Philip Whittaker wrote:
>
> Maybe there is something in this abc format I thought. So I tried a few
> tunes from the Calvert Collection of 1799(?). I tried all the features
> that were on offer and was very pleasantly surpised. I manged to notate
> just about everything I wanted. It seems to cope with most effects.
>
> I then had the idea of doing as the above mentioned abc heroes. Why not
> transcribe the whole of the Calvert Collection?
I've never heard of this or seen it before your mention, Philip, despite
being in Kelso and having a fairly good selection of books about the
town - not mentioned.
>
> Also odd is the small number of Kelso tunes that do not appear - "We'll
> all to Kelso go" which seem like a Northumbrian pipe tune", Kelso Races
> (Gow Collection), and Kelso Lasses which I do not have access to.
It would be an interesting project to collect tunes which mention Kelso.
One of my favourites is The Runaway Bride, which contains the words 'She
gart the clap gang through the toon', so easily misunderstood by modern ears...
There's another one called the Goodwife of Kelso or something like it,
have to find it again, which is a simple comedy song about a wife trying
to poison her husband until he finally manages to push her in the Tweed
and drown her. Just like it is today!
>
> ANyone interested. If you want the photocopies but do not want to any abc
> work, just send me a tape of some intersinting Scottish Music - a legal
> version - and I'll send you the copy of the Calvert Collection.
I would love a photocopy of this. I can trade you a copy of Bremner's
Instructions and tunes for the guitar 1759 which are mainly Scottish,
written as if in the key of C.
>
> Below you will find the abc file I have created. I have stuck to Calvert's
> spelling of the titles including the "f" for "s". Rather iritating! For
> authenticity change your font to a distressed serif font!
This is not an f for an s. If you look, you'll find the typeface has no
crossbar on the f, unless it was set by a country printer - but most
printers were very literate and aware. That's just an s in an antique
form and shouldn't be reprinted as an f. If you use Postscript fonts I
have Fontographer and I can alter an existing (public domain) font to
provide this character. I did this for my brother who was printing
baroque music and wanted a suitable 'New' typeface (probably
Baskerville). It converted to PC Truetype well enough apparently.
>
David Kilpatrick
NB: are you doing Friday night sessions at Yetholm now?
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