Annotation:Lady Erskine
X:1 T:Lady Erskine’s Reel C:James Walker (1771-1840), Dysart M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel B:James Walker - Collection of new Scots reels, strathspeys, jigs, &c. (1793-4, p. 2) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Amin E|A2AB c2 BA|Bdgd BGGB|A2 AB (cd)ea|gegB A2-A:| g|abag eg a2|gage de g2|abag e^fge|dBgB A2Ag| abag eg a2|gage de g2|aabg a^fge |dBgB A2-A||
LADY ERSKINE. Scottish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Glen attributes the tune to "J. Walker," James Walker (1760-1840) of Dysart, a professional musician, who published his first collection in 1793-4. Which Lady Erskine the title relates to is not known, and there were several: Lady Frances Erskine and Lady Charlotte Erskine were wealthy patrons of the Scottish painter David Allan (1744-1796), who helped raise money to send the young artist to Rome to study.
The melody appears as "Lady Eshkin's reell" in the music manuscript collection of Spithope, Northumberland, musician John Robson [1], dated February, 1874.
