Re: [scots-l] A Fiddler's Book of Scottish Jigs

[Clarsaich]

It's a wonderful book! One of my "top of the pile" collections. (As in, I have a huge pile of music here and Charlie's book is always near the top.)

I bought it a couple of years ago at a Highland Festival in the States. Besides recognizing Charlie's name, I was attracted to it because of the fact that it's all Jigs! One of the harp societies I'm active in has been really pushing Reels and Strathspeys as "the" dance music of Scotland, and I suspected there was more. I'm so glad that Charlie published this collection, because it confirmed my suspicions!

Now, here is a question that I am a bit hesitant to ask, because it reveals a certain ignorance on my part, but, here goes. Please be kind to me if you decide to answer!

Some of the tunes in Charlie's book are in 6/8 time, but are labeled as reels. Now, I was taught that all reels are in 4/4 time, no exceptions. (Of course, I was also taught by the same source that they are all fast, which I question. I mean, really, mm130 to a half note?) So. Are these mis-named reels in Charlie's book which are really jigs? Or do I need to change my understanding of what a reel is?

I begin to wonder if I just haven't been paying enough attention all these years. My compensating plea is I'm not a fiddler. Harpers and clarsairs are pretty new to dance music.

--Cynthia Cathcart
http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/