Annotation:Mr. Stabilini’s Favorite
Tune properties and standard notation
MR. STABILINI'S FAVORITE. Scottish, Strathspey. E Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) in honor of Girolamo Stabilini (1762-1815), an Italian violinist and conductor living in Edinburgh from 1792 to his death in 1815. He was conductor of the Edinburgh Concerts and was much admired as a player. “He often played at Gordon Castle and Huntly Lodge, and was acquainted with (Scots fiddler-composer, the Duke of Gordon’s butler and later factor) William Marshall, whose compositions and violin playing he greatly admired. He died of dropsy and was buried in St. Cuthbert’s Churchyard, where his tombstone is still to be seen” (David Baptie, Musical Scotland, Past and Present, 1972). This entry mentioning Stabilini can be found in the archives of Stationer’s Hall: “4.12.1800. O wat ye wha’s in yon Town. A new rondo. As performed by Mr. [Girolamo] Stabilini at his concert. Composed, and dedicated by permission to Miss D. Grant by P(eter) Urbani.”
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 170. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 3rd ed., 1792; p. 28.
Recorded sources: