A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances
by Bremner, Robert
Tunes list
- Ratha Fair (p. 1)
- Lady Doll Sinclair's Reel (p. 1)
- Miss Polly Skiner's Reel (p. 2)
- The Milkmaids of Blantyre (p. 2)
- Miss Ramsey's Reel (p. 3)
- The Parks of Kilburnie (p. 3)
- Camron has got his Wife again (p. 4)
- Kiss me Sweetly (p. 4)
- Mr Rob.t Kenedys Reel (p. 5)
- Miss Blair's Reel (p. 5)
- The Fyket (p. 6)
- I'll gae nae mair to your Town (p. 6)
- Isle of Sky (p. 7)
- Jacky Stewarts Reel (p. 7)
- Duke of Perth's Reel (p. 8)
- Capt. Ross's Reel (p. 8)
- Hopetoun House (p. 9)
- Short Apron (p. 9)
- Lady Hariot Hope's Reel (p. 10)
- The Highlandman Kiss'd his Mother (p. 10)
- Miss Murray's Reel (p. 11)
- Drummore's Rant (p. 11)
- He hirpl'd till her (p. 12)
- Had the Lass till J winn at her (p. 12)
- Steer the Gil (p. 13)
- Lady Nelly Wemyss's Reel (p. 13)
- Because he was a bonny Lad (p. 14)
- your welcome to your feet again (p. 14)
- The Parson & his Boots (p. 15)
- Merry Lads of Air (p. 15)
- Tulloch Gorm (p. 16)
- Over the Water to Charlie (p. 16)
- Struen Robertson's Rant (p. 17)
- Lennox Love to Blantyre (p. 17)
- Miss Fraser's Reel (p. 18)
- A Trip to London (p. 18)
- Clodun Reel (p. 19)
- Miss Farquharson's Reel (p. 19)
- Mrs Ross's Reel (p. 20)
- The Bonny Lass of Fannhiven (p. 20)
- Lady Betty Wemyss's Reel (p. 21)
- Miss Flora McDonald's Reel (p. 21)
- Sodger Laddie (p. 22)
- Sr. Alexr. McDonald's Reel (p. 22)
- Marchmont House (p. 23)
- A Bonny Lass to Marry me (p. 24)
- I'll make you be fain to follow me (p. 24)
- Coming throw the Broom my Jo. (p. 25)
- King of Prusia's Reel (p. 25)
- Elsie Marly. (p. 26)
- Captain Lockhart of the Tartar. (p. 27)
- Dusty Miller. (p. 27)
- O'er Young to Marry yet. (p. 28)
- Scots Bonnet. (p. 28)
- Pipers Maggot. (p. 29)
- Loch-ness. (p. 29)
- The Carle he came o'er the Craft. (p. 30)
- Rams Horns. (p. 30)
- The Lady's Breast knot (p. 31)
- Rantan Roaran Highland-man. (p. 31)
- Keep the Country Bonny Lassie. (p. 32)
- Brose and Butter. (p. 32)
- Lady George Beauclark's Reel. (p. 33)
- Balendaloch's Dream (p. 33)
- The Braes of Mor. (p. 34)
- The Bride is a bonny thing. (p. 34)
- Birks of Abergeldy. (p. 35)
- Lady Jean Murray's Rant. (p. 35)
- Irvin Stiple. (p. 36)
- Kick the Rogues out (p. 36)
- The last pint Ale (p. 37)
- Braes of Balquheder (p. 37)
- Kilwinan Lodge (p. 38)
- The Fir Tree - Strathspey (p. 38)
- Balgeny's Bouling Green (p. 39)
- The Bonny wi thing (p. 40)
- Queensberry House (p. 40)
- The Millers Wedding - Strathspey (p. 41)
- Rothemurches Rant - Strathspey (p. 42)
- The Wives of Torphican (p. 42)
- The Ruffians Rant - Strathspey (p. 43)
- Lochiels Rant (p. 44)
- The North Loch (p. 44)
- I have a wife of my Ain (p. 45)
- The Stuart's Rant (p. 45)
- Hey my Nanny (p. 46)
- The Bonnet makers of Dundee (p. 46)
- The Malt-man comes a Monday (p. 47)
- The Highland Laddie (p. 47)
- The Drunken Wifie (p. 48)
- Sleepy Maggy (p. 48)
- Will you go to Sherriff Moor (p. 49)
- Collonel Crafurd's Reel (p. 49)
- Lady Jean Hume's Reel (p. 50)
- Pudding Maggie (p. 50)
- Cadgers of the Cannongate (p. 51)
- The Bonny Lass of Luss (p. 51)
- Woo'd & Married & a' (p. 52)
- Lady Mc: Intosh's Reel (p. 52)
- Merrily dance the Quaker (p. 53)
- The Burn of Carnie (p. 53)
- Jenny dang the Weaver (p. 54)
- Peggie's Wedding (p. 54)
- Kiss the Lass ye like best (p. 55)
- Port Patrick (p. 55)
- Whistle o'er the leave o't (p. 56)
- Ye'll ay be welcome back again (p. 56)
- Lord Kelly's Reel (p. 57)
- Links of Leith (p. 57)
- I wish you wou'd marry me now (p. 58)
- The Bridge of Anas (p. 58)
- Hoble about (p. 59)
- The Lads of Elgin (p. 59)
- As black as a Coal (p. 60)
- Up & war them a' Willie (p. 60)
- Willie Winks - Strathspey (p. 61)
- Let's to the Ard - Strathspey (p. 62)
- Lady Elgin's Reel (p. 62)
- Don Side - Strathspey (p. 63)
- The Grant's Rant (p. 64)
- Just as I was in the morning (p. 64)
- Clean Peas straw (p. 65)
- Drown Drouth (p. 65)
- Cleek him inn (p. 66)
- Pitkerie's Reel - Strathspey (p. 66)
- What the D--l ails you (p. 67)
- Blue Britches (p. 67)
- Barley Cakes (p. 68)
- Yeal Yeal (p. 68)
- Crief Fair (p. 69)
- Insh of Perth (p. 69)
- Argyll's Bouling Green (p. 70)
- New Claret (p. 70)
- Shaun Truish Willichan (p. 71)
- Lady Betty Cochran's Reel (p. 72)
- New Mills House (p. 72)
- The Spell (p. 73)
- Earl Marshal's Reel (p. 73)
- A Kiss for Nothing (p. 74)
- A Feg for a kiss (p. 74)
- Double Kisses (p. 75)
- O as J was Kiss'd the Streen (p. 75)
- The Lassie wi the yellow Coatie (p. 76)
- My ain kind Dearie (p. 76)
- O'er the Moor among the Heather (p. 77)
- The File-bek is ay ready (p. 77)
- Breas of Athol (p. 78)
- The Athol Cummers - Strathspey (p. 78)
- The Corporal (p. 79)
- Jenny Nettles (p. 80)
- The Oyster Wives Rant (p. 80)
- Mary Gray (p. 81)
- Lord Kinaird's Reel. (p. 81)
- Lady Mary Menzies Reel (p. 82)
- Cameronian's Rant (p. 82)
- Lasses likes nea Brandy (p. 83)
- Campbells are coming O ho (p. 83)
- Knit the Pocky. (p. 84)
- Reel of Tulloch. (p. 84)
- Maggy's Weam is fu' I true (p. 85)
- Cuzle together (p. 85)
- Lady Ann Erskin's Reel (p. 86)
- Duke of Hamilton's Reel (p. 86)
- My Mither's ay glowran o'er me (p. 87)
- Blair Drummond's Reel (p. 87)
- Old Stuarts back again (p. 88)
- Eight men of Mudardt (p. 88)
- Hey to Couper (p. 89)
- The Jolly Plowman (p. 89)
- The Auld Wife ayont the fire (p. 90)
- O'er Boggie (p. 90)
- Sugarcandy (p. 91)
- New Christmas (p. 91)
- The Wright's Rant (p. 92)
- Cambdelmore - Strathspey (p. 92)
- Back of the Change house (p. 93)
- Jock's Lodge (p. 93)
- Merry Dancers (p. 94)
- Carrick Reel (p. 94)
- Lord Eglinton's Reel (p. 95)
- Sir John Malcolm (p. 96)
- Bonintown Well (p. 96)
Copy details
Publisher
Edinburgh and London, Robert Bremner
Printer
Robert Bremner
Seller
Robert Bremner, At the Harp and Hautboy
Edition
[1st]
Date
1757
Library
A K Bell Library, Perth (GB-P)
Shelfmark
Bd45
Description
Published as 14 numbers of 8 pages each, c.1757-61, the last two numbers being published as the Second Collection. The engraving style of text (and sometimes music) changes between numbers. (The form of the '8' in 6/8 matches that in Bremner's Curious Collection only in some numbers.) The GB-A copy proves that the book was first published in Edinburgh, not London: 'Edinburgh, Printed & sold by Robt. Bremner, at the Harp & Hautboy, where may be had [...] Also all sorts of Music & Musical Instruments as cheap as at LONDON.' The later London edition has had 'Edinburgh' replaced by 'LONDON', with 'in the Strand' added underneath, and 'as cheap as at LONDON' removed! So Bremner took the plates south with him in 1762, advertising his London premises in December of that year. A note from Wighton inside the GB-DUcl copy reveals that the Scots Magazine advertised individual numbers as they were issued, e.g. 7 & 8 in November 1759, 10 in November 1760, and 11 & 12 in April 1761. In this copy (GB-P Bd45), pp.17-20 are missing and have been supplied from the Gb-P Bd19.
Notes
Bremner presents simple, repetitive four-beat basslines.This book is clearly the source for 'Miss Murray's Reel' in The Caledonian Muse, where the musical text is identical. Some tunes in scordatura. Titlepage: 'In playing these Basses on the Harpsichord, their Octaves may be also struck, as represented by small Notes in the Fyket. page 6th.' 'The Fyket' has dots printed an octave lower to show where to play the bass notes on the harpsichord. p38 'The Fir Tree - Strathspey NB: The Strathspey Reels are play'd much slower than the others.'
Copy notes
Lacks pp.17-20; images of these pages are from GB-P Bd19.
Pages
96 p
Orientation
Landscape
Dimensions
17 x 25
Gore
B15
Biographical info
Bremner (c.1713-89) was a music-seller and publisher in Edinburgh until 1760, thereafter in London. John Brysson managed the Edinburgh business for Bremner after the latter's removal to London. (Glen 1, vii; Alburger; Grove)
Other locations
GB-P Bd19 (1759, lacking titlepage, index, pp.95-96, and has some cropping to the tops of pages)
GB-DUcl H.92496 (First and Second Collections. Occasional cropping to text at the top. Ink annotations from Wighton, e.g. The Grant's Rant 'Green Grows the Rashies O', correction of 'The Corporal' to 'G minor'. Plates seem slightly more worn than in Perth and IMSLP copies. Further notes, mostly on publication dates, appear throughout the book: some give alternate titles for certain reels. The second collection has an MS index.)
GB-A Pi 787 BRE (Edinburgh, 1757-59. First 4 numbers only, pp.1-32, lacking pp.3-4, 15-16)
GB-A Hend Inst Sco (London, 1765?)
GB-Gu Ca9-d.21 ([1775])
GB-Lbm b.58.b.(1.) ([1768])
GB-Lcs QM ([1765])
GB-Ob Harding Mus.F 295(1) ([1768])