Sorting through the late Jimmy Shand’s accordion music, I came across some curious pieces amongst the more predictable repertoire. One was William D. Hamilton’s Song of Arran with Strathspey (With Tonic Sol-fah). Mr Hamilton lived at Ailsa House, Adrossan – so Arran’s not that far away.
And you know how I love paratext? Well, I haven’t strayed into the twentieth century very much in my paratextual explorations, but this piece is positively DRIPPING with it!
“RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
To MACKENZIE MURDOCH, Violinist and Composer, whose modest and kindly, yet transcendent genius has so notably enriched in abundant melody, fantasia, and arrangement, Scotia’s great Repertoire of National Music, and through him to his illustrious brother Celts of the Arran Society, Guardian Conservators of one of Scotland’s most noble possessions – the peerless Isle of Arran.”
Now, the tune was “written and composed by Wm. D. Hamilton”, but his friend Mackenzie Murdoch arranged the Accompaniment & Strathspey. Mr Murdoch apparently lived at 270 Great Western Road, Glasgow. (Imagine the raised eyebrows if the title page gave the composer’s full address nowadays, unless it was self-published! Data protection, dear chap!)
It would appear that Wm. D. Hamilton had a house in Ardrossan but traded from 59 Bath Street in Glasgow, whence he published this sheet-music in 1922.
Anyway, the tune appears first as a song and then as a dance-tune – a strathspey. And then, at the end, we find another chunk of paratext. Be still, my beating heart! This is an advertisement for another, larger piece by Mackenzie Murdoch. How often have we read allegations that Britain has no wworthwhile national music? Or that England is deficient in this regard? It’s less common to find someone refuting the suggestion that Scotland somehow falls short. But then, my investigations have mainly been into Scottish ‘national airs’, whereas this is about more serious composers. Interesting!
I’d llike to know more about Mr Murdoch!
“RIZZIO (composed by Mackenzie Murdoch). – An Orchestral Prelude of outstanding beauty and excellence, which from the broad opening movement descriptive of Holyrood Palace and surroundings to Finale of the swaggering braggadocio of the Conspirators, faithfully portrays in graphic intervals and rhythm, the great tragedy of Rizzio’s murder, in the presence of Scotland’s tragic and beautiful Queen. It contains a dainty festive Minuet, which will bear favourable comparison with the best work of the classic composers, an unrivalled and plaintive death song of Rizzio, and a passionate prayer of the Queen which will live as long as the great Ave Marias.
This work debuts the slander that Scotland has no worthy Composers, and confirms the suspicion that those who make such assertions are “looking for what they don’t want to find”.
No musician and particularly no musical Scot, should fail to possess and study this beautiful work. Although scored for full symphony orchestra, it can be obtained suitable for pianoforte or trio …”
POSTSCRIPT
My thanks to Stuart Eydmann for alerting me to this mention of William Mackenzie Murdoch on the Rare Tunes website, where you can read more about him AND hear his fiddle playing – ‘The Drunken Piper’. What a great resource! https://raretunes.org/william-mackenzie-murdoch/
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 