A Collection of Favourite Scots Tunes with Variations
by McLean, Charles

Full title: A Collection of Favourite Scots Tunes with Variations for the Violin and a Bass for the Violoncello & Harpsichord by the late Mr Ch's McLean and other Eminent Masters.

Publisher: Edinburgh

Printer: Printer N. Stewart, Parliament Square.

Date: [1773-1774?]

Description:

Most of the music consists of variation sets, some with minuets and/or jigs. A few are based on songs, and some are on Irish tunes.

Notes:

Contents and authorship of this volume discussed in Johnson (9-13; 164-166).
The drone basses given at the head of tunes as an alternative to the basslines are in different styles, including broken octaves, but are usually repeated octaves. There are some very simple basslines, but some are more elegant.
'Lasses likes nae Brandy' and 'Tail Todle' have a repetitive four-beat bassline. 'Corn Riggs' is marked 'slow' and has no drone at the top.

Gore: MC23

Link: National Library of Scotland

Biographical info: Born in Aberdeen c.1712, McLean was a music teacher in Montrose, and then Aberdeen, before moving to Edinburgh to play in the Edinburgh Musical Society Orchestra. He was in London from c.1740, and died there c.1772. He composed for violin, publishing a set of sonatas in 1737; the present book is a posthumous collection. (Grove; Baptie)

Location(s):

GB-DUcl 53670
GB-En Glen 226
GB-Gm M9931/786.48 ('imp'[erfect?])
GB-Gu Ca9-y.40
GB-Ob
GB-P Be65

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.