Granite Skyes
Volume 17 No. 6, February 2005

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR- by Sylvia Miskoe

James Hill was born in the early 19th century in Scotland but lived and played
in Tyneside, England.  There were many fiddlers in Tyneside, who performed in
the public houses to supplemental income.  Hill composed many tunes, the
majority of which were hornpipes. The High Level Bridge is one of his most
famous.  It is also known as High Level Hornpipe and can be played either in
the slow dotted style or as a quick reel.  It commemorates the High Level
Bridge which connects Newcastle and Gateshead.  The bridge, opened in 1848, had
two levels and was built on a higher level than the Old Tyne Bridge.  There is
much more information in a tune book The Lads Like Beer, Fiddle Music of James
Hill.

Andrew Rankine, a late contemporary accordionist, wrote The New High Level.
You may recall Rod playing it at our 2004 Gala.  I don't know if Hill's tune
was an inspiration, I hope it was.  The chord progressions are very similar.

Penny Farthing is by our late friend Bert Murray.  I found it when I was
looking for a 'nice E minor jig' and it has grown on me.  It is quite hypnotic,
you will want to keep playing it.

Angus Fitchet wrote J.B. Milne.  J.B. owned a string of movie theaters.  Good
tunes travel and I first played JB from a book of contra dances with the
acknowledged composer Trad.  Subsequently those publishers learned that the
tune was not by Trad and re-published the book with the proper acknowledgement.
The tune has been the darling of the contra dancers; in Scotland it is also the
name tune of a great country dance of the same title.

Last but not least are two little Strathspeys, Maggie Lauder and Jenny's
Bawbee. The composition of the Maggie Lauder melody is attributed to the 17th
century Border minstrel Nichol Burne.  It has words and a great story about the
original Maggie.  A beauty named Midside Maggie lived with her husband, Thomas
Hardie, on their sheep farm "Tollishill" high in the hills of Lauder parish. So
beautiful was she that their landlord, the Laird of Thirlestane Castle, known
as a hard hearted blackguard, was willing to forego their rent, one year of
terrible hardship, in exchange for a kiss. This she spiritedly refused him.
He, with a guffaw, suggested instead that if the winters up in Tollishill were
as cold as she claimed, let her bring him a snowball next June for her
rent. She packed snow in a high cleft in the hills and brought it to him the
following June.  He was as good as his word. But Thirlestane, a Royalist, lost
his lands after the Civil War and found himself imprisoned in the Tower of
London. During those years, Maggie and her husband set aside all rent due
him. They baked it into a bannock and set off to walk the 400 miles to London,
Maggie disguised herself as a man. Arriving at the Tower, they were admitted as
simple ballad singers, and sang beneath the galo bars an aire their landlord
would be sure to recognize. When he peered through the bars, they tossed him
the bannock full of money, with which he was able to purchase his freedom. This
gave rise to the saying "every bannock has its maik (equal) but the bannock of
Tollishill." The aire they whistled was Leader Haughs and Yarrow.

Jenny's Bawbee is a Broadside ballad, probably published between 1860 and 1890.
A bawbee is a coin worth half a ha'penny.  The tune has words about Jenny and
her suitors.  Both Maggie Lauder and Jenny's Bawbee are also country dances and
they can be used for the Highland Schottische couple dance.

The Parish of Dunkeld

Sandy Lafleur pointed out that January's tune Over the Water to Charlie (17.10)
is also the music for The Parish of Dunkeld. Here are some of the verses:

O, what a parish, a terrible parish, O, what a parish is that o' Dunkel', They
hangit their minister, droon'd their precentor Dang doun the steeple, and
fuddled the bell. The steeple was doun, but the Kirk was still staunin', They
biggit a lum whaur the bell used to hang, A stellpat they gat and they brewed
Hieland whisky, On Sundays they drank it, and ranted and sang.

O, had you but seen how graceful it lookit To see the cramm'd pews sae socially
join. Macdonald the piper stuck up in the poopit. He made the pipes skirl out
music divine. Wi' whisky and beer, they'd curse and they'd swear. They'd argy
and fecht what ye daurna weel tell 'Bout Geordie and Cherlie they bothered fu'
rarely Wi' whisky they're worse than the devil himsel'.

When the heart-cheerin' spirit had mounted their garret To a ball on the green
they a' did adjourn. Maids wi' coats kilted, they steppit and liltit When tired
they shook hands, and then hame did return. If the kirks a'owre Scotland held
like social meetin's Nae warning' ye'd need from a far-tinklin' bell For a true
love and friendship wad draw ye thegither Far better than roarin' the horrors
o' hell.

The above words come from the Arizona Irish Music Society web site. This
traditional song arranged by A.M. Stewart and Phil Cunningham is available on
the Silly Wizards 1988 recording "Live Wizardry", published by Green Linnet,
Inc., 70 Turner Hill Road, New Canaan, CT 06840.  GALA 2005

News flash: Muriel Johnstone will be our guest performing artist. Muriel is the
premier Scottish Country Dance pianist and for years arranged the music for the
RSCDS dance publications

MINUTES OF THE SRSNH BOARD MEETING
- Cindy Blaine

A meeting of the Board of Directors was held on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at
the School for Scottish Arts.  Preparations are underway for the 2005 Gala.

The next Board of Director's meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, February 23
2005 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the NH School of Scottish Arts in Manchester,
and is open to all members.  Please contact the secretary if you need
directions.  Members wishing a complete copy of the Minutes should contact the
Secretary at cmbfiddler at yahoo.com

SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, & VOLUNTEERS
Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe (May 2006)
Board of Directors: 
Marianne Taylor, President (May 2006)
Don Young, Vice President  (May 2006
Ed Los, Treasurer  (Term expires May 2005)
Cindy Blaine, Secretary (Term expires May 2005)
Len Buswell, Member at Large (May 2006)
Nancy Normand - Member at Large (Term Expires May 2005)
Connie Eppich - Member at Large (Term Expires May 2005)
Scholarship Committee:  Susan Willoughby, Chair & Elli Abelson, Bob Reed
Memberships, Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen Webmaster: Terry Traub
Mailings; Denise and Jim Robinson
Back Music: Cindy Blaine 
Newsletter Editor: Cindy Blaine 
Photographer: Evelyn Roberts
T-shirts: Bruce Cobb 
Refreshments: Calvin Gardner 

SRSNH EVENTS

NEFFA.  Sunday afternoon April 10, 2005, 3-4 PM, at Natick High School, Natick, Massachusetts

CALENDAR

Saturday March 26, 6 pm: Scottish Dance Party at Salem, Mass, with Potluck
Supper. Music by Tom Pixton & Friends. Info: www.rscdsboston.org

June 2-15: Scottish Dancing Among the Farthest Hebrides, with musicians Barbara
& Robert McOwen. Stops at Flodigarry (Skye), Stornoway (Harris), Benbecula,
Castlebay (Barra). For info on this and other trips by Ken McFarland, go to
www.reeljig.com/mcfarland

August 6-13: Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School, Thompson Island, Boston,
Mass. Lots more info & brochures available very soon. Info:
bmcowen at comcast.net, www.scottishfiddle.org

SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9:30 pm., Presidential Oaks, Pleasant
Street, Concord, N.H. $6, or $5 for ECDSNH members. Judith Ackerson
603-934-2543, or jnoska at cyberportal.net; http://people.star.net/blw/dance/english.html

3rd Sundays - Gaelic Club, 3-7 pm., Canadian American Club, Watertown,
Mass. Peggy Morrison, 978-858-3792.

Mondays - Contra dance, 8 - 10:30, callers & musicians welcome to take a turn.
Nelson, N.H. Town Hall, $3 827-3732.

Tuesdays - Irish/Celtic Sessions at The Barley House Restaurant and Tavern, 132
North Main Street, Concord, NH 7:00 to 10:00 pm.  603-229-0083.

Wednesdays - Canadian Jam Session: We play a mixture of French and English
Canadian fiddle tunes as well New England tunes and other tunes we feel like
playing. $2 donation requested to cover the rent. Second Wednesdays from 7:30 -
10:30 at the Durham, NH Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (corner of Madbury
Rd. and Woodman Ave.).  For information/directions: Peter Yarensky,
603-664-2513 or peter.yarensky at unh.edu.

Wednesdays - Fiddle on Wednesday - open jams - alternate between Ashland, NH
(Booster's Club) and the Gordon-Nash Library, New Hampton ( 7 PM )

1st Wednesdays - Jam session, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, Milford,
N.H. Sandy Lafleur 603-673-8497 or strumma at aol.com.

1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Church of the Good
Shepherd, 214 Main St., Nashua, NH.  $3.00 More info: Loren Wright
603-891-2331, nashuaSCD at comcast.net, or http://homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

4th and 5th Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Chandler Library, 257
Main St., Nashua, NH.Free More info: Loren Wright 603-891-2331,
nashuaSCD at comcast.net, or http://homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

Wednesday "Slow Jam" - Concord Community Music School - 7:30 - 9 PM voluntary
donation; info: 226 1966 or cordway at ccmusicschool.org

Thursdays: Acoustic Open Mic 7:30 PM - Green Martini - 8 Pleasant Street
Extension, Concord, NH (host: Duane D'Agnese

1st Thursday of every month: Dover, NH City Hall - Contra/square Dance with the
Peter Yarensky & Sarah Mason calling and teaching, music by the Lamprey River
Band. Beginners welcome; all dances taught. Guest musicians and callers
welcome. 8:00 - 10:40, $7; students $5. For information/directions: Peter
Yarensky, 603-664-2513 or peter.yarensky at unh.edu.
Upcoming dates February 3.

2nd and 4th Thursdays - Beginner jam, 7-9 pm, Fiddler's Loft (see Monday's info), free.

Fridays - Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Irish Music sessions (open) - 4:30 PM or
so to when the music upstairs starts (9 PM)

Fridays - Seacoast Scottish Country Dance class, Greenland Parish Hall on Rte
151, Greenland, N.H., 7:30-9:30 pm, through end of June, Laurie Stevens
603-773-9795.

1st Fridays: Contra dance, Windham, N.H. Town Hall, 1/2 mi. W of exit 3,I-93;
Neil Harvey 603-890-8907.

2nd Fridays: Contra dance, Kittery, Me. Grange Hall (now called the Left
Banke), 8 pm - various bands. $6.

3rd Fridays - Square and Contra Dances. Roaring Jelly, Lexington, Mass. Susan
Elberger, Caller, and Debby Knight, Music Director. To dance or join band, call
781-944-3544, www.toc.lcs.mit.edu/~slonim/rjelly.html.

4th Fridays - Contra dance, 8-11 pm, Town Hall, Milford, NH Open band. Frank
Woodward 603-487-2480

1st Saturdays - Contra dance 8-11pm, Town Hall Petrborough, N.H.  For more
information: (phone): (603) 525-3883, (603) 525-4432; Email:
fiddleheads at adelphia.net

Saturday afternoon - play fiddle with John Campbell at his home in Maynard,
MA. For specifics, John 978-897-7031.

Saturday Afternoons, Arlington Comm. Traditional Music Sessions, All sessions
are on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 6:30 pm at the Fox Library, corner of
Mass Ave and Cleveland St in East Arlington, MA.  Admission is $1 per person.
Call 781-643-3603 for further information and upcoming dates.

Second Saturdays Dance - Gilmanton, NH Town Hall (Academy Building)
(intersection Rtes 107 & 14) - 8 - 11pm.  info: (603) 267-7227; Sept. 11 -
Music: Bill Perry, Patrick Horning, Dave Medritz; Caller: Byron Ricker; Oct. 9
Old New England, Caller: Don Primrose; November 13, Randy Miller & Friends,
Caller: Sue Hunt; Dec. 11 - Two Fiddles, Caller: Dudley Laufman

2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11pm, Francestown, NH Town Hall.  Frank
Woodward.  For more information, call 603-487-2480 or NHdancecaller at aol.com

Third Saturdays - Dance - East Concord, NH Community Center 8PM   info:  dwh at nhvt.net

4th Saturdays - Contra dance, Kingston, NH, 8:30 pm - various bands. $7, 603-750-7506.

Saturday Jam Session - Acoustic Outfitters - Stratham, NH (778-9711
www.aomusicshop.com) from October to May 1st and 3rd Saturdays. 2-5PM

A REMINDER: Deadline for March articles is March 1, 2005.  No calendar dates
before March 16 will be included.

Granite Skyes is published monthly (10 issues) between September and June by
the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire. Subscription $8/yr ($18
overseas). Individual domestic memberships cost $20/yr; please inquire about
other rates. Edited by Cindy Blaine. All items welcome, depending on space
available; e-mail by the 1st of the month for inclusion in the mid-month
mailing to cmbfiddler at yahoo.com in text only format. Email subscription is
free; send request to bmcowen at comcast.net

The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by Terry Traub, http://www.srsnh.org