A Collection of Reels
by McGlashan, Alexander
Full title: A Collection of Reels, Consisting chiefly of Strathspeys, Athole Reels &c. with a Bass for the Violoncello or Harpsichord
Publisher: Edinburgh, Alexander McGlashan
Printer: Neil Stewart
Seller: Edinburgh, Neil Stewart (Neil Stewart's Music Shop), Parliament Square
Edition: [1st]
Date: 1786
Description:
This is McGlashan's third book.
Notes:
The book opens with variations on 'Macpherson's Lament', with a moving quaver bassline, then returns to the 4-beat repetitive basslines familiar from A Collection of Strathspey Reels.
Seven of the first eight tunes (and many more later) are credited to William Marshall, but with more systematic and simple basslines than those in Marshall's own publications.
The other tunes not given a simple bassline are 'Captain Oakhain' (described as 'A favourite Irish Tune' - actually Turlough Carolan's 'Captain O'Cane'); 'Sweet is the Lass that dwells Among the Heather' (a bassline mostly in quavers); and on p.40 'Hamilton Races' (a fluid jig bassline), 'The German Spaw' (a semiquaver Alberti bass), and 'Beds of Roses' (a variety of patterns and lines).
'Dunkeld House' is given in ae'a'e'' scordatura. There are some simple variations 'For the Harpsichord' on 'Miss Nancy Campbell's Reel'; and some left-hand chords in 'Miss Wellwoods Fancy', but still basically repetitive 4-beat bass patterns.
Pages: 46 p
Orientation: Landscape
Dimensions: 25 x 33
RISM: M41
Gore: MC9
Biographical info: Alexander 'King McGlashan' (c.1740-1797) was leader in the band of the Edinburgh Assemblies, according to a sales description pasted into a GB-Gu copy. He was described as an editor, violinist, composer and teacher (Baptie; Alburger); and was a popular recitalist, and a teacher of Nathaniel Gow (Glen 1, x). Gore uses the spelling 'MacGlashan'.
- GB-A
- Aberdeen University Library
- GB-Bu
- Birmingham University Library
- GB-Cu
- Cambridge University Library
- GB-DRu
- University Library, Durham
- GB-DUcl
- Dundee Central Library (Wighton Collection)
- GB-En
- National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
- GB-Ep
- Edinburgh City Library
- GB-Eu
- Edinburgh University Library
- GB-Gm
- Mitchell Library, Glasgow
- GB-Grc
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow
- GB-Gu
- University of Glasgow Library
- GB-Lam
- Royal Academy of Music, London
- GB-Lbl
- British Library, London
- GB-Lcm
- Royal College of Music, London
- GB-Lcs
- Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp House, London
- GB-Mp
- Manchester Public Library
- GB-Mr
- Manchester University Library
- GB-NTu
- Newcastle University Library
- GB-Ob
- Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
- GB-P
- A K Bell Library, Perth
- GB-SA
- Saint Andrews University Library
- GB-SHE
- Sheffield University Library
- IRL-Dn
- National Library of Ireland, Dublin
- IRL-Dtc
- Trinity College Dublin
GB-A In SB f786221 Pas
GB-DUcl 31956
GB-En Glen 236(2)
GB-En Inglis 184(2)
GB-Gm M9850 / 786.45
GB-Lbl GB-Lbl
GB-P Be10
GB-P O7 (contains pp.45-48 only)
GB-P O11 (Douglas notes this as 2nd edition)
- A Collection of Reels [Glasgow University Library (GB-Gu), Ca9-y.7]