The Great Scottish Composers

[Nigel Gatherer]

I have compiled a small booklet looking at twelve different Scottish composers from the past 300 years, giving musical examples and a brief biography of each. I have chosen musicians who have, through their created music, made a significant contribution to the Scots repertoire. It's not exhaustive but selective, and it is my hope that it will be at least of interest to anyone seeking to explore Scottish music. The composers are

Niel Gow • William Marshall • Nathaniel Gow
The Lowes • Peter Milne • Scott Skinner
John McLellan • Angus Fitchet • Donald MacLeod
Bobby MacLeod • Ronnie Cooper • Gordon Duncan

Download the booklet from:

Standard notation and chords:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Composers1.pdf

Standard notation and mandolin tablature:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...omposers1t.pdf

(Any problems with downloading, please let me know.)

[Jim Garber]

Thanks, Nigel, for making that available. I do have an old pink-covered Scott Skinner book I bought decades ago in London.

[derbex]

Thanks Nigel, just from a quick scan the first tune will fit into our Whisk(e)y set of 'Whiskey for Breakfast','Farewell To Whiskey' and 'Welcome Whisky Back Again'

[John Kelly]

Thanks so much for this great contribution, Nigel. Well selected and a lovely addition to all the music you have already made available.

Glad you are posting again, and hope to see you soon in John McLellan's home town here in Dunoon! We play a lot of his tunes here.

[HonketyHank]

Thank you. I look forward to trying out all the tunes.

[David Kennedy]

Thank you so much. I've already gone through them all (quickly) and I am very impressed. Mind you I need to do a bit of work to get them up to scratch.

[foldedpath]

Nice collection there! The one tune I play (not terribly well or fast) from that collection is "The High Drive." It's very popular in the local Scottish/Cape Breton tune sessions, especially with any pipers in the room. A cracking tune.

I've also played Duncan's "The Sleeping Tune" (not in this collection but mentioned in the notes) which is very pretty; sort of a march or lament, and probably needs a piper with snare drum accompaniment to do it justice.

Thanks for posting this.

[Bob Clark]

Once again, Nigel, you have done us all a great favor. Thanks for this book. I will sure have some fun with it.

Best wishes,

Bob

[maudlin mandolin]

I seem to have said thank you to Bob Clark when I meant to say thank you to Nigel. Anyway thanks to you both.

[mrmando2015]

Thanks for putting this together. It's all new music for me, and I look forward to learning some of these tunes

[stevenmando]

Thank you , l love new music and I do like the music of Scotland

[Frithjof]

Thanks, Nigel, for this compilation.
I followed a hint of maudlin, who posted a tune out of your booklet in our SAW Group. Since it happens to be my birthday today I made me a color print. It looks great and it is an inspiration to play the tunes.