Annotation:Mr. MacDonald—Gordon Castle
X:1 T:Mr. MacDonald—Gordon Castle M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey S:Marshall – 1822 Collection Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D F|D2 A>F D<D A>F|D2 A>F BEEF|D2 A>F D<D A>G|F>dE>c d>DD:| g|f>de>c dAFD|G>BF>A Eeeg|f>de>c dAFD|G>B A/G/F/E/ Dddg| f>de>c dAFD|G>BF>A Eeeg|d>fe>c d>AB>G|F<d E>c D<DD||
MR. MACDONALD--GORDON CASTLE. Scottish, Slow Strathspey (whole time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833). Marshall served the Duke of Gordon for many years as his Steward of the Household, yielding the position to Daniel McDonald. Interestingly, McDonald too was said to be a “capital performer and composer” (Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, Saturday, January 1, 1848, p. 15), which must have been a prerequisite for the position, as the Duke frequently called upon his Steward and retainers "to perform [the composer's] music to his Grace's guests". See also Elgin fiddler-composer Donald Grant's "Mr. MacDonald of Gordon Castle's Strathspey."
