Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Davie's Caledonian repository of favourite Scottish slow airs, marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs, curious ancient airs, variations, &c. &c., expressly adapted for the violin

8 DISSERTATION ON
On these two excellent works, and the limited information
which we have otherwise acquired in the course of our musical ex¬
perience, we have to depend for the observations which we are now
to offer; and in these, it is hoped, will be found information not
hitherto afforded in any other published Treatise on Music. We
trust, therefore, that our good intentions will be received without
any severe strictures ; for, although we do not flatter ourselves that
we are infallible, we can positively assert that we shall not err inten¬
tionally ; while our chief aim is to attempt, to the best of our ability,
to do justice both to the known and hitherto unknown composers of
Scotia’s Minstrelsy.
It is impossible, from any evidence we now possess, to prove
with certainty who were the veritable composers of the early Scot¬
tish Melodies, they being handed down traditionally, from genera¬
tion to generation, without any specific information regarding their
origin.
Burns, Ramsay, Scott, Campbell, Cunningham, Hogg, the Jaco¬
bite Poets, and many others, have placed the Songs and Ballad
Poetry of Scotland on a proud and imperishable basis; inspiring
our native minstrels, doubtless, with a corresponding enthusiasm in
the composition of the many ‘beautiful melodies we at present pos¬
sess ; but the earlier fragments preserved and improved by these
show, nevertheless, that our country wanted not poets, in more
ancient times, of merit sufficient to call forth the most spirit-stirring
powers of their contemporary minstrels; and when we remember
that, in those days, to be a skilful performer upon the various in-
truments in use was accounted one of the highest and most elegant
accomplishments, we will not be accused of excess of vanity, when
SCOTTISH MUSIC.
we acknowledge our impression that not a few of our ancient airs
are of noble, nay, of royal composition.
Our unfortunate, but highly-talented Monarch, James L, was a
most accomplished proficient in music, performing on the organ,
harp, lute, psaltery, trumpet, flute, bagpipe, tabour, and shepherd's
reed, and most probably on the virginal. From an old poem,
called “The Iloulate,” of the year 1450, by Holland, we extract
the following lines, enumerating the instruments probably in use
about that period:—
“ All thus our Ladye thai lofe, with lylting and lift,
Menstralis and meusieians, mo than I mene may :
The psaltry, (1) the Citlwlis, (2) the soft mtharift.
The cnmde, (31 and the monycordis, the gythornis (4) gay;
The rote and the recordour, (5) the ribus the rift.
The trump and the taburn, (0) the tympane (7) but tray;
The Ult-pype (8) and the lute, the cithil (9) and fift,
The duhate and the duhacordis, the sciadm (10) of affray;
The amyable organis usit full oft;
Clarions (11) loud knellis,
Portuticis and bcllis:
Cymballonis in the cellis,
That soundis so soft.”
The name and nature of a few of these may even now be readily
understood, notwithstanding the obsolete orthography; some can¬
not be recognised, others not only exist, but continue in use at the
present. For farther illustration, see note.*
« (i) The psaltery was in the form of a flat-sided figure, like a triangle with the tip
cut off. It had three rows of strings, and was played either with the fingers or with
plectra.