A major collection of James Scott Skinner’s musical compositions has been compiled by fiddler Alastair Hardie.
The author of The Caledonian Companion has collected 33 famous tunes for violin, arranged in sets, composed or played by The Strathspey King, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927) as he performed in Scotland, England and America and also found in his recordings and publications.
William Hardie described Skinner’s style as characterised by ‘the fire and force in the marches and strathspeys, exhilaratingly fast reel playing and the poetic sensitivity of the slow airs.’
They are here united with piano accompaniments, many authorised by the composer, with other accompaniments especially composed and arranged for the collection, designed to bring out the harmonic and chromatic richness of Skinner’s style without ever dominating or outshining the pre-eminent writing for the violin.
Alastair Hardie’s forebears were closely associated with this great fiddler-composer and therefore he has had the music in his head, heart and fingers all his life.
The compositions featured in the book are:
The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord; Mrs Scott Skinner; The Miller O’ Hirn; The Auld Wheel; The Cradle Song; The Shakins O’ The Pocky; Arthur’s Seat; Eugene Stratton; Macpherson’s Blade; Dargai; Atholl Brose; The Left-Handed Fiddler; Bovaglie’s Plaid; Les Trois Grands Luthiers; Sir William Wallace; King Robert The Bruce; Millhills; The Laird O’ Drumblair; The Deil Amang The Tailors; Le Messe; Back To The Hills; The Mathematician; Mr A G Wilken’s Favourite; Mrs Chree; Carnie’s Canter; Fyvie Castle; The Glories Of The Star; Madam Neruda; Ossian; Glengrant; Gladstone’s; The President; and Notes On The Music (And The Recording).
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