Annotation:Mr. Moray of Abercairny

Back to Mr. Moray of Abercairny

MR. MORAY OF ABERCARNEY/ABERCAIRNY. AKA and see "Mrs. Moray of Abercairnie (3)," Scottish, Strathspey. G Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Surenne): AAB (Gow, Stewart-Robertson). Composed by Scots fiddler-composer Niel Gow (1727-1807), of Inver, Perthshire. It may be written for James Moray of Abercairny, upon whose death Gow wrote one of his most famous compostions, “Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray Esq. of Abercarney.”

The tune has several variants in Scotland, Ireland and even the United States, under titles such as "Evergreen (The)," "Fowling Piece (The), "Kilworth Reel," "Monongahela College," "Mother Carey," "Mr. Halliday's Compliments to Mrs. Crockett," "Old Temple House Reel," "Pretty Maids of Bulgaden (The)," "Templehouse Reel (The)."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 164. Gow (The First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1784 (revised 1801); p. 23. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 190. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pp. 146-147.

Recorded sources: