A 3d. Book of Sixty eight New Reels & Strathspeys
by Mackintosh, Robert

Full title: A 3d. Book of Sixty eight New Reels & Strathspey's, Also above forty old Famous Reels for the Violin and Piano Forte, With a Bass for the Violoncello or Harpsichord Compiled and Composed by Robert Mackintosh

Publisher: Edinburgh

Printer: J. Hamilton No.24 North Bridge

Date: [1796]

Description:

Note that this third and Mackintosh’s fourth book are both ‘Compiled and Composed by’ rather than simply ‘Composed by’ as before. 76 of the 117 tunes are described as ‘by R. Mackintosh’. Other attributions include J. Macdonald, Mackintosh Jnr., and Mr Mackintyre.
The GB-Gu copy shows signs of having been well used, with grubby thumbprints, inkblots and pen trials added when inserting fingerings.
Many pages carry an individual price of 4d., or 8d. when the music runs over two pages, suggesting that they could be sold separately.
This and other Mackintosh books are available in a collected typeset edition by HMT (Inverness, 2002).

Notes:

Some single-note basslines drop below the cello’s bottom C; the bass for ‘Miss Barbara Hay’s Favourite’ includes Alberti bass, piano octaves, and figures, the only figured bass in Mackintosh’s books. Passing chromaticism in the basses is quite common.

RISM: M61

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-A
GB-DUcl Wighton 7077, 10435, 14699 (dated 1794)
GB-En Inglis 291(3)
GB-Gm M8855 / 786.45
GB-Gu Ca12-x.37
GB-Lbl
GB-Ob
GB-P Bf20

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.