You can tell when I’m using avoidance tactics on a writing day! But the pictures I’m about to share with you come from an old instrumental Scottish song medley, and it was in the pile of papers that simply had to be sorted out. It’s a library copy, so I can’t actually keep it – I thought I’d take a few snaps just to remind myself what it’s like.
THE HIGHLAND WREATH
Expressly for AMATEURS
It comes from a series of 48 medleys published by arranger Carl Volti for the London firm, Ascherberg, Hopwood and Crew. This is a series ‘arranged expressly for AMATEURS‘. Oh, what almost limitless fun the great-great aunties and uncles would’ve had, considering each contained at least four different ‘Scotch Airs’! Volti had other arrangements published by Scottish music publishers – but he clearly wasn’t prepared to limit himself to Scotland!
HiPP
Historically-informed performance practice is very much a buzz-word in music conservatoire circles. The more closely I looked at this piece of music, the more little hints I gleaned about the expectations around its performance.
- Instrumentation – violin and piano, but also available with parts for a second violin, viola, cello, flute, ‘clarionet’ (no oboe, just clarinet), and cornet.
- Intended for amateurs. The front cover quotes an approving review in the Musical Times, highlighting the suitability for amateur players of moderate ability. (I couldn’t find the review in JSTOR – this frustrates me, but it’s not hugely important.)
- Instructions for simulating a bagpipe drone on a violin: ‘By lowering the D string four notes (to A) and bowing on two strings at the same time, a good imitation of the bagpipes can be produced.’
- Indications where a violin solo appears, and at another point there’s an optional clarinet solo.
- Some double-stopping for the fiddle
- Instruction to play one section piano on the first time round, and forte when it’s repeated.
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 