Dr Karen McAulay explores the history of Scottish music collecting, publishing and national identity from the 18th to 20th centuries. Research Fellow at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, author of two Routledge monographs.
On this day, 3 January 2023, I went in search of this late Victorian lady’s grave in a Paisley cemetery. She’d been a noted local celebrity, reputed to be the best accompanist in the town. Sadly, she lost her mind to grief after her mother’s death, and died in an asylum.
The gravestone was extravagantly impressive – even though the obelisk has sadly been taken down for health and safety reasons.
Nonetheless, her story is interesting and moving, and her connection with Paisley publisher Parlane ensured her a mention in my book.
I also wrote a more detailed biographical article for the Glasgow Society of Organists, and reproduced it in this blog.
Postscript. I went on another 3rd January expedition this afternoon. More of that another day!
I wrote an article for a Scottish organists’ newsletter, a couple of years ago. To ensure the article would continue to be accessible even if the newsletter was not, I also posted it on this blog.
I was thrilled to receive a query about Margaret (aka Maggie) Thomson over the weekend, so I updated the article gently with a couple of scans and a little bit more detail.
Maggie was clearly a modest soul – or, maybe, a typical Victorian woman, eschewing the limelight – even when she was made a presentation, her brother made the acceptance speech. At any rate, I’m not at all surprised that so little survives of her work. It sounds as though she was an amazing, and much loved accompanist, but the two pieces in The National Choir really aren’t remarkable in any way. Parlane was a local, Paisley book publisher with a considerable output, but having a contribution published in The National Choir would not have as much kudos as a composition published by Boosey or even by one of Scotland’s bigger music publishers. (There’s quite a bit more about Parlane and The National Choir in my book, if you’re interested.)
Another piece, referenced in a newspaper review, probably wasn’t even published.
And there’s another piece, held by the British Library, that has some connection with her – although, if she arranged it, then I’m not quite sure what Wallace Waterston’s input was, even though it is catalogued under his name. Maybe he wrote the tune? I haven’t tried to find out.
ADDENDA to my earlier article:-
I can share images of the National Choir songs:-
‘The Smiling Spring’‘The Weary Day’
‘The smiling spring’, words by Burns, arr. by MWT for The National Choir [Vol.1 p.238] (Parlane, 1891)
‘The Weary day’, original words and music, by MWT for The National Choir Vol.1 p.312 (Parlane, 1891)
Untraceable:-
‘The voice of the deep’ (1883), bass song, written and composed by MWT [Addendum: referenced in a newspaper report of a concert that took place in St George’s Church, Paisley. A positive review! However, the score might not have been published.]
I can also share the reference to the copy of ‘Break, break, break’ in the British Library:-
‘Break, break, break!’, by Wallace Waterston, piano accompt by MWT (1894, published Paterson’s) – [addendum: copy in British Library – catalogue entry here.]
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 