Annotation:Perthshire Hunt (The)

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PERTHSHIRE HUNT, THE. AKA – "Perth Hunt." AKA and see "Boyne Hunt (1),” "Highland Skip (2)," "Molly Maguire (2)," "Niel Gow's Reel (1)," "Persian Hunt (The)," “Popcorn (The),” "Richmond Hill (2)," “Sailor’s Trip to Liverpool (The).” Scottish, Canadian; Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major (most versions): D Major (Miller, Ross): C Major (Jones). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Surenne): AAB (most versions): AABB (Honeyman): AABB’ (Athole). The melody was composed by biography:Miss Stirling of Ardoch, Magdalene Stirling (1765–1846) of Ardoch, Perthshire, around 1788. The Stirlings were an old Perthshire family, a branch of whom held lands in the parish of Muthill. Magdalene was a friend of Niel Gow and his son Nathaniel, who published a few of her compositions in their publications. She also published compositions under her own name. Hunter (1988) notes its opening "is one of the best examples of the use of the upstroke beginning to reels."

Caoimhin Mac Aoidh (1994) maintains the tune was commissioned for the Perthshire Hunt Ball, an annual social event sponsored by the Perthshire Hunt, a gentleman's club. George Penny, in his Traditions of Perth, Containing Sketches of the Manners and Customs (1836, p. 41) explains the origins:

Horseracing and archery were formerly much practiced in this quarter. It is a well authenticated fact, that the affair of 1745 [i.e. Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite rebellion] was concocted at the Perth races, which, prior to that period, were attended by noblemen from all parts of the kingdom. The disastrous events of that year put a stop to these amusements, and scattered the Scottish gentry to different parts of the continent; the effects of which were felt for 30 years. About 1784, the exiled families began to return, and many of the forfeited estates being restored, a new impulse was given to the country. Many of the gentlemen formed themselves into a body, styled the Perthshire Hunt, and a pack of fox hounds was procured, and placed under the management of an experienced huntsman. Their meetings were held in October, and continued for a week, with balls and ordinaries every day. When the Caledonian Hunt held their meetings here, the assemblies continued for a fortnight. The present excellent racecourse was formed after the enlargement of the North Inch, and for a time the Perth Turf was among the best frequented in Scotland. Although races have continued to be held pretty regularly, they have lately greatly declined in point of attraction; seldom extending beyond two days, where they formerly occupied a week.

In America the melody was published in Baltimore by George P. Knauff in his Virginia Reels, volume II (1839) as "Richmond Hill," and in Ireland the reel is well-known by the title “Boyne Hunt (1).” A few 19th century English musicians' manuscripts give the title as "Persian Hunt (The)," a corruption of the title "Perthshire Hunt."

Source for notated version: Hector MacAndrew [Martin].

Printed sources: Anderson (Anderson's Budget of Strathspeys, Reels & Country Dances), Edinburgh, 1820; p. 27. Glen (Collection of Scottish Dance Music, vol. 2), 1895; p. 5. Gow (Second Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 1788; p. 2. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; p. 34. Hunter (The Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 247. Jones [Ed.] (Complete Tutor Violin), c. 1815; p. 4. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune-Book, vol. 2), 1954; p. 13 (as "Persian Hunt). Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880’s; Set 10, No. 2, p. 8 (appears as "The Perth Hunt"). MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 19. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 124. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music, vol. 3), 1977; No. 4. Preston (24 Country Dances for the Year 1804), p. 222. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 172 (as "Persian Hunt"). William Ross (Collection [of] Pipe Music), 1869; No. 157, p. 114. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), 1900; p. 29. Skinner (Harp and Claymore), 1904; p. 104. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 4. Stirling (Twelve Tunes), 1812; p. 4. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; p. 62.

Recorded sources: Banff RBS 1246, Joe MacLean – "Joe MacLean and His Old Time Scottish Fiddle" (197?). IRC Records, Michael Coleman – “The Musical Glory of Old Sligo” (1967).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [3]
See Gavin Greig's handwritten notation for the Harp and Claymore collection at the University of Aberdeen's J. Scott Skinner site [[4]]

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