corgarff Castle/Whistle O'er the Lave O't

An unusual solo recording by Gonnella, this was part of an LP which formed one of a large library of recordings by Chappell aimed at radio and television producers. So if, for example, a shot required a pipe band, a gaelic singer or a solo fiddler as background music, you would have a selection of recordings and snippets to choose from. The first track, "Loch Lomond" is played as an air, and then there is a 30-second "jingle" version of it.

The Ron Gonnella segment of this album is worth listening to, not least because it is completely solo (he usually used piano accompanists, and sometimes a bassist too).

Doonload

The Bluebell Polka

One of the few times a traditional musician has entered the hit parade was when Jimmy Shand took his recording of The Bluebell Polka into the Top 20 in 1955. Many people have assumed that the tune is a Shand composition, but it predates him. Jimmy got a lot of his repertoire from the previous generation of Scottish melodeon players: The Wyper Brothers, Pamby Dick, James Brown, etc, and indeed, Brown recorded a version of the tune on a 78rpm record on the 19th April 1911, calling it Little Pet (Caledonian Polka) (I used to have a copy of that track but, frustratingly, I cannot find it right now).

Going back further in time, possibly the first appearance of the tune in print is in the popular Kerr's Merry Melodies Book 1, where it is attributed to no composer, although it does say "Pianoforte copies of above…" The attached is one of those sheets for piano, where the composer is clearly given as "F Stanley" (I have 

Irish musicians also recorded versions of the tune: fiddler James Morrison recorded it in the 1930s (along with Happy Birdie), and more recently by fiddler Jesse Smith. There is an old American polka by the name Little Pet (see here), but it's a different tune.

Although its origins are unclear, The Bluebell Polka captured the hearts of many people, musicians, dancers and listeners alike. It is still played and regarded fondly in Scotland to this day (I played a ceilidh last Saturday evening; during our break a singer made me do the Macarena while she sang a vocal version of the song!). 

Jimmy Shand: First Recording Session, London 1933

Jimmy Shand's first recording session was in 1933 with the Regal Zonophone company. His employer, Dundee music shop owner Charles Forbes, had agreed to underwrite the costs - unknown to Jimmy - and so the session took place in the Abbey Road studios in London. There was a pianist available, but on some tracks Jimmy asked if he could record unaccompanied. Two records were eventually issued, MR 1387 and MR 1388.

1) CAR2411 Bottom of the Punchbowl/My Love She's But a Lassie Yet/Fair Maid of Perth
2) CAR2412 Atholl Highlanders/Rakes of Kildare/Teviot Bridge
3) CAR2414 Londonderry Hornpipe/High Level Hornpipe

Presumably matrix no. CAR2413 was The Druken Piper/Laird o' Drumblair/Deil Amang the Tailors - mentioned in Shand's biography by David Phillips (Dundee 1976); alas, I have not got a copy of that track.

Doonload

Other collections of Scottish 78rpm records:
Will Powrie, Scottish Melodeon from 78 rpm Recordings
Donald Davidson: Scottish Mouth Organ Classics
William Hannah: Scottish Melodeon 78s

Ron Gonnella, Scottish Fiddler

Fiddler  Ron Gonnella was originally from Dundee, and lived for many years in Crieff, Perthshire until his death in 1994. Gonnella’s great grandfather was a Robert Dewar, who was a shepherd near Tulliemet in Perthshire. Ron Gonnella recorded at least fifteen albums and taught at Morrison’s Academy in Crieff for many years. When he wasn’t there he was travelling the world playing Scottish fiddle, recording albums, and performing on radio, stage and dance halls. His great love was the music of the Golden Age of Scots fiddle, typified by the compositions of Niel and Nathaniel Gow, Robert Mackintosh, William Marshall and Joseph Lowe. Gonnella played in the Scottish Dance Band circuit with the bands of Jim Johnstone and Andrew Rankine. He had his own band for a while - featuring Iain MacPhail on accordion - but it was as a solo artist that he toured all over the world promoting Scots fiddle music. 


Until he married - late in his life - Gonnella would sit in his small flat and listen to his precious record collection and practise the fiddle tunes for his next recording. Top Scottish fiddlers such as Duncan Wood and Gregor Borland have told me of their admiration for his skills and techniques, and I think of him as a fiddler’s fiddler. The instrument he mostly played was a 1722 Italian violin made by Carlo Antonio Tanegia. I have been told that after his death there were a number of fiddlers desperate to try it to achieve the same wonderful tone that Gonnella produced; in the end it turned out to be a mediocre fiddle, and it was the musician who was special, not the instrument.


Ron Gonnella: A Discography
1964 An Edinburgh Fancy
1966 Scottish Violin Music
1973 Scottish Violin Music from the Gow Collections
1975 Fiddler's Fancy
1976 Fiddle Gems
1977 Ron Gonnella's Burns Night
1978 A Tribute to Niel Gow
1980 Scottish Fiddle Master
1981 Live from Crieff Hydro
1982 Ron Gonnella Plays the Fiddles of Gow, Marshall and Skinner
1983 Music for Eight Scottish Country Dances
1984 Ron Gonnella Playing a Stradivarius
1986 The Lad o' Kyle
1988 Ron Gonnella's International Friendship of the Fiddle
1992 Ron Gonnella's Fiddle Magic

I created this blog to draw attention to some of Scotland's forgotten musicians and folk groups, featruing records from my collection which were long out of print and which weren't likely to see the light of day again. I did not intend to deny people their rights, and I certainly never intended to profit in any way from other people's work. However, relatives of dead artists have contacted me and, as a result, these treasures will go back into their attics and cupboards and remain unlistened, their creators unheard of. Sorry.

Ian Powrie: At Home (1988)

Ian Powrie: At Home (1988)

01 Ian Powrie's Comps to Sir Thomas Wardle/Jimmy Shand's Welcome to Corrieburn
02 A Lass from Glasgow Town/Lunan Bay/Mary Shaw
03 Sir Kenneth Alexander/The Clan McColl
04 Mrs Hamilton of Pencaitland
05 Scotty Wilson/Donald MacLellan of Rothesay
06 Jimmy and Mickie
07 The Wild Flowers of Barra
08 Highland Cathedral
09 Gaelic Reel/In the Gloamin'/Tigh Na Gorm
10 Mackworth/Kemmel Hill
11 Catherine & John Fraser's Diamond Wedding
12 The Old Scottish Waltz
13 Kenny Thomson's Comps to Ian Powrie/A Tribute to Stan Hamilton/Peerie Willie
14 Ellenbrook/The Black Boy/Georgina Catherine MacDonald/C M Hall
15 Annie's Song/Country Roads/Thank God I'm a Country Boy
16 The Crags of Tumbledown Mountain

Powrie emigrated to Australia twice, once in the 1960s and once, I think, in the late 1980s. This was recorded while he was back on home soil in Strathearn, Perthshire, in his farmhouse with his old musical partners Jimmy Blue and Mickie Ainsworth on accordions, and Dave Barclay on bass.

Doonload

Jimmy Shand & Ian Powrie: When Auld Friends Meet (1974)

Jimmy Shand & Ian Powrie: When Auld Friends Meet (1974)

01 Jimmy Shand's Comps to Ian Powrie/10th HLI Crossing the Rhine
02 Big Dougal/Margaret's Fancy/Carnie's Canter
03 79th's Farewell to Gibralter
04 The Bonnie Isle of Gletness/Sunset Over Foula/Rona's Voe
05 The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering/Lord Elgin of Broomhall
06 O Gin I Were a Baron's Heir
07 St Andrew's Parade/Harveston Castle/Breadalbane Reel/Bobby Watson
08 Bill Black's Mirk/John Stephen of Chance Inn/Ian Powrie's Comps to Willie Hunter
09 MacLean of Pennycross/Sprig of Ivy
10 Soft Lowland Tongue/Annie Laurie/My Nannie's Awa'/I Lo'ed Nae a Lassie But Ane
11 Aunice Gillies's Farewell to Loch Gilphead/John Bain Mackenzie
12 My Ain Folk

Two giants of the Scottish dance scene collaborate on an album of great tunes, great music. There are solos by both, but most tracks are band efforts.

Doonload

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Magic (1992)

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Magic (1992)

One of Ron Gonnella's final recordings comes from 1992 and consists of a selection of traditional Scottish tunes plus a few of Ron's own compositions.

01 My Love She's But a Lassie Yet/Davie, Davie Nick Nack/The Rose Tree
02 My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose
03 I Lo'e Nae a Laddie But Ane/My Wife's a Winsome, Wee Thing/The Prince of Wales' Jig
04 Thistle of Scotland/The Gallant Weaver/Bluebells of Scotland
05 Lochnagar
06 Duke of Perth/Lass of Gowrie/The Bridal
07 Rev Archie Minto's Faewell/Janet Leckie's/Elizabeth Donaldson's
08 Aikey Brae/Bessie Bell and Mary Gray/Bonnie Brier Bush
09 Barbara Bruce of Upper Cairnie/Kinloch of Kinloch/Aldridge's Hornpipe
10 Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Scottish Horse/Janet Duncan's 92nd Birthday
11 Kilmarnock/Wiltshire
12 The Minestrone March/The Spaghetti Strathspey/The Ravioli Reel
13 Jock o' Hazeldean/Comin' Through the Rye/The Bonnie Wells o' Wearie
14 Highland Laddie
15 Dunkeld Hermitage Bridge/Doon the Burn Davie/Crieff Golf Club Centenery Reel
16 The Queen's Vist to Morrison's Academy
17 Bert Gonella's Jig/Bob and Anne's Strathspey/Lizzie Duncan's Fancy
18 Scots Wha Hae/Auld Lang Syne

Doonload

Saut-Herrin': A Barrel o' Saut-Herrin (c.1989)

Saut-Herrin': A Barrel o' Saut-Herrin (c.1989)

01 Royal Scot Polka/Laddie Wi the Plaidie/Petronella
02 O Gin I Were a Baron's Heir
03 Margaret's Waltz/Tombigbee Waltz
04 The Broch Salmon Bothys
05 Coulters Candy
06 Si Beag Si Mhor
07 Chairlie Oh Chairlie
08 Mrs Mcleod's Reel/Kate Dalrymple/Duke of Perth/Kemnay House
09 Yellow On the Broom
10 Come to the Bower/Banks o' the Roses/Wha Saw the 42nd
11 Fareweel tae Tarwathie
12 Earl of Mansfield's March/Loch Maree Island/Aitken Drum
13 Dark Island
14 Rattlin' Roarin' Willie

A five-piece folk group from the Moray Coast (Burghead and Lossiemouth to be precise) who performed mainly for charity. Sandra Borthwick (guitar, vocals), George Pratt (banjo, mouth organ), Jim Eckford (mouth organ), Iain White (Northumbrian pipes, whistle, mandolin) and Dan Ralph (fiddle, vocals) recorded one album that I know about, the self-published "A Barrel o' Saut Herrin'" on cassette (n.d.)

Unavailable

Ron Gonnella: The International Friendship of the Fiddle (1988)

Ron Gonnella: The International Friendship of the Fiddle (1988)

01 BBC Echoes: Kelvin Grove/Glasgow Highlanders/Murdoch McPherson's March
02 Cape Breton Ceilidh: The Master of Barga/Campbell's Road/The High Bridge Jig
03 Hector MacAndrew Favourites: Mrs Jamieson's Favourite/Sir David Davidson of Cantray/Gillan's Reel
04 Congratulations All Round: Neil & Rhona Gonnella's Silver Wedding/Donna's Wedding March
05 Sounds of Strathearn: Strathearn/The Strathearn Herald Reel
06 A Touch of Gaelic: Fil/O/Ro/Brochan Lom/Lord MacDonald's Reel
07 Bonnie Dundee: Bonnie Dundee/Elliot's Fancy/Dundee City Police Pipe Band
08 The Boston Tea Party: Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky/The Beaux of Oak Hill/Mrs MacLeod
09 Jimmy Shand Special: Ron Gonnella's Comps to Jimmy Shand
10 The Strathspey King: Flower of the Quern/Professor Blackie/Marie's Hielan' Lad
11 Scottish Dance Music Corner: The Provost of St Vigeans/The Corner House
12 The Canadian Connection: John Beckwith's Ye Banks and Braes/The Lime Hill Strathspey
13 Fiddlers Two: The Shakkins o' the Pocky
14 My Friend Adam Rennie: Sir Torquil Munro/Elizabeth Donald, Moss-side/Bill Sutherland
15 New York, New York: June & Harry Goldenberg's Air/Staten Island
16 The Music of William Marshall: Kinrara/Duke of Gordon's Birthday/The Morayshire's Farmer's Club

Fiddler Ron Gonnella played fiddle to great acclaim all around the world.

Doonload

Blackeyed Biddy: High Spirits (1990)

Blackeyed Biddy: High Spirits (1990)

01 Jim McAllister's Jig/Mairead Nicoll of Drumossie/Temple House
02 Ballad of Sawney Bean
03 Come By the Hills
04 Morar's Silent Beauty/Dunkeld Oaks/Jacqui's Day/Bass Through the Window/Reconciliation/Musical Priest/St Anne's
05 CM Barbour/Fiddlin' Around
06 The Cobbler
07 Christine McRitchie
08 Santiano
09 A Man's a Man For A' That/Winding Up the Piper

For their second recording Blackeyed Biddy regulars Lionel McClelland and Kris Koren were joined by Gregor Lowry on accordion, making this the most instrumental of their output. The band are working well together, resulting in a very fine album from 1990. This is a rip from a cassette tape.

Unavailable

Other posts featuring Blackeyed Biddy:
Blackeyed Biddy: Guid Niebours (c1984)

Ian Powrie: His Fiddle and his Friends (1975)

Ian Powrie: His Fiddle and his Friends (1975)

This is a tribute to Scottish fiddler Ian Powrie, who died last week. Powrie was born in 1923 at Strathardle, near Blairgowrie in Perthshire. His father, Will Powrie, was an accomplished melodeon player, and recorded several excellent sides for Beltona during the early 1930s, and some with his very young son Ian in 1933. At age twelve Ian was playing in his father's dance band, but on piano accordion! In 1949 he formed his first band, this time playing fiddle while his brother Bill played accordion.

01 Flowers of Edinburgh/Spinning Wheel
02 A Piper's Prayer
03 Miss Laura Andrews/Ian Powrie's Compliments to Angus Fitchet
04 The Music of Spey
05 Soir de Paris
06 Arran Hills
07 Millbrae/Mickie Ainsworth/The Dawn Hornpipe/Jean's Reel
08 Loch Maree/Ian Powrie's Compliments to Sir Thomas Wardle/Murdo's Wedding
09 Leila/Massacre of Glencoe
10 Mrs Ian Powrie of West Kirkton/Angus Fitchet's Compliments to Ian Powrie/Lady Charlotte Campbell
11 Beverley Wood
12 McNeil of Ugadale/Mr and Mrs Alec Ross
13 The Earl of Dalhousie
14 Waltzing Matilda

Front and back covers included


Doonload

Ron Gonnella: Burns Night (1977)

Ron Gonnella: Burns Night (1977)

The eighteenth century Scottish poet Robert Burns loved fiddle music and composed many songs to Scots fiddle tunes. Ron Gonnella has compiled a collection of the original tunes which Burns used and presents them in his usual exquisite way.

01 Bonnie Wee Thing/Comin' Through the Rye/It Was Upon a Lammas Night
02 O, Wert Thou In the Cauld Blast/Here's to thy Health/My Love She's But a Lassie Yet
03 Awa' Wi' Your Witchcraft o' Beauty's Alarms/Last May a Braw Wooer/Over the Seas and Far Away
04 I Am My Mammy's Ae Bairn/Killiecrankie/O How Can I Be Blythe and Glad
05 Ay Waukin O
06 Does the Haughty Gaul Invasion Threaten/I Gaed a Waefu Gate Yestreen/On Cessnock Bank
07 Phillis the Fair/Duncan Davidson/Duncan Gray Cam' Here to Woo
08 My Love Is Like a Red, Red, Rose/Ca' the Ewes to the Knowes/Sir John Cope Trode
09 John Anderson My Jo/Green Grow the Rashes O/Willie Brewed a Peck o' Maut
10 My Wife's a Winsome Wee Thing/O Kenmure's On and Awa Willie
11 O' A' the Airts the Wind Can Blow/Saw Ye Bonnie Lesley/First When Maggie Was My Care
12 Flow Gently Sweet Afton
13 There Was a Lass and She Was Fair/Lovely Polly Stewart/The Joyful Widower
14 A Man's a Man For A' That/The Farewell/Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

Doonload