Re Nigel Gatherer's comments on Skinner's new CD I share your opinions completely on Skinner as a composer, " a huge admirer" and on his playing, " not the biggest fan of his playing" and that it "seems exaggerated, showy". I have a copy of a Skinner [Topic] LP issued in 1975 called "Classics of Scottish Fiddling". I don't know if this is the one which has been redone as a CD or not. The jacket notes say the original recording was made in 1910 for Columbia. With regard to his playing, I get the feeling that he is more interested in demonstrating his virtuosity than in his musicality.
The subject of tempo is always an interesting one. In "The Scottish Violinist" Skinner lists the tempo for at least three different reels as 136. Compared with every other reference I have found, that is break-neck speed. I have seen reference to 126 in some old book or books [ Lowe's or Glen's perhaps] but can't find the source now. K.N. Mac Donald in the preface to "The Skye Collection" [1887] writes ........."the tendency that exists at the present day to play this class of music a great deal too fast". J. Murdoch Henderson in "Flowers of Scottish Melody" suggests 120 to 126. Alastair Hardie in "The Caledonia Companion" in referring to Skinner's 136 tempo and that of other contemporary players says; .......... "Most reels, however, will benefit from the less breathless tempo of 108 to 116". That precisely defines reel tempo for the music with which I am familiar; Cape Breton Fiddling. Alexander Mac Donald. PS I am a hobbyist fiddler not a professional. Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
