Two new tunebooks arrived this morning within minutes of each other, coincidentally. 

The first - A MacCrimmon Collection - is a collection of pipe music compiled by Iain and Calum MacCrimmon, and consists of mostly recent compositions not only by the MacCrimmons, but by the likes of Fin Moore, John Somerville, James Duncan Mackenzie, Duncan Chisholm and more. 

The second - The Aberdeen Collection - is a large collection (250 tunes) of contemporary* tunes by musicians with a connection to the city in question. I found out about it from JAJ, so thanks for that, JAJ.

Both books are presented beautifully, and while I haven't played through any of the tunes yet, I'm looking forward to that with great anticipation. I'll let you know my thoughts when the tunes have marinaded a bit.

* = Well, if you count Hector MacAndrew and James Scott Skinner as contemporary!

In case you didn't know, the class pages on my website are a great source for accessing free sheet music. For example, for my Wednesday morning mixed instrument class, the coming term is dedicated to new tunes by contemporary Scots musicians, and you can download the whole collection from this page in various formats. The book, called The Fresh Baked Collection is full of great tunes by people such as Alistair McCulloch, Fergie MacDonald, Freeland Barbour, Dagger Gordon, Blair Douglas and many more. 


My Upper Intermediate Mandolin class has an interesting term ahead (see this page), with an eclectic choice of music. Away from the usual Scots and Irish tunes, we're exploring music from Sweden, from the Renaissance, from the 1960s and from the pen of Arthur Sullivan. 

Most of this music ends up in my Tunes Section. I aim to provide clear, easy to read notation, and it can all build up into a worthwhile collection. All it costs you is a bit of extra ink in your printer - not even that if you've gone digital!

Hello everyone.... and thank you to Nigel for adding me. 

I am Emma, 
An enthusiastic fiddle torturer...in Tayside.

I have been playing fiddle for a meer six years, and am totally smitten. As a late starter I think perhaps I have committed to this more than anything else in all my days.   

I am predominantly self taught, having never previously played any instrument. I had to teach myself which end to blow into, at the same time as learning to decipher the dots, and with absolutely no background or previous experience of Scottish music I needed to listen and learn....fast!

Fast forward six years, I now go to as many sessions as my health, and marriage, will allow...3-4 a week.   I am at the stage where I can *hear and feel* the music, as well as being fairly proficient dot reader..... the best of both worlds.

So I will rake through the posts and resources, try to learn who you all are, and look forward to 'chatting' later.
cheers 
Pikilily aka Emma T

Bonnie Kate of Edinburgh



A lovely tune which can be found in McGibbon's Collection  (1742) and Oswald's Caledonoan Pocket Companion Vol.5 (1745). In one of my classes I'm doing a mini project on tunes with an Edinburgh connection. This is one of them.

Thought I would try again with the Forum. How about this one for June.


Alexandria Reel  


Hope you like it.

I cannot find any recordings of it on YouTube!!!


Alcluith

Attached Files

  Alexandria Reel.pdf (Size: 219.08 KB / Downloads: 2)

Has anyone out there got the dots or ABC for a Parcel of Rogues

cheers
 Alcluith

A tune I play just before Neil McMillan of Balmaha...... Popular in the Tayside area, as you might expect, and in Strathspey and Reel Society circles.

Attached Files

  Farewell To The Tay.pdf (Size: 12.43 KB / Downloads: 3)

Here's a nice tune which I've also just submitted over at The Session.

I may have already posted here on the old site but I can't remember.

It's a great "pipey" jig which doesn’t seem to get played too often.

I’m not sure who composed the tune but it was written for a "weel kent" musician on the fiddle and accordion scene from Balmaha.
Neil is also a member of Freeland Barbour’s ceilidh band The Occasionals.

Attached Files

  Neil McMillan Of Balmaha.pdf (Size: 25.26 KB / Downloads: 9)

I've also posted this as a reply in the TotM thread but just in case you missed it.... 

This is a very simple but very enjoyable slip jig which I first learned to play on the clarsach. I’ve since transferred it to my other instruments.
I sometimes play it after The Lisnagun Jig after a slight pause(as the timing is obviously different) but it would more naturally go alongside another slip jig.

Unfortunately, I know very little about the history of the tune apart from the fact that it has Islay connections and is, apparently, to be found in The MacKay Collection.

Attached Files

  Pier of Bowmore.pdf (Size: 7.81 KB / Downloads: 3)

After several months trying to resurrect this Forum I guess I have to admit defeat. 
Therefore as a final Tune of the Month  I would suggest " Chopin's Sonato No.2 in B flat minor, OP.35"  unfortunately was not able to provide the tabs for this one