Euterpe et Terpsechore; being a selection of Scotch Strathspeys and Reels , 18th c

Euterpe et Terpsechore; being a selection of [746] Scotch Strathspeys and Reels to which is added some of the most favourite jigs, hornpipes, reels, waltz's, and songs, etc., collected from the best authors, arranged in the most common keys, and adapted for the violin or German flute, by James Paterson [18th c]

This is one of several significant music manuscripts gifted to the University by John Murdoch Henderson, and is heavily annotated in his hand, throughout. An index to the tunes, prepared by him, is included with the collection, and an advert for William Thom's Rhymes and Recollections of a Hand-loom Weaver (London: Smith, Elder, 1844) is pasted in the opening pages of the volume.

James Paterson (fl 18th c) James Paterson (fl 18th c), of Longmanhill, Banffshire, is believed to have been of Perthshire extraction, and a weaver by trade. His A collection of original music consisting of slow airs, strathspeys, reels, marches etc. adapted for the violin and violoncello or pianoforte was printed by Robert Maver, Glasgow, in 1890.

Biographical details come from MS notes by John Murdoch Henderson (1902 - 1972) entered in fly leaf of GB 231 MS2426.

John Murdoch Henderson (1902 - 1972) John Murdoch Henderson, son of Charles Henderson, farmer, and Mary Jane Murdoch, was born in New Deer on 31 March 1902, and graduated from the University of Aberdeen, MA 1926. He taught for several years in the south of Scotland, before returning to Aberdeen where he taught science and mathematics at Frederick Street, and latterly, Ruthrieston School. A gifted composer, and an authority on Scottish fiddle music, he wrote The Flowers of Scottish Melody: A First Companion to the Scottish Violinist and Pianist (Glasgow: Bayley & Ferguson, 1935), and arranged J. Scott Skinner's The Scottish Music Maker Skinner: a choice selection of strathspeys, Scots reels, schottisches, double jigs, waltz tunes, song airs, pastorals, marches, quicksteps, hornpipes ... arranged for the violin (Glasgow: Bayley & Ferguson, 1957). He was also a prolific collector of music for the fiddle and pipes, and during his life made several significant manuscript deposits to the University of Aberdeen.

His printed music collection was bequeathed to the National Library of Scotland in 1975/6, and duplicates from this collection transferred to Aberdeen University, where they form the University's John Murdoch Henderson Collection. A further collection of his papers was deposited more recently in the North East Folklore Archive, Aden Country Park, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, by his family. See Related Units of Description for further details.

Single item

Open, subject to signature accepting conditions of use at reader registration sheet

Gifted to the University in 1963, by John Murdoch Henderson, MA (Aberdeen, 1926), Aberdeen.

Very brief collection level description available on Aberdeen University Library Catalogue, accessible online http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/library/

No copies known

Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation.

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of Special Libraries and Archives (e-mail: speclib@abdn.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

Presented to J. Murdoch Henderson, Aberdeen, by the widow of William Paterson, solicitor, Cullen. William Paterson was the grandson of James Paterson of Longmanhill, Banffshire, compiler of this collection. He was the son of James S. Paterson, schoolmaster, Rathven, and brother of James B. Paterson, headmaster, Cullen. There is believed to be a connection, through marriage, between this family and the Christie family of Banff (see GB 231 MS 2422 for further details).

No accruals expected

Scotch MS tunes, 1730 - 1760, associated with the Christie family, of Banff (GB 231 MS 2422). Association with the Christie families of Banff and Montquhitter, and with the Paterson family of Cullen and Banff, may suggest common ownership with the present collection and GB 231 MS 2423.

Collection of 168 compositions, including melodies from Italian opera and oratorio, 1735 (GB 231 MS 2423). Association with the Christie families of Banff and Montquhitter, may suggest common ownership with the present collection and GB 231 MS 2422.

John Murdoch Henderson Collection (University of Aberdeen, Special Libraries collection: ref. Hend inst (instrumental); and Hend voc (vocal)). Originally bequeathed to the National Library of Scotland in 1975/6, duplicates of items already in stock came to the University of Aberdeen and helped create this Collection. The collection was accumulated between 1908-1960, with a contents date range of 1780-1935. Composers represented range from Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) to Joshua Campbell (fl. 1762). Famous Scottish composers feature strongly as with Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831), son of Neil Gow (1727-1807), Robert Mackintosh (1745-1807), and J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927). Music from the Highlands, mainly for the fiddle and some for the bagpipe are well represented in the Collection, with famous Scottish composers for the fiddle forming a core of the musical volumes. Scots songs, particularly those from the Jacobite era, feature strongly in the vocal arrangement of the Collection. Works in English and Gaelic are also represented.

John Murdoch Henderson Collection (North East Folklore Archive, Aden Country Park, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, Scotland UK AB42 5FQ: http://www.nefa.net/index2.htm). This collection, which includes several untitled manuscripts, original copies of 19th century fiddle and pipe tune publications, posters advertising local shows and dances in the early 1900s and several photographs from Henderson's own album, was deposited in the North East Folklore Archive in November 1999, by his nephew, Murdoch Paterson.

Papers of John Murdoch Henderson, c 1920 - 1972 (National Library of Scotland Manuscripts Division: ref. MSS 21669 - 713)

Some of the music in this collection may have been published in James Paterson, A collection of original music consisting of slow airs, strathspeys, reels, marches etc. adapted for the violin and violoncello or pianoforte (Glasgow: Robert Maver, 1890).

This material is original