Collection of 168 compositions, from various sources and for various instruments, including melodies from Italian opera and oratorio, 1735.
The arranger of this collection is unknown, but it is believed to have originated from the family of James Christie, farmer, Montquhitter, Aberdeenshire (see Custodial History for further details)
Christie family, of Montquhitter (fl 18th c - 19th c) The origin of this collection of tunes may be traced to the family of James Christie, farmer, of Montquhitter, Aberdeenshire. He was the father of Reverend Alexander Christie (d 1816), Scottish Episcopal minister of Keith, 1781 - 1800, and Old Deer, 1800 - 1812; James Christie (fl 1817), gamekeeper to John Cumine, of Auchry, who published Instructions for Hunting, Breaking, Pointers, and Finding Out Game ... to which is subjoined humerous poems and songs chiefly in the Buchan Dialect (Banff: J. Davidson, 1817); and William Christie (c 1778 - 1849), dancing master, who arranged and published A collection of strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, etc., arranged as medleys for the harp, piano forte, violin and violoncello (Edinburgh: W. Christie, 1820); and with his son, William Christie (1816 - 1885), Dean of Moray, collected the ballads which were subsequently published in Traditional ballad airs, arranged and harmonised for the pianoforte and harmonium, from copies procured in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray, edited by William Christie, 2 vols. (Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas, 1876-81).
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
Date and source not recorded. Possibly deposited post-1818, by William Walker (1840 - 1931)or P.J. Anderson (1852 - 1926)
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
W. Christie's signature is inscribed on the cover of the volume. This is thought to refer to William Christie (c 1778 - 1849), dancing master, Monquhitter, Aberdeenshire, who arranged and published A collection of strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, etc., arranged as medleys for the harp, piano forte, violin and violoncello (Edinburgh: W. Christie, 1820) (see Administrative History, above); though the early date of the volume (1735) suggests this must refer to ownership rather than authorship. Other persons associated with the volume (late 19th and 20th century) include John Murdoch Henderson (1902 - 1972), P.J. Anderson (1852 - 1926), William Walker (1840 - 1931), and W.L. Henderson, Dean of Brechin.
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