Annotation:Lord Ballenden

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LORD BALLENDEN. Scottish, "Very Slow" Strathspey. E Major (Gow): D Major (Johnson). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCDD. Composed by Biography:George Jenkins (c. 1760-1806). According to John Glen (1833-1904), Jenkins "followed the profession of a teacher of Scotch dancing in London about the year 1794, at which date he probably published his Collection of New Scotch Music &c., dedicated to the Prince of Wales. We are not aware of his nationality..." Jenkin's most famous composition is "Marquis of Huntly's Highland Fling (1) (The)." The 'C' and 'D' parts to "Lord Ballenden" were added by Nathaniel Gow.

Lord Bellenden (note spelling) is now a dormant title, formerly a Peer of Scotland. At the time of Gow's 1784 publication Lord Bellenden was John Ker Bellenden, 5th Lord Bellenden (1751–1796). See also John Pringle's "Lament for Lord Ballenden (A)" and the strathspey "Peace" composed by Lord Ballenden and printed by the Gows.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 118. Gow (The First Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 1784 (revised 1801); p. 21. Gow (The Beauties of Niel Gow), 1819; p. 8. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's No. 10: Airs & Melodies of Scotland's Past), 1992 (revised 2001); p. 9.

Recorded sources: