Annotation:Brechin Castle (1)

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BRECHIN CASTLE. AKA and see "Miss Douglas of Brigton," "Lady Harriot Hay's Strathspey." Scotland, Strathspey. B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Surenne): AAB (Balmoral, Gow, Hunter): AABB (Honeyman, Kerr's, Skye): AABB' (Athole). A popular and frequently published strathspey. The melody was known by the alternate titles until Gow published it under the "Brechin Castle" title in his 1st Repository (1799). The name Brechin is purportedly derived from Brychan the son of Brychan, who moved to the area from southern Wales. The Round Tower at Brechin probably dates from around c. 990 when Kenneth II took control of the area. Subsequently, around 1150, a cathedral and bishopric were founded there. Hunter (1988) notes that Brechin Castle [1] is the seat of the Earls of Dalhousie.

Source for notated version: Malcolm MacDonald's 3rd Collection (1792) [Henderson].

Printed sources: Anonymous (A Companion to the reticule), 1833; p. 4. Gow (Complete Repository, Part 1), 1799; p. 32. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; p. 28. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 166. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; Set 27, No. 3, p. 17. Köhlers’ Violin Repository, Book 2, 1881-1885, p. 158. J. Kenyon Lees (Balmoral Reel Book), c. 1910; p. 15. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 125. Manson (Hamilton’s Universal Tune Book vol. 1), 1854, p. 126. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 278. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pp. 4-5.

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