Annotation:Warlock's Strathspey

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WARLOCK’S STRATHSPEY. AKA – "The Warlock(’s)," "Peter Milne’s Strathspey." Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "The Warlock" (i.e. sorcerer) was composed by Scottish dancing master and composer in Brechin, Robert Lowe, and published in his brother Joseph Lowe’s (1797-1866) 1844 collection. It is presumably a companion piece to Joseph's reel "Witches (The)." "The Warlock" was first recorded on a 78 RPM disc by Cape Breton fiddler Bill Lamey (Cranford), and has since become a popular reel among fiddlers on the island (where it occasionlly has been recorded as "Peter Milne's Strathspey").

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 109, p. 72. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s Collection), 1995; No. 137, p. 40. Lowe (Joseph Lowe's Collection of Scottish Strathspeys and Reels), 1844.

Recorded sources: Green Linnett GLCD 1119, Cherish the Ladies – “The Back Door” (1992). Rounder Records 7052, Buddy MacMaster – “The Cape Breton Tradition” (2003). Shanachie Records 14002, Bill Lamey - "Classic Recordings of Scottish Fiddling" (1979). “The Rankin Family” (1989).

See also listing at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings [1]
Hear the Rankin Family play the tune on youtube.com [2]

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