Derek Hoy wrote:
> Nigel said:
> > I have it on a Bobby Macleod LP, where it says it was composed by
> > him...(Mind you, in Bobby Macleod's Selection, it says that "Miss
> > Monaghan's Reel" was composed by him too.)
> Exactly. I suppose it could be a Macleod tune, given I can't find any
> other source. Does it give a publisher?
I feel that in this case it /is/ a Bobby MacLeod composition. The set on
the record, called "The Mist of Glencoe" (consisting of "Wives of the
Glen", "The King's House" and "MacDonald's Awa' Tae the Wars") proclaims:
"Trad. Arr. MacLeod ex. The King's House; this appears to be careful,
rather than careless, attribution. Publisher is given as "Oasis Music
(MCPS)".
> Did you ever see some of the Chieftains' attributions? According to
> them, they don't play any traditional music at all. P Moloney seems to
> have composed most of the Irish repertoire.
There are several well-documented instances of this. I reckon it's agents
or publishers trying to get something for their artists' arrangements
rather than out-and-out theft. Paul Simon has a copyright on "Scarborough
Fair", and in fact in some registers Martin Carthy is listed as copyright
holder of some other traditional songs.
There's a theory (I can't remember whether I made it up myself, or read it
somewhere) that by attaching his father's name to certain tunes, Nathaniel
simply meant "as played by Niel Gow". Mmmm. Well, it's a theory!
--
Nigel Gatherer, Crieff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Scottish Music Pages:
http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/scottish/index.html
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