A Collection of Marches & Quicksteps, Strathspeys & Reels
by Calvert, Thomas

Full title: A Collection of Marches & Quick Steps, Strathspeys & Reels, Some Seconds &c. Adapted for the Violin, and Violoncello Harpd. Or Piano Forte by Thomas Calvert, Kelso.

Publisher: Kelso, Thomas Calvert

Printer: Printed for the author

Seller: To be had at N Stewart, 37 South Bridge St, Edinburgh And at Thomas Calvert Musician Kelso Where may be had a Variety of Music and Instruments, Instruments lent out Tun'd and Repaired. Price 5/

Edition: [1st]

Date: [1799]

Description:

The book contains a mix of marches, tunes of local interest, country dances and cottilions, in a variety of settings, including several clearly for piano with violin accompaniment, with 3 parts simply marked '1st', '2d' and 'Bass'.
BUCEM dates this as c.1790, whilst SBTI suggests 1793-1802. Kidson noted inside the GB-Gm copy that the endpaper is watermarked 1791, and Glen noted that N. Stewart's address was 37 South Bridge Street from 1792-1802. However, the Battle of Camperdown was in October 1797, and so the naming of 'The Downshire Camperdown Quick Step' would suggest a date closer to 1799, as pencilled on the GB-P copy.

Notes:

Opening note on p.1: 'To the Performer; on the Violoncello; - Where the Basses is set double, you may take the upper or lower Octave; but the lower is the best, as you cannot Easily, take them both at all times. To the Performer; on the Violin; or German Flute, - Where the Notes are Chorded, you will observe to play the uppermost Notes. To the Performer on the Harpsicord or Piano Forte; - you may add Double Notes fifths & sixths at your own pleasure, and where the Basses are set single, you may add an Octave above, or below, for filling up the Instrument.' There follows a diatonic fingering chart for violin, and then the first piece 'God Save the King'.
A slightly altered 'Ash Grove' appears as 'A Favourite German Air'. The basses are in several styles: repeated octaves, Alberti basses, and simple repetitive lines.

Pages: 22 p

Orientation: Portrait

Dimensions: 36 x 26

RISM: C255

Gore: C7

Biographical info: Calvert, a Kelso musician who also loaned instruments, was active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Location(s):

GB-A Hend inst Cal c
GB-Lbl g.1780.nn.(18.)
GB-Gm M8710 / 786.45 (small parts of a few page corners missing)
GB-En Glen 316

Digitised items

• A Collection of Marches & Quicksteps, Strathspeys & Reels [A K Bell Library, Perth (GB-P), Bf27]