Balvenie Castle

BALVENIE CASTLE. AKA and see "Doctor (2) (The)" (Gow), "Gollochy's Farewel (sic)". Scottish, Strathspey. B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by William Marshall (1748–1833). The tune was retitled "The Doctor" by Gow in this Repository, Part Third, 1806, althought the tune was first published by Marshall under the "Balvenie Castle" title in his First Collection, 1781. Balvenie Castle, originally known as Balvery de Serve, is in Glen Fiddich and dates from the 13th century when the Earls of Buchan, the Black Comyns, held the region. The Comyns were destroyed by Robert the Bruce and residence was next taken up by The Black Douglasses in the 1400's, who in turn succumbed to King James II in 1455. James installed a kinsman to govern the province, but by 1720 the castle had been abandoned. Mary Queen of Scots once spent time at the castle on her way north to crush the powerful Gordon clan. Today the castle, located near the Glenfiddich distillery, is in ruins.

Printed sources: Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, p. 10.

X:1
T:Balvenie Castle
L:1/8
M:C
S:Marshall – 1822 Collection
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:Bb
B>GF>E D>CB,>d|e<c f>d c/c/c c2|c/B/_A/G/ A/G/F/E/ D>CB,>d|
E<c f>d B/B/B ~B2|B>GF>E D>CB,>d|e<c f>d c/c/c c2|c/B/_A/G/ A/G/F/E/ D>CB,>d|
e<c f>d B/B/B ~B2||B>fd>f B>fd>f|e>gd>f c/c/c ~c2|B>fd>f B>fd>f|
e<g f>d B/B/B ~B2|B>fd>f B>fd>f|e>gd>f c/c/c cg/a/|bgaf gefd|e<g f>d B/B/B ~B2||