Annotation:Talisker (1)
X:1 T:Talisker [1] M:A L:1/8 R:Strathspey S:MacDonald – Skye Collection (1887) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:A ~A2 A>a e<A c>d|(e>A a>)e f>BB>c|A2 A>a e<A c>e|(d/c/B) e>d c>A A:| a|b>ga>f e<A c>d|(e>Aa>)A f>BB>a|(b>ga>)f e<A (c>d)|e>Aa>e c>AA>a| (b/a/g) a>f e<A (c>d)|e>Aa>e f>BB>c|~A2 A>a e<A c>e|d/c/B e>d c>A A||
TALISKER [1]. Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "Talisker [1]" was composed by fiddler-composer and performer biography:J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927). The strathspey was published in his Logie Collection' (1888), where it is dedicated to R. Kemp, but it was first printed a year prior in Keith Norman MacDondald's Skye Collection (1887). Skinner directs that it can be played as either a strathspey or reel, and appends these lines from an old song:
A wee droppie o’t mak’s kind hearts agree,
But a big drappie o’t mak’s a’ true wisdom flee
An’ gin ye wad wear an honest man’s coat,
Ye man never tak’ mair than a wee drappie o’t.
Skinner's dedicatee dates the composition. Roderick Kemp, along with Alexander Grigor Allan bought the Talisker distillery in 1880, so the tune must have been composed between that year and 1887. Kemp later sold his shares in Talisker and bought a Speyside distillery by the name of Macallan.
See also Skinner's companion reel "Talisker (2)."
