Airs, Minuets, Gavotts and Reels
by Mackintosh, Robert

Full title: Airs, Minuets, Gavotts and Reels, Mostly for Two Violins and a Bass for the Violincello or Harpsichord [...] To which is added a Solo Intended as a Specimen of a set of Solos for the Violin Which the Author proposes to Publish afterwards.

Publisher: Edinburgh

Printer: for the Author J. Johnson Sculpt

Date: [1783]

Description:

Despite its title, the content of Mackintosh's first book is dominated by 17 minuets, 12 of these with second violin parts, and 4 paired with other dances. 5 have contrasting ‘minore’ or ‘maggiore’ sections. Alburger suggests that his trio instrumention reflects Baroque conventions. (Alburger, 67)
There is a sequence of 16 reels with active and inventive and varied four-beat basslines towards the end of the book, before the Solo and a final March.
The ‘Solo’ has a Boccherini-like virtuosic first movement, followed by a Largo & Jigg fashioned after Corelli but with more decadent harmony.
The author is spelled 'Macintosh' on titlepage.
This and other Mackintosh books are available in a collected typeset edition by HMT (Inverness, 2002).

Notes:

Lord Balgownies Minuet (the first piece) includes a messa di voce on a long note.
In the first variation of 'Lady Emilia Kers Minuet', what appears to be an ossia reading is in fact mis-engraved staccato dots.

Orientation: Portrait

RISM: M59

Gore: MC21

Biographical info: Robert Mackintosh (c.1745-1807, known as "Red Rob") was a fiddler and composer from Tullymet; he worked in Edinburgh and played for the Edinburgh Musical Society; led the band at Gentlemen's Concerts in Aberdeen c.1785-88, and moved to London in 1803. (Alburger). He was said to have taught Nathaniel Gow; Glen believes this must have been in Aberdeen. (Glen 1, xi)

Location(s):

GB-DUcl 7077
GB-En Glen 357(1)
GB-Gm M9161 / 787.1
GB-Gu Ca12-x.38
GB-Lbl
GB-P Bf18

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.