Annotation:Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw’s Strathspey
Back to Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw’s Strathspey
MRS. HAMILTON OF WISHAW'S STRATHSPEY. Scottish, Strathspey ("Slow when not danced"{Marshall}: "Very Slow"{Gow}). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). The first publication of the tune (without composer credit) appears in Malcolm MacDonald’s 2nd Collection (1789), dedicated to the Earl of Breadalbane. The Gows published it a few years later—again without composer credit—in their 3rd Collection (1792). A jig version of this tune was published as "Lady Belhaven's Delight" by the Gows in their Fourth Collection. The tune is perhaps named in honor of Penelope MacDonald (daughter of Ronald Macdonald of Clanranad and Flora Mackinnon), who in 1789 married the 7th Laird, William Hamilton of Wishaw (1765-1814). See also the melody for her spouse, “Mr. Hamilton of Wishaw’s Reel,” and Marshall's companion reel "Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw."
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Carlin Gow Collection), 1986; No. 182. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1792; p. 20 (3rd ed.). MacDonald (A Second Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1789; p. 11. Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1822 Collection, p. 19.
Recorded sources: