Annotation:Sanders Brane
X:1 T:Saunders Bane [sic] (Old Scotch) M:C L:1/8 Q:"Allegro" R:Reel B:Thomas Wilson - Companion to the Ball Room (1816, p. 55) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Dmin A|FADA FA DE/F/|GCEG CGEG|FADA FADg|fd f/e/d/^c/ dDD:|| f/g/|adfa dafa|gceg cg ef/g/|adfa dafa|gc a/g/f/e/ fd df/g/| adfa dafa|gceg cg ef/g/|afge fdcA|G>c A/G/F/E/ FDD||
SANDERS BRANE. AKA and see "Mrs. George Forshaw's Strathspey." Scottish, Reel or Strathspey. D Minor (most versions): E Minor (Rook). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Surenne): AAB (Gow, Rook): AABB' (Athole, Kerr). "Sanders Brane" was composed by "Mr. Duncan", according to the Gows, and attributed to "S. Duncan" by Joseph Lowe. "Saunders (sometimes 'Sanders') Brane" was composed by "Sampson/biography: Samson Duncan (1790-1822) from Kinclaven in Fife. "The title refers to Saunders Borlum, from whom [Samson Duncan] took lessons; Duncan's father was a miller, and Saunders' payment was in 'brane', bran or oatmeal" (Alburger, 1983).
He played at times with both Nathaniel and Niel Gow, the latter giving him one of his fiddles on his deathbed. Duncan is mentioned in this anecdote about Niel:
On another occasion he was having a night's fiddling at Meikleour with Sampson Duncan, a good player also. Turn about they went at it. Then Niel, appealing to Charlie Thomson (grandfather of Mr. Dewar, Cleaves), asked--"Wha's best Charlie?" "Deed, we're faith guid!" was the cautious reply. "Ay," said Niel, "weel ye ken that Sampson's as guid's me; only ye see"--and here he drew himself up-- "he hasna the fame!"
The strathspey was printed by Abraham Mackintosh after c. 1797 as "Mrs. George Forshaw's Strathspey." The tune was also entered into the large 1840 music manuscript collection of multi-instrumentalist John Rook, Waverton, near Wigton, Cumbria.
