The Session: Tunes - Neil Gow's Wife (hornpipe)

This version

I note that there is another Niel Gow's Wife on file. However this version is very different. I got it from Peacock's Tunes, published by the Northumbrian Pipers Society, published in June 1980. I put it down as a hornpipe, because it seems so right to play it in a light skipping dotted rhythm, though in truth, we should call it a scottish reel. ( I am not quite up on these distinctions I am afraid. I invite your comments)

The man himself was a dancing teacher, and I assume from this tune that she was a lively dancer herself. By the way, finding the proprietorial title rather distasteful in this day and age, I suggest we re-christen it Margaret Gow.

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by firefly

A need to learn ABC notation ~ before & after, trying to make sense of this

K: Gmaj
dc || BGdB | cAec | BGdB | def (triplet) gd | BGdB | cAec | BG Bcd (triplet) | e2dc ||

|| BGdB | cAec | BGdB | def (triplet) gd | BGdB | cAec | BG Bcd (triplet) | e2df ||

|| gdBd | eAAf | gdBd | e2df | gdBd | eAAc | BG Bcd (triplet) | e2df ||

|| gdBd | eAAf | gdBd | e2df | gdBd | eAAc | BG Bcd (triplet) | egdg ||

R: strathspey ?
K: Gmaj
|: dc |\
BGdB cAec | BGdB (3def gd | BGdB cAec | BG (3Bcd e2 :|
|: df |\
gdBd eAAf | gdBd e2 df | gdBd eAAc | BG (3Bcd e2 :|

And - is there really a need to whitewash history, to make all titles PC and Photoshop out all bad things we disagree with from films, recordings and the past, like cigarettes. And where would it stop? Must everything be the same shade of grey? :-P

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by ceolachan

ABC notation links ~

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/11711/comments

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by ceolachan

This transcription in A

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by ceolachan

Kid - children - wife ~

Just as 'kid' has come to be applied to something other than young goats, and 'children' is not always used for the results on the lottery between sperm and egg, 'wife' can be used for other than that church and/or state contract between two people, whatever their gender... Here too it could be that it has nothing to do with Margaret Gow...

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by ceolachan

"Niel Gow's Wife" ~ from "Peacock's Tunes"

X: 1
T: Niel Gow's Wife
B: "Peacock's Tunes: A Favorite Collection of Tunes with Variations Adapted for the Northumberland Small Pipes, Violin or Flute", page 1
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R:
K: GMaj
|: d/c/ |\
BGdB cAec | BGdB (3def gd |
BGdB cAec | BG Bc/d/ e2 d :|
|: f |\
gdBd eAAf | gdBd e2 df |
gdBd eAAc |[1 BG (3Bcd e2 d :|[2 BG (3Bcd egdg |]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peacock_(piper)

You can download "Peacock's Tunes" here ~
http://tunearch.org/wiki/Peacock's_Tunes

Or buy it here ~
http://www.northumbrianpipers.org.uk/
http://www.northumbrianpipers.org.uk/books/peacock.htm

# Posted on January 25th 2012 by ceolachan

Niel Gow's Wife

In Kerr's Merry Melodies and The Athole Collection there is a tune called "Mrs Dundas McQueen":

X:945
T:Mrs Dundas McQueen
S:Kerr's Merry Melodies
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:A
a | cAec dBfd | cAec e/f/g ae | cAec dBfB |
cA A/A/A f2 e :| g |: a/g/f/e/ ac dBfg | aeag f2 ef/g/ |
aefc dBed |1 cA A/A/A f2 e :|2 cAAa faea |]

The tune is also found in Aird in the key of G:

X:946
T:Mrs Dundas McQueen
S:Aird Vol.5
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
c | BGd>B cAeA | BGdB de/f/ gd | BGdB cAec |1 BG B/c/d e2 dg :|2 BG G/G/G e2 d/e/f || g>edB cAeA | g/f/e/f/ gd e2 d/e/f |
gedB cAeA | BG G/G/G e2 d/e/f | gedB cAeA | g/f/e/f/ gd e2 d/e/f | g>edB cAeA | B/c/d e/f/g decd |]

# Posted on January 28th 2012 by nigelg

Thanks Nigel, I did think of you but have been too distracted to ask. I did have the Kerr's and other collections out to check, but haven't had the time. I was waiting for the weekend. You've saved me that madness, thanks. Always appreciated ~ 'c'