TUNE OF THE MONTH

Not a Scottish tune this month, but a beautiful waltz composed by mandolin player Bobby Clark (from Texas I believe).

I first heard the "Midnight Waltz" played by Jim Chancellor aka Texas Shorty at Marck O'Connor's fiddle camp in 1994.  When I recorded "Fiddle Case", my first album, a few years later, I included this tune, accompanied by Rod Paterson on guitar.   

Rod also very kindly recorded a couple of songs on the album: "Autumn Leaves" (Joseph Kosma & Jaques Prevert) and "The Maple's Lament" (Laurie Lewis).

Sadly, Rod passed away on May 30th.  He was 70 years old.

There's currently an initiative to create a life-size bronze of James Scott Skinner in his home town of Banchory.  Instigated by north-east fiddler Paul Anderson, the clay sculpture has already been made (by Scottish artist David Annand, who made the Niel Gow memorial in Dunkeld).  But more money is needed for this project to progress.  Here's a link for anyone who might like to contribute:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/strathspey-king-memorial-fund

Click on the wee dram below to watch a video of Pete playing "Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife" beneath Niel Gow's Oak on the banks of the River Tay near Dunkeld.

Click on the picture of Niel Gow Cottage below to watch a video of Pete rehearsing with Hazel Murch before their performance of "2nd Lieutenant Archibold Morrison, Royal Scots" on Remembrance Sunday, 11th November 2018.

The Dunkeld Bridge Collection, Vol. 1

Fiddle music from highland Perthshire

by Pete Clark, Edited by Jane Marx

[Published by Inver Music]

Extract from review in "Fiddler" magazine:

This is so much more than a music book – it’s a great read on many levels.  It’s an entertaining history of the people and the area via music, text, paintings, and photographs.  After reading it, you’ll feel as if you were treated to a whirlwind trip to highland Perthshire!

Mary Larsen

Fiddler Magazine