Srathspey and Reel Society of NH
Granite Skyes
Volume 18, Number 4
December, 2006



      NEXT GATHERING				Approximate Schedule:			
      January 28, 2007:				       	1:00-3:00 Current Tunes        
       1:00-5:00 pm, Annicchiaricco Theater		3:00-3:30 Refreshment                                       
       1 Thompson Street                               		3:30-5:00 Requests and Solos
       Concord, New Hampshire
Free Admission! All ages, all instruments, all levels welcome!


 
NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

When the SRS pulled into Stirling last June, we were greeted by Jessie Stuart from Elgin. 
Jessie is a friend dance teacher I met in Stirling a few years ago. She gave me a newly 
published book, Willie Macpherson, The Elgin Fiddler, and a CD of his compositions, The 
Elgin Collection. I was thrilled to learn about Willie and to learn more of his tunes. 

The book is a biography of William Macpherson and has twenty of his compositions. Willie 
was born in Elgin in 1920 and began playing violin at age 4. He was blessed with a 
remarkable teacher who recognized his talents and a quiet patron of the arts who gave him 
an extraordinarily fine fiddle when he was 15; he played it all his life. His training was 
both classical and traditional. In 1955, he auditioned for the Scottish National Orchestra 
and was accepted into the first violin section. In 1966, he returned to Elgin where he 
taught, adjudicated, and revived the Elgin SRS.

The best known of Willie's tunes is Brumley Brae which is also in our collection; 6.16. 
The Brumley Brae was a country track that was a favorite stroll for courting couples. 
Nowadays it is a paved thoroughfare. It is a great tune for sessions and for dancing. 
There is a corrupted version known as John Brains that surfaces occasionally. Johnston's 
Mill is named after a textile manufacturing company where Willie's father worked all his 
life. Effie Glasgow of Longmorn was, with her husband Harry, a good musician friend. 
James Macpherson was Willie's father. Foggwatt Burns Supper was composed in 1970 on the 
occasion of one of the first public appearances of the newly reformed Elgin SRS. Foggwatt 
is a small hamlet four miles south of Elgin. The tune is played for the annual Burns Supper. 

The accompanying CD has tracks by Willie himself, as well as Bill Brian and the Elgin SRS. 
This is a book and CD that belongs in every musical library.
      ….Sylvia Miskoe



WOLFEBORO
First Night Concert

The SRS will again play at First Night in Wolfeboro. Wolfeboro is the only town/city in 
NH that still hosts a First Night Celebration and we have played to a standing room only 
audience for several years. I'm afraid it is too late to sign up if you haven't already 
done so. However, come to Wolfeboro, celebrate the New Year and see how we sound from the 
audience.

I will be 'at home' on Thursday the 28th at 7:15 pm to refresh everyone for the First 
Night performance. 

Performance details:
Wolfeboro, NH, 9 -9:50 pm, Dec 31st, All Saints Church
 
The church is on the right side of Main St (Rte 28) as you head north; there is a parking 
lot and entrance behind it. We should assemble at 8:30.
Everything will be from the Gala.
--.Sylvia
   
THE NOVEMBER 2006 GALA
LOST & FOUND
Found at the Audi:
Onstage:  a silver heart-shaped charm or pendant, with "Jennifer" on both sides.
Backstage:  a wool NH tartan sash with a circular thistle-pattern pin with 3 small 
purple stones.Just let me know where to send them (name and mailing address) and 
I'll put them in the mail to you.Thanks everyone for all your good work!  You did 
a great job - rave reviews are pouring in.       
---Ellen


REFLECTIONS ON THE 2006 GALA
 
For the last nine or so years, I've played in the SRS Gala Concert. Each one was a lot of 
work but also a lot of fun. However, performing in the Gala hasn't been my only involvement 
in it. For the past six or seven years I've been part of the group who work behind the 
scenes, without whose efforts the Gala simply would not happen.  
 
It started innocently enough. Someone asked if I'd do the layout for the program, "ok", 
I said. It wasn't long before I was responsible for the cover artwork, (some wonderful 
help from my computer-whiz daughter, Tracy who was maybe 14 at the time!) solicitation 
of all the program ads, (funny stories there . . .) and the design and printing of all 
the Gala flyers (that hopefully NO ONE has any more of!).
 
Three Galas back, Bob Reed & I co-produced the Gala. Then last year I produced it with 
the help of an amazing crew of volunteers. This year, I handled publicity as well as the 
programs, and the flyers but for the first time in 9 years, I decided to attend the 
concert and actually SEE all of the show.
 
This decision was prompted by several things, including conflicting commitments on 
rehearsal dates, and having both my college-age children home for the brief Thanksgiving 
holiday. Most compelling was my husband's comment when I was talking aloud about not 
playing in the Gala but rather attending the concert. He said, "Well, if you're going 
to go sit like a normal person, maybe I'll go to the concert with you!"  
 
Well, I don't really know how a "normal" person sits but to his mind I think that 
meant without playing music, or singing or directing or ushering . . . You know - 
just SITTING there! Well, that was hard to do. Especially hard to keep still and 
not clap or tap my foot to the lively rhythms coming from the stage - okay, so I 
gave into that urge! Another thing I found difficult to deal with was the "hole" 
in the back line of musicians; someone looked to be missing just to Bob Reed's 
right, err, I guess that was me! (I later learned that Rob Druggan was there but 
he sits to play guitar while Bob & I both like to stand.)
 
The concert was really enjoyable and even my non-musical spouse commented on the 
lovely piece that Mike Vose conducted, "Singing Gate". I thought the Youth Ensemble 
did a terrific job and were probably the strongest I'd ever heard them. Stuart 
brought an incredible amount of energy to the show, and there were several SRSers 
who looked to be having a particularly good time - Ed Los, Willa McAllen and Marie Rawlings.  
 
As we were getting ready to leave at the end of the show a woman in front of me commented 
to her friend, "I think that was the best one ever!"  

So now I've experienced the Gala from the other side and find myself so grateful 
for this wonderful group of musician friends that is the SRSNH. 
--...Sandy Lafleur

REVIEWS

More rave reviews from my family and neighbors...they're all calling it "a treat" 
and first-timers are saying thanks for getting them there. (Nag ‘em long enough 
and they'll finally come.) Repeat customers are saying it was the 
best show ever.
                                     .....Betsy Woodman

I just want to say "thanks" to everyone for working so hard to make this come 
together; the end result was fantastic - I was so fortunate to be able to sit 
in the audience for the whole first half! The bagpipes were amazing, weren't 
they? Thanks, again, to the stage directors and all the other performers for 
pulling everything together - you made this a great show, and I was blessed 
to be a part of it!  Bravo!!  
         			 -----..Robyn

Again, the SRSNH put on a terrific concert. Cassells' piping was like no other 
piping I had ever heard, though it was 50 db above ear-splitting. I personally 
preferred the Border Pipes to the Highland Pipes.
 
We were most surprised to learn that a Strathspey has been named after Jack 
McKelvie. I remember the weekend The Reelers had at his home on the beach. 
Ann Pearson put food coloring into Jack's peas - he was not pleased.
 
Again, it is so good to see the young musicians coming along.
 
So Sylvia, thanks for all you efforts. I had hoped we would see you at the Reeler's 
Reunion - perhaps another time. It was sad to learn of Arthur Tufts incapacitation.
 
Have a great Christmas.		---Jon

The concert was outstanding. My favorite part was whenever the group played 
together! I especially loved the selection of the music this year.

>From my cousin:

SRSNH  did a great job yesterday. We thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially 
liked it when you played standing at the end.

>From my sister:

I loved hearing the bagpipes and the guy's accent! That was such a treat!

	                       -From Lois Magenau

 MUSICAL TIDBITS
FUN FACTS

A Pilgrimage to Monymusk

Many Fiddle-L readers and contributors may know, and some may play, the 
great old fiddle tune "Money Musk." I myself play a wonderful
Virginia/West Virginia version of the tune that I learned from Henry Reed. 
The title is evocative - yet I never knew what to picture when I played the tune. 

This summer my wife Karen and I were in Scotland for the North Atlantic 
Fiddle convention in Aberdeen, Scotland, and we took a few extra days to 
see Northeast Scotland. Our first pilgrimage was to the village of Monymusk,
which lies on the Don River just fifteen or  twenty miles west of Aberdeen.

I've mounted a few of Karen's photos and a brief essay on my website, 
with the thought that other fiddlers might like to catch a glimpse of Monymusk:

http://www.alanjabbour.com/photos_monymusk.html

I'm still trying to get a definitive etymological explanation of the name 
"Monymusk." It appears that "stinking bog" may be the best explanation, but 
I'm no expert, so don't quote me. I have a hot lead and will report back if 
a better etymology appears.

By the way, the North Atlantic Fiddle convention was terrific, featuring 
fiddlers and other musicians from Estonia to Los Angeles (Colin Quigley).
There was a conference running every morning, workshops in the afternoon, 
and evening concerts at various sites around  town. Two years from now the 
show is going on the road, so mark your July 2008 calendars for North 
Atlantic Fiddle Convention in St. John's, Newfoundland.
Best to all,
Alan Jabbour
===================================
Memories, All Alone in the Harp Case 
A concerned harper asks,

Is it fact or superstition that strings (all kinds) have memory?
We're glad you asked. Yes, every note played into the harp is remembered by 
the string and that is why, when you play that string a second time, it "recalls" 
the previous time it was played and behaves in much the same way that it did 
the time before.

The more challenging question is this:  Do strings curled up in wee paper 
bags in the side pocket of your harp case have memories, and if so, of what? 
Do they hear you play and long to be stretched to their limit? Could they be 
the buggers responsible for those unaccountable string breaks that wake you 
in the middle of the night? We have surveillance videos to confirm this! 
The uppity strings crawl out of the bags, slide over to the harp, line 
themselves up against the correct gauge string and then tie themselves 
onto the string and pull with all their might until they snap the string 
on the harp and then quickly untie themselves and sneak back into their 
little bags to be installed the following morning! Take no chances. Keep 
your strings in our patented sound proof "Bag-o-Silence" harp string holder. 
Our motto: "Hear no evil, do no evil."
Amos B. Looney 
Harp Police
Department of Shameless Commerce


SCOTTISH JOKES
Proving that we Scots do have a sense of humor

"One of the Edinburgh scientists who cloned a sheep decided to secretly 
create a duplicate of himself by cloning. He did so, but to his great 
surprise, his clone, though exactly like him in every other way, would 
only speak in the most depraved and obscene language. Not only could 
he not take him anywhere in public, people mistook the clone for him, 
and he was asked to resign from the golf club and the scientist's lunch club.

In despair, he lured his clone up to Fort William. They climbed Ben Nevis 
and he pushed the clone off the summit to his death. Unfortunately, 
he was seen doing the deed and the police came for him. In vain, 
he protested that it was his own creation he had disposed of."

"No sir," said the policeman, "It's a serious offense. 
We're arresting you for making an obscene clone fall."
                        -....-submitted by Mike Vose
		--
SRSNH EVENTS CALENDAR

DECEMBER 2006-JANUARY 2007 EVENTS:

    5th Annual Pittsfield Fiddle Contest
Friday, December 15th, 2006
Scenic Theatre, 19 Depot St.
Pittsfield, NH 03263

The Pittsfield Youth Workshop (PYW) would like to invite you to the 5th 
Annual Pittsfield Fiddle Contest on Friday, December 15th. The contest 
will be held at the Scenic Theatre located at 19 Depot St. in Pittsfield, 
NH - right next to the Pittsfield Youth Workshop. There will be a silent 
auction and refreshments at PYW from 5-9 PM. The fiddle contest will begin 
at 6:30 PM, with the youth contestants competing first, followed by an open 
division in which anyone can participate. There will be prizes for the 
first, second, and third place winners of both divisions, with $200 as 
the top prize for the open division, and a $100 top prize for the youth 
division. This is an annual fundraising event organized and presented by 
the Pittsfield Youth Workshop, that is heavily attended, and always a lot of fun! 

HOUSE CONCERT:
Traditional Irish /Scottish Fiddler Lissa Scheneckenbuger will be performing  
a Holiday  House Concert in Concord New Hampshire. This will be a  warm  
friendly, gathering of the season  with sing alongs and  acoustic  musical 
celebrations of winter.
Date : Saturday December 16th, 2006
Location 28 Auburn street   
Time: 7:30 PM
Admission $12 for all seats 
Reservations highly recommended. 
Questions, reservations or comments: reply to half.baked.ideas@comcast.net 
Remember as always 100% of the proceeds  go to the artists!

''''

Recurring Events

1st Wednesdays - Jam session, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, Milford, 
N.H. Sandy Lafleur 603-673-8497 or strumma@aol.com. Come early and enjoy 
the great food!

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 5:30-7:45pm, Presidential Oaks, 
Pleasant St, Concord NH $6, or $5 for ECDSNH members. Judith Ackerson 
603.934.2543 or jnoska@cyberportal.net 
 
1st, 2nd & 3rd Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Church of 
the Good Shepherd, 214 Main St, Nashua NH. $3. Also, 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@comcast.net , or www.homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

3rd Sundays- Gaelic Club, 3-7pm, Canadian American Club, Watertown MA 
FROM Cassie Hansel, Peggy Morrison, 978-858-3792.

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

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

Wednesdays (2nd) - Canadian Jam Session: mixture of French, English 
Canadian and New England fiddle. $2; 7:30-10:30; at the Durham NH 
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (corner of Madbury Rd & Woodman Ave) 
Info: 664-2513 or peter.yarensky@unh.edu

Wednesday "Slow Jam"- Concord Community Music School; 7:30-9PM 
voluntary donation; info: 226.1966 or cordway@cmusicschool.org.

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

1st Thursday 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. Info/directions: Peter Yarensky, 603-664-2513 or 
peter.yarensky@unh.edu.

Fridays - Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Irish Music sessions 
(open) - 4:30-9:00 PM

Fridays - Seacoast Scottish Country Dance class, Greenland 
Parish Hall on Rte 151, Greenland NH, 7:30-9:30 pm, thru 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), 8pm- 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 Peterborough, N.H. 
(phone): (603) 525-3883, (603) 525-4432; Email: fiddleheads@adelphia.net.

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

Saturday Afternoons, Arlington MA (781-643-3603 for info and dates) 
Trad Music Sessions, from 3:00 to 6:30 pm at the Fox Library, corner 
of Mass Ave & Cleveland St. $1 

Second Saturdays Dance - Gilmanton, NH Town Hall (Academy Building) 
(intersection Rtes 107 & 14) 8-11pm. info: (603) 267-7227; Dec 11 - 
Two Fiddles, Caller: Dudley Laufman

The 2nd Saturday contra dance in, Francestown, is cancelled until 
further notice. Frank Woodward. For info: 603-487-2480 or 
NHdancecaller@aol.com.

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

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

Saturday Jam Session-Acoustic Outfitters-Stratham 778-9711 
www.aomusicshop.com October through May on the first and 
third Saturdays of the month, 2-5 pm. 

NOTE: Please check these listings and advise me of any 
additions, deletions or changes. 
GraniteSkyes@aol.com


All items welcome, depending on space available. If you have 
something to include in this newsletter, you can email me at 
GraniteSkyes@aol.com or phone at 603-344-9575. Deadline for 
submissions is the 25th of the month. Afterwards, if the submission 
is still relevant it will be considered for the next issue.

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. 
The newsletter and music is available by email. Contact 
Denise Robinson at fiddledee@comcast.net

Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire
Newsletter Editor
Audrey Marie Danielson
513 Alton Woods Drive
Concord NH 03301
603-344-9575
GraniteSkyes@aol.com

SRSNH Next Gathering:
Sunday January 28, 2007 at the Annicchiaricco Music Theater 
from 1-5pm. Free admission. All ages, all instruments, all 
levels welcome; with potluck refreshments. The address for 
the Annicchiaricco Music Theater: 1 Thompson St. at South 
Main St. Take I-93 to Exit 13 or 14. Take South Main St to 
Thompson, 2 blocks south of Pleasant St (Rts 202/9), 1 
Block north of the Capital Center for the Arts. 

Free parking on the street. 
PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE RESIDENT'S LOT.