Annotation:Beauty of the North (The)

Back to Beauty of the North (The)

X:1 T:Beauty of the North, The M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey B:Stewart-Robertson - The Athole Collection (1884) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Eb E|G,<E E>F G>A B<c|C<C F>E D<B, ~B,2|G,<E E>F G>A B<g| f>d e/d/c/B/ e2e:|| g|e>g B<g e<g b>g|a>gf>e d<BB<g|e<g B>g e/f/g/a/ b<g|a>f e/d/c/B/ e2 e>f| g<eB<G e<BG<E|A>GF>E D<B, ~B,2|G,<EE<A G<eB<g|f>d e/d/c/B/ e2e||

BEAUTY OF THE NORTH, THE (Mais' an Taobh Tuath). AKA - "Beauties of the North (The)," "Silver City." Scottish, Slow Strathepey. E Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Hardie): AAB (most versions). The melody, composed by Captain Simon Fraser, first appeared in his collection published about 1816, also known as the "Fraser Knockie" collection. It was a great favorite of Scottish violinist James F. Dickie (1886-1983) of New Deer, Buchan, renowned for his skill at slow strathspey playing. Christine Martin (2002) remarks it is often used as a showcase tune among modern Scottish fiddlers.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : - Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1874; No. 181, p. 74. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1986; p. 45. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 179. Köhlers’ Violin Repository, Book 1, 1881; p. 45. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 195. Manson (Hamilton’s Universal Tune Book vol. 1), 1854; p. 138. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 140. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 267.

Recorded sources: -Green Linnet GLCD 3105, Aly Bain - "Lonely Bird" (1996). Olympic 6151, Angus Cameron - "Scottish Traditional Fiddle Music" (1978).

Back to Beauty of the North (The)