A Fourth Book of New Strathspey Reels
by Mackintosh, Robert

Full title: A Fourth Book of New Strathspey Reels, Also some Famous old Reels For the Piano Forte or Harp

Publisher: London

Printer: for the Author by Lavenu & Mitchell, Music Sellers to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales

Date: [1803]

Description:

‘Compiled and Composed’ by Mackintosh, as in his 3d. Book. Other attributions for tunes include D Dow, Dr Howard and J Macdonald.
Book is mostly reels (60 of 114 items), with 37 strathspeys, and 7 variation sets, of which 4 are pianistic.
The contents are arranged mostly by key: in the E minor and F sections there are several apparent strathspey-reel pairs.
This and other Mackintosh books are available in a collected typeset edition by HMT (Inverness, 2002).

Notes:

The opening piece ‘The Dutchess of Manchester’s favorite’ is an elegant 6/8 piano piece with a variation.
The following tune ‘The Duke of Manchester’s fancy’, which begins with a strathspey figure, incorporates running semiquavers in the bass where the tune is slower-moving.
‘Lady Charlotte Campbell’s Reel’ (which was also published separately, possibly before Mackintosh left Edinburgh) includes three accompaniment styles successively within the tune: a single line, repeated octaves, and then a single line marked ‘pizicato’ with staccato dots.
Includes the marches ‘Yankee Doodle’ and ‘The 4th of July’.

RISM: M62

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 Wighton 7077 (dated 1802)
GB-Lbl
GB-P MS copy by JMH (dated 1795)

Digitised items

This source has not been digitised.