A Collection of Original Strathspeys and Reels (1824)
by McKercher, Duncan

Full title: A Collection of Original Strathspeys and Reels, Arranged for the Piano Forte, Violin & Violoncello, & most Respectfully Dedicated by Permission, to Lady Menzies, Castle Menzies, by D. McKercher, Stronfernon, nr Kenmore.

Publisher: For the Author

Printer: Walker & Anderson, Engrs.

Date: 1824

Description:

The dedication on p.1 is dated 10/3/1824.
The GB-En copy also has photo of a dour-looking McKercher 'The Perthshire Paganini' , pasted in. The photograph was given by J. Murdoch Henderson, who also traced in the final page from another copy in 1949.
There are occasional typos in the musical text.

Notes:

The basslines are mostly in single notes, and are simple and practical with occasional quirkiness, subtltey and chromaticism.
Tunes and basslines which are also in McKercher's later Collection of Original Strathspeys appear in simpler form here.

Gore: MC19

Biographical info: McKercher (also spelled 'McKerracher' by Murdoch, 74-75) was born in Dunkeld c.1796 and 'of the Niel Gow school'; he lived much of his life in Gow's old Inver cottage (Alburger, 119), but died in 1873 in Edinburgh. He was known as 'the Dunkeld Paganini', a fiddler and teacher to aristocratic families in north of Scotland, who played with 'real characteristic North-country tang' (Murdoch, 75). He often played at evening concerts in Glasgow City Hall and at James Lumsden's Scotch concerts in Edinburgh, and was famed for playing 'The Mason's Apron' while wearing it. Baptie noted that McKercher was born in Inver, and adds that his 'Sir Neil Menzies' strathspey is close to style of Robert Mackintosh and William Marshall.

Location(s):

GB-En Glen 365(1-3)
GB-Lbl h.1568.cc.(4.)

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.