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).

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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.

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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. 

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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).

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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

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

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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.

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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

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Ron Gonnella: A Tribute to Niel Gow (1978)

Ron Gonnella: A Tribute to Niel Gow (1978)

Quite simply a treat for anyone interested in Scottish fiddle music. Ron Gonnella plays the music of the Gow family and associates, recorded in the ballroom of Blair Castle, where Niel Gow would have played more than two centuries ago. Sit back and drink in excellence.

01 Atholl Volunteers/Francis Sitwell/Landlady of Inver Inn
02 Lament for his Brother/Mrs Chisholm of Chisholm/Inver Lasses
03 Prince Charlie's Quickstep/Lady Charlotte Bruce's Fav
04 Cam Ye By Atholl?
05 Dunkeld Volunteers/Niel Gow's Second Wife/Lady MacKenzie of Coul
06 Lady Ann Hope's Fav/Mrs macDonald of Clan Ranald/Mrs MacDouall Grant
07 Miss Margaret Brown's Fav/Miss Rae of Eskgrove
08 Niel Gow's Comps Returned to Mr Marshall/Niel Gow's Strathspey/Hon James Ramsay's Reel
09 Earl of Dalhousie's Happy Return to Scotland/Niel Gow's Recovery/Duchess of Buccleauch's Favourite
10 Flora MacDonald's Lament/Sir Geo Clerk of Pennycuik/Ayr Races
11 Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure/Lady Mary Ramsay/Largo's Fairy Dance
12 Caller Herring
13 Lady Dorotheas Stewart-Murray's Wedding/Lady Charlotte Murray's Favourite
14 Miss Lucy Johnston's Compliments to Niel Gow/The Duchess of Atholl's Slipper/Miss Clementina Loughlan

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Ron Gonnella: Fiddles and Ron Gonnella: Stradivarius

Ron Gonnella Plays the Fiddles of Gow, Marshall and Skinner (Ross Records WGR 028, 1982)

01 Introduction by Duke of Atholl
02 Niel Gow's Fiddle/Duke of Atholl's Reel/Mrs MacDouall Grant
03 Niel Gow's Lamentation for Abercairney
04 Sir Walter Scott/Pennycuik House
05 MacPherson's Lament
06 The Countess of Dalhousie/Admiral Nelson's Hornpipe
07 Cam Ye By Atholl/Here Awa There Awa Wandering Willie/Bessie Bell and Mary Gray/Flora MacDonald's Lament
08 Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
09 The White Cockade/Mount Stewart House/Miss Mary Douglas
10 The Duchess Tree/The Kirrie Kebbuck/E M Ross's Welcome to Kiltarlity Cottage
11 Miss laura Andrew/The Laird of Drumblair/Bonnie Banchory
12 Ashton Gonnella of Shreveport, Louisiana/Loius Gonnella of Muirhead
13 Ron Gonnella's Homage to the Gows, Marshall and Skinner
14 Miss Gordon of Park/Miss Hannah's Jig
15 Lament for Sir Harry Niven Lumsden
16 Capt Cameron's Volunteer's March/The Marchioness of Huntly's Jig/Craigellachie Lasses
17 Mrs Major Stewart of the Island of Java/The Deil Among the Mantua Makers

Ron Gonnella: fiddles
Iain MacPhail: accordion
John Gibson: piano
Graham Robb: double bass

An intriguing concept, this: Ron Gonnella plays the compositions of Niel Gow and his family on Gow's own fiddle, the compositions of William Marshall on his own fiddle, and James Scott Skinner compositions on one of the fiddles belonging to the 'Strathspey King'. The music is first class - Gonnella in his prime - and I believe this is a rather special album. 

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The Scottish Sound of Ron Gonnella Playing a Stradivarius (AB 003-D, 1984)

01 Morrison's Academy Anniversary March
02 Caller Herring
03 Crieff Hydro March/Castles In the Air/Flowers of Edinburgh
04 Cradle Song/Marchfield Brae
05 Bert Gonella's/Lizzie Duncan's/Alex and Hazel Barbour/Happy May the Pair Be
06 Dundee/Dunfermline
07 General Baillie/Miss Lyall/Black Jock of Skellater
08 Cape Breton March/Herbie MacLeod's Hornpipe/Aldridge's Hornpipe
09 Miss Sandra Webster/Evelyn Murray of Cambridge Mass
09 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord
11 Ae Fond Kiss/Rev Archibald Minto's Farewell to St Andrew's/Gallaton
12 Durrisdeer
13 Queen's Welcome to Invercauld/The Miller o' Dervil/Gibson's Whisky
14 Bovaglie's Plaid/Milladen/Miss Rattray

Ron Gonnella: fiddles
George Donald: piano
Graham Robb: double bass

More vintage Gonnella. To me the Strad angle is unimportant - the music is what it's about.

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Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Master (1980)

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Master (1980)

The late Ron Gonnella taught at Morrison's Academy in Crieff, Perthshire, 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. Although there are pops and crackles and the odd jump on this vinyl recording, the music shines through.

01 Annie Laurie/Miss Barstow's Reel/Miss Robertson
02 Bert Gonnella's Jig/Lizzie Duncan's Fancy
03 Dandie Dinmont/Sir David Davidson of Cantray
04 Miss Campbell of Saddell/Miss Sophia Campbell's Reel
05 Willie Smith/The Morrisonian Strathspey/James Millar, Bullionfield
06 Durisdeer
07 Herbie MacLeod's Hornpipe/Ron Gonella Comps to Senator Robt Byrd of W Virginia
08 Miss Mary Lee's Delight/Miss Marianne Oliphant/Hon Mrs Maule's Reel
09 Johnny Faa/Miss Agnes Loudon/Rachael Rae
10 Prince of Wales/Sauteuse/Jamie Gow, Crathie Bellman
11 Bonny Aboyne/Mr Eager's Strathspey/Miss Sandra Webster
12 Jamie Lyall/Willie Blair/Rut Bell's Reel
13 Miss J Rose's Reel/Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive/The Good Doctor
14 Willie's Fair, and Willie's Rare/Flowers of the Forest
15 Miss Gray of Carse/The Fife and Forfar Hunt's Fav/The Forfar Hunt

Front and back covers included


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Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

01 General Robertson of Lawers/Miss Stewart of Grandtully/Dunkeld Steeple
02 The Mill, Mill O/A Favourite Quickstep
03 Auld Robin Gray
04 Niel Gow's Lament for his Second Wife/Lady Charlotte Campbell/kincaldrum's Reel
05 Wishaw's Delight/Drummond Castle/The Earl of Morton's Jig
06 Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky
07 Col Hamilton of Pencatland/Col H F Campbell/Miss Grace Hay's Delight
08 Lady Cunningham of Livingstone/Perthshire Volunteers/Mr Sharp's Favourite
09 Roslin Castle/Garthlands/Lord Mauchline's Reel
10 Bothwell Castle
11 Mrs Hamilton of Pencaitland/The Duchess of Hamilton/Mrs Stirling of Keir
12 The Bonniest Lass in a' the Warld/Mrs Adye/Miss Gibson
13 Miss Sally Hunter of Thurston/Dumfries House/Miss Johnston of Hilton's Fancy
14 The Caledonian Hunt's Delight/The Caledonian Hunt/Mrs Hay of Yester's Reel

After his 1966 debut solo record, it took another seven years for this second Ron Gonnella solo album, but it was well worth the wait. Here we have Gonnella playing the music he loved while at the top of his game. The music is mostly from the eighteenth century, all published in various collections from the Gow family: patriarch Niel Gow, famous fiddler in his day; his sons Nathanial - who took on his father's mantle - William and Andrew.

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonnella:
Ron Gonnella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)
Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975) 
Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)
Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany 3 (2010)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

01 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord

02 Donald MacPherson's Lament/Mrs Will/Sandy Grant o' Battangorm

03 Miss Gordon of Park/Miss Hannah's Jig

04 Chapel Keithack/Mrs James McInnes, Edinburgh/Lochrynach

05 The Cradle Song

06 Dumbarton Castle/Hoo Dinna Ye Play Mair?

07 Corgarff Castle/Death and Dr Hornbrook

08 The Music o' Spey/Mr Michie/Mr John Smith, Alford

09 Lady Niven Lumsden of Achindoir/The Earl of Fife/Lowe's Hornpipe

10 Mr Morison og Bognie/Miss Stewart's Jog - of Bombay/Maj L Stewart's Reel - of Java

11 Rosacre/Forbes Morrison/Davie Work

12 Sir Harry Niven Lumsden of Achindoir

13 Sandy's Goat/MacLeod and Mackay

14 The Weeping Birches of Kilmorack/Glen Cottage/Gibson's Whiskey

Another great collection of tunes from Ron Gonnella, whose fiddling here is at its finest.

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonnella:

Ron Gonella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)

Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany 3 (2010)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

01 Well May My True Love Arrive/Glenmorriston/Northern Racecourse

02 Rbel War Song/Belladrum House/The Favourite Dram

03 Well May Charlie Wear the Crown/Northern Meeting/Sprightly Minikin

04 Sitting In the Stern of a Boat

05 The Beauty of the North/Stranger in Place of the Worthies/Inauspicious Wedding Day

06 Good Wife, Admit the Wanderer/The Maid That Made the Bed to Me

07 The Fall of Foyers/The North Side of the Grampians/In Dispraise of Whisky

08 Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch/The Expert Dancer/The Merry Making

09 Huntly's Wedding Medley/General Gathering 1745/The Shepherdess/My Ain, Kind Deary

10 Hymn to the Saviour

11 My Wife Is Forever Storming At Me/The Hawthorn Tree of Cawdor/Come Lads, Now Be Ready

12 Caledonia's Wail for Niel Gow/Angus Fraser's Strathspey/Three Sheep's Shanks

This was one of the first Ron Gonnella albums I heard in the 1970s, and I realised I was listening to a very fine fiddler indeed. Originally from Dundee, Gonnella lived and taught for many years in the small Perthshire town of Crieff. Until he married - late in his life - he 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.

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonella:

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)

Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany No.3 (2010)

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.3

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.3 (Compiled 2010)

Another compilations of odd tracks from radio programmes, live concert recordings, LPs and CDs. This selection features some of Scotland's younger fiddlers in amongst some old hands.

01 Carmen Higgins: Mrs Scott Skinner

02 Bob Hopkirk: Lady Elspeth Campbell/The Brig o' Perth/Duntroon

03 Derek & Sarah Hoy: Missinyersel/The Olympian/Andy Coogan's Jig

04 Anna-Wendy Stevenson: Jean Mauchline/Tune for Nuala

05 Aly Bain: Herr Roloff's Farewell

06 Alasdair Fraser: Mrs. Major L. Stewart of the Island of Java/The Iron Man/Smith's a Gallant/The Forth Brig/Gillan's Reel/The Auld Wheel

07 Fochabers Fiddlers: Leaving Stoer

08 Bob Forbes: McKenzie Hay/Flowers o' Edinburgh

09 Dave Carrie: Air/Monymusk/Stumpie/Corn Rigs

10 Ron Gonnella: Weavers of Newly/Flowers of Edinburgh

11 Angus Fitchet: Lament for Will Starr/The Young King

12 The Exiles: Fiddle Tunes

13 Derek Hoy: Col Stuart of Garth/Lads of Mull

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Ron Gonnella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Violin Music (Scots Disc SDL-001, 1966)

I don't know as much as I'd like about the late Ron Gonnella. He taught at Morrison's Academy in Crieff, Perthshire, but I haven't met anyone who knew him. What little I know is here is gleaned from record sleeves.

Ron Gonnella's great grandfather was a Robert Dewar from Perthshire, who was a shepherd near Tulliemet in Perthshire. Gonnella was from Dundee originally, and played in the Scottish Dance Band circuit with the bands of Jim Johnstone and Anrew 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. He recorded many albums (I have twelve different records) and I think this one was his first solo recording.

The instrument Gonella 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 Gonella produced; in the end it turned out to be a mediocre fiddle, and it was the musician who was special, not the instrument.

01) The Braes o' Auchtertyre (Crockat)/The Miller o' Dervil (Barnett)/Jamie Shearer (Duncan)

02) Hard Is My Fate/Mrs Greig's Strathspey/The Perth Assembly (Duncan)

03) Miss Graham of Inchbrakie (Nath Gow)/Glen Rinnes (D Grant)/Loch Leven Castle

04) The Fallen Chief (J Scott Skinner)

05) Scott Skinner's Compliments to Dr MacDonald (J Scott Skinner)/J F MacKenzie, Stornoway (Ross)/Bleaton Gardens

06) Cluny Castle (Troup)/The Duke of Montrose/The Duke of Montrose

07) The House of Skene (Davie)/Kilwinning Archers/Pretty Peggy

08) Niel Gow's Lament for James Moray of Abercairney (Niel Gow)/The Weavers of Newly/The Flowers of Edinburgh

09) The Rover (J Scott Skinner)

10) The Highland Society of Scotland/Lady Madeline Sinclair/The High Road to Linton

11) Coilsfield House (Nath Gow)

12) The Fallen Hero (Nath Gow)

13) The 'Bonnie Ann' (J Scott Skinner)/Mrs Reid of Kilcalmkill (D Grant)/ The Earl of Seafield (D Grant)

Ron Gonnella (fiddle),

with

Robert Campbell (piano)

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonnella:
Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)
Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)
Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)
Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany 3 (2010)