A Choice Collection of Scots Reels
by Hamilton, John

Full title: A Choice Collection of Scots Reels, or Country Dances & Strathspeys With a Bass for the Violincello or Harpsichord

Publisher: Edinburgh: John Hamilton, North Bridge

Printer: John Hamilton

Date: [1799-1811]

Description:

Hamilton's Choice Collection is the same as the identically-titled earlier publication by Robert Ross, so Hamilton, who makes no claims to authorship on the titlepage, must have reprinted it. See entry under Ross.
Wighton's copy (GB-DUcl 92465) is signed by his friend James Davie, Aberdeen music seller and publisher, and has a handwritten index by him. It also contains pages 81-96 of Schetky's minuets bound in at the end: most tunes are marked 'by Mr Schetky'.
This presumably is from Neil Stewart's book of minuets: the GB-DUcl copy of Stewart's minuets ends at page 80, and may originally have been sold in separate eight-page numbers. P.9 has 'No.2.' printed at the bottom right of the page; no other such numbering is visible.

Notes:

The collection has well-chosen tunes with careful slurring, many offbeat slurs, some strathspeys with dots under slurs. There are many really good tunes, and the settings are well-crafted and stylish.
'The Reel of Tulloch' and 'Miss McNeills Reel' are presented in ae'a'e'' scordatura.
The accompaniment consists of simple four beat basslines with occasional dyads. 'The Mason's Apron' appears in G as 'The Mason Laddie', with offbeat slurs and a two-note bassline, and no cadence at the end of lines.

Gore: H3

Biographical info: Hamilton (1761-1814) was a prolific Edinburgh publisher of sheet music, the main publisher of Aberdeen organist John Ross's tunes, and friend of the Chambers publishing family (Kidson). Since John Ross moved from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Aberdeen by the age of 20, any close connection with the older Edinburgh publisher Robert Ross, whose collection Hamilton reprinted, seems unlikely. An editor, compiler and poet, Hamilton reportedly wrote the words for 'Up in the Morning Early'. (Baptie) He traded from 24 North Bridge Street c.1795-1810; and 26 Princes Street c.1812-13 (Humphries & Smith).

Location(s):

GB-DUcl 92465
GB-DUcl 92532
GB-En MH.s.52(3)

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.