Annotation:Nathaniel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Brother

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NATHANIEL GOW'S LAMENT FOR THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER. AKA and see "Gallowglass (The)," "Lumps of Puddings (2)." AKA - "Lament for the Death of His Brother." Scottish, Lament (6/8 time). A Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by Edinburgh bandleader, composer, musician, editor and music publisher biography:Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) on the occasion of the death of his elder brother William. William, the eldest child of renowned Dunkeld fiddler-composer Niel Gow, was born in 1751 and died in 1791 at the age of 40. He is buried in Greyfriar's Churchyard. He married at Edinburgh in June, 1776, to Jean, daughter of James Lawson, Salt Officer in Bo'ness, and they had three children. William was the leader of the Edinburgh Assembly Orchestra after the death of Alexander 'King' McGlashan, and was in turn succeeded by his younger brother Nathaniel who had played the violincello under both leaders. William is said to have played the violin with a "bold and spirited style" (Chambers & Thomson, A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, 1870). Nathaniel, the third son of Niel (1727-1807), outlived his brothers William, Andrew, and John. See also a 2/4 pipe march adaptation of Nathaniel's lament called "Lord John Scott's March."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 109. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 1792; p. 11 (3rd ed.). Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; p. 87. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 148. Lerwick (The Kilted Fiddler), 1985; p. 78. Manson (Hamilton’s Universal Tune Book vol. 1), 1854; p. 113.

Recorded sources: Alia Vox AVSA 9878, Jordi Savall - "The Celtic Viol. II" (2010).

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