The Caledonian Pocket Companion
by Oswald, James
Full title: The Caledonian Pocket Companion Containing Fifty of the most favourite Scotch Tunes several of them with Variations all set for the German Flute, by Mr Oswald
Publisher: London: Printed for J. Simpson in Sweetings Alley opposite the East Door of the Royal Exchange.
Date: [1745-1760]
Description:
Vols. 3 onwards are ‘Printed for the author’, and the title pages mention ‘German Flute or Violin’.
The following publication dates for each volume were pencilled into the GB-P copies by an unknown writer, possibly J. Murdoch Henderson: 1 - 1745. 2 - 1750. 3 - 1751. 4 - 1752. 5 - 1754. 6 - 1755. 7 - 1756. 8 - 1756. 9 - 1757. 10 - 1758. 11 - 1759. 12 – 1760. After Oswald’s death in 1769, the books were reprinted in London by Straight & Skillern (Purser).
The repertoire in this very successful series of pocket tune-books with no basslines stretches beyond a broad selection of both Lowland and Highland Scottish material, into London music for theatre and pleasure gardens. Some of the material is taken from Oswald's previous publications.
Notes:
A two-volume CD-ROM edition with extensive notes was published by Nick Parkes and John Purser in 2006-2007.
RISM: O256
Gore: O1
Link: NLS Digital Gallery
Biographical info: Oswald was born in Crail in 1710, and died in Knebworth, Hertfordshire, in 1769. He was a musician and dancing master in Dunfermline, then went to Edinburgh, where he was a composer, publisher, cellist, and teacher. He moved to London in 1741, where he was a well-connected teacher, publisher, active in Society of the Temple of Apollo, and appointed Chamber Composer to the king in 1761. (Alburger; Grove)
- GB-A
- Aberdeen University Library
- GB-Bu
- Birmingham University Library
- GB-Cu
- Cambridge University Library
- GB-DRu
- University Library, Durham
- GB-DUcl
- Dundee Central Library (Wighton Collection)
- GB-En
- National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
- GB-Ep
- Edinburgh City Library
- GB-Eu
- Edinburgh University Library
- GB-Gm
- Mitchell Library, Glasgow
- GB-Grc
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow
- GB-Gu
- University of Glasgow Library
- GB-Lam
- Royal Academy of Music, London
- GB-Lbl
- British Library, London
- GB-Lcm
- Royal College of Music, London
- GB-Lcs
- Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp House, London
- GB-Mp
- Manchester Public Library
- GB-Mr
- Manchester University Library
- GB-NTu
- Newcastle University Library
- GB-Ob
- Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
- GB-P
- A K Bell Library, Perth
- GB-SA
- Saint Andrews University Library
- GB-SHE
- Sheffield University Library
- IRL-Dn
- National Library of Ireland, Dublin
- IRL-Dtc
- Trinity College Dublin
GB-DUcl 31983
GB-En Inglis 68 (Books 1-8)
GB-En Inglis 69 (Books 7-12)
GB-En Glen 203 (Books 1-6)
GB-En Glen 223 (Book 2)
GB-Gm (several copies)
GB-Lcs (several copies)
GB-P Be11 (Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
GB-P Bd61 (Books 1-6)
GB-P Bd11 (Book 1)
GB-P Bd12 (Book 2)
GB-P Bd7 (Books 5-7)
GB-P Bd13 (Book 12)
Digitised items
This source has not been digitised.