Scottish Fiddlers

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Arthur Scott Robertson

Arthur Scott Robertson, Champion's Choice (Spectrum Records FLP 5020, n.d.)



Like many fiddlers from Shetland, Arthur Scott Robertson (1911-2000)
loved Scottish fiddle music, and it was in this genre that he won the Scottish Fiddle Championship competition of 1969. His first recording shorty afterwards was Scotland's Champion Fiddler, and was followed by this one. Robertson was also a prolific composer, publishing his Musical Reflections in five volumes in the 1980s.

01 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord/Tulchan Lodge/The Burn o' Forgue
02 Mrs Maj Stewart of Java/25 KOSB's Farewell to Meerut/Jenny Dang the Weaver
03 Captain Campbell/Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
04 Scott Skinner's Compliments to Dr Donald/Sandy Cameron/Gavin McMillan
05 Lament for Sir Harry Lumsden/The Fiddler's Cramp [h]
06 Mull of the High Mountains/Whistle O'er the Lave O't/The Flowers of Edinburgh
07 The College Hornpipe/The Rocket Hornpipe/Adrian Stuart
08 The Blackthorn Stick/The Rollicking Irishman/The Irish Washerwoman
09 Rose Wood/Leaving Lismore/74th's Farewell to Edinburgh
10 The Rakes of Kildare/Robbie's Wedding/Tom O' Browland
11 Morag of Dunvegan/Mrs Charles Sutherland/Charles Sutherland
12 The Mason's Apron
13 Fyvie Castle/Johnny Cope
14 JO Forbes of Corse/The Champion Hornpipe
15 Farewell to Huntly/Blair Drummond/Marquis of Tullibardine

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Pibroch MacKenzie

Pibroch MacKenzie: The Mull Fiddler (Waverley ZLP 2115, 1969)



Alex "Pibroch" MacKenzie played with accordionist Bobby MacLeod, and like MacLeod was from the island of Mull. He recorded at least two solo LPs, and appeared as a guest on many more. This is the only solo album I have, but I will prepare a compilation of bits and pieces of his recordings at a later date. Unfortunately, I know very little about Pibroch MacKenzie, and it would appear that not much is known generally. I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

01 Kirkhill/Dovecote Park/Cock o'the North
02 Tom Bain's Lum/74th's Farewell to Edinburgh
03 All the Airts
04 Blackthorn Stick/Rakes of Kildare/Donnybrook/Father O'Flynn
05 Londonderry Air
06 Conundrum/PM Willie Maclean/Skye Crofters
07 Miss Monaghan/Teetotaller's
08 Atholl & Breadalbane Gathering/Rhodesian regiment
09 Lord Lovat's Lament/The Lovat Scouts
10 Tribute to the Queen
11 Stool of Repentance/Washer Woman
12 Cradle Song
13 Harvest Home/Boys of Bluehill
14 Red, Red Rose/I Lo'e Nae a Laddie/Nut Brown Maiden

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Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson: Scottish Violin Music - Volume 2 (Waverley Records, ZLP 2015, 1963)



Tom Anderson is the main reason why Shetland music is known and played around the world. It's not just the tireless collecting and publishing of the traditional fiddle music of his native islands, but through his composing, performances and teaching (two of his young students were Aly Bain and Catriona MacDonald). He also had a long, if erratic, recording career, and there are dozens of albums which feature his music.

As well as Shetland fiddling, Tom Anderson was a great lover of the Scottish style of fiddling, and he recorded a few favourite Scots tunes as well. He is accompanied on this record, as he was throughout his performing life, by guitarist "Peerie" Willie Johnson.

01 The Hen's March
02 Oliver Jack/Willafjord
03 Smith of Couster's Fancy/The Grocer's Reel
04 The Peerie Hoose Ahint the Burn/The Merry Boys of Greenland/MacDonald's Reel
05 Norwick Wedding/Hillswick Wedding/A Road to Houll
06 Boys of Bluehill/Londonderry Hornpipe
07 Captain Gillan's Reel/Bob Johnson's Reel
08 Barclay's Hornpipe/The Meteor
09 Mavis Grind/Peter's Peerie Boat
10 Kail and Knockit Corn/Caper Fey/Pottinger's Reel
11 Wm Moffat's Strathspey & Reel
12 Sister Jean/Midnight Polka
13 A Liverpool Hornpipe/Harvest Home Hornpipe
14 Annie's Welcome Home/The Four Posted Bed
15 Jack Is Alive/Clettonroe

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Hector MacAndrew (1)

Hector MacAndrew: Scottish Fiddle Music (1963)



Hector MacAndrew (1903-1980) was from Fyvie in Aberdeenshire, and was one of the leading Scottish fiddlers of his day who had been taught both by his father and his grandfather (his granfather was taught by a pupil of the great late 18th century fiddler Niel Gow).

MacAndrew himself taught fiddle, and some of his students went on to be recognised as fiddlers of the first rank themselves; they include Florence Burns, Douglas Lawrence, and Gregor Borland. In 1974 MacAndrew taught Yehudi Menuhin at Blair Castle, in a tv programme about Scottish fiddling.

This school of Scottish fiddling is precise, musically polished and stylised, but there is room for expression as well.

01 Sir William Wallace/Tulchan Lodge/The Burn o' Forgue
02 Mrs Jamieson's Favourite
03 Mrs Major Stewart of Java/Madam Frederick/Earl Gray./The Waverley Ball
04 Auld Robin Gray
05 J.O. Forbes of Corse/Mar Castle/Miss Laura Andrew/The Hawk
06 Bonnie Glenfarg
07 Lament for the Death of his Second Wife/Craigellachie Brig/The Fairy Dance
08 Rose Acre
09 Bovaglie's Plaid/Athole Highlanders' March to Loch Katrine/Marquis of Huntly's Farewell/Tullibardine
10 Chapel Keithack
11 Captain Campbell/David Davidson of Cantray
12 The Glories of the Star/The Trumpet Hornpipe

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Hector MacAndrew (2)

Hector MacAndrew: Scots Fiddle (Scottish Records 33 SR 138, 1975)



For those of us who can appreciate this style of Scottish fiddle music, this is a joy. Hector MacAndrew, one of the leading exponents of his day, playing at his peak and captured on record. The usual composers are represented: Skinner, Marshall, Milne, Fraser, as well as one of the greats from the piping world, G S MacLennan (possibly best known for his Jig o'Slurs). This label published a number of solo fiddling LPs, which I'll get round to digitising in time.

01 Leaving Glen Urquhart/South of the Grampians/John MacNeil's Reel
02 Lady Charlotte Campbell (slow strathspey & reel)
03 Farewell to Drumblair/The Lodge of Glentanner/The £10 Fiddle
04 Hard Is My Fate/Goodwife Admit the Wanderer
05 The Auld Brig o' Don
06 Mrs Hamilton of Pencaitland/Miss Graham of Inchbraikie/North of the Grampians/The Haggis
07 Cluny Castle/Johnnie Steele/Pretty Peggy
08 Pipe Major John Stewart/Lady Madeline Sinclair/Alex C MacGregor
09 The Shakkins o' the Pokie/Mrs Forbes Leith
10 Berryden Cottage/The Countess of Crawford/The Marchioness of Huntly/The Marquis of Huntly
11 My Heart Is Broke Since Thy Departure/Round With a Health to Glorious Wellington
12 Afton Water
13 Huntly Lodge/Ballindalloch Castle/The Duchess of Manchester/Mrs George Robertson
14 Braes of Castle Grant/The Miller o' Drone/The Mason's Apron

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Yla Steven, Back to the Hills (c.1976)

   

Yla Steven, Back to the Hills (Scottish Records SR 142, 1976)

01 Back to the Hills
02 Duke of Fife's Welcome to Fife/Tulchan Lodge/Left Handed Fiddler
03 Caledonia's Wail for Neil Gow
04 Lady Charlotte Campbell
05 Glen Coe
06 Barren Rocks of Aden/Stirling Castle/Largo's Fairy Dance
07 The Valley of Silence
08 Queen's Welcome to Invercauld/Laird o' Drumblair/Deil Amang the Tailors
09 Dumbarton Castle/South of the Grampians/Marquis of Huntly's Reel
10 Ossian
11 Scott Skinner's Comps to Dr McDonald/The Iron Man/The Bungalow
12 Sitting In the Stern of a Boat
13 Beauty of the North/Geordie Affleck
14 Goodbye Gramin
15 Fyvie Castle
16 Balmoral Castle/Glen Grant/Gladstone

Yla Steven learned fiddle as a youngster in Edinburgh and Perthshire, and at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. She has been teaching fiddle in Edinburgh schools for many years now, and in 1983 formed the Lothian Schools Strathspey and Reels Society. Yla has won many fiddle championships, including the exclusive Golden Fiddle Award in 1976. As far as I know, she has released to albums of fiddle music: Back to the Hills in 1976, and Solos and Duets with the late Colin O'Riordan.