RobertEdnie
Dark Lochnagar Manuscript
Alexander Grant (1856 - 1942) was a native of Battangorm, Carrbridge, which gave rise to his familiar name - 'Battan'. As a boy he was exposed to what were to become his two great passions - fiddling and fishing. He went on to excel in both areas; as an angler by inventing his own unique fishing rod known as the 'Grant Vibration Rod', and as a fiddler by leading the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society for almost forty years and by becoming an expert in fiddle making techniques. He also invented a unique disc-shaped violin known as a 'Rondello'. An example of Grant's fishing rod, fiddle and Rondello can be seen at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery (IMAG).
Grant was a great friend of fellow musician and composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), a major figure in the development of Scottish traditional music, often referred to as 'The Strathspey King'. This hand-written manuscript was sent to Grant by Skinner. It is undated but Skinner has added the note 'from J Scott Skinner nearing his 81st birthday' which would make the date around 1924. The music is Skinner's violin solo arrangement for 'Dark Lochnagar' a tune originally composed by Miss Gibson, 1841 (Skinner's note)
Dark Lochnagar Manuscript
Alexander Grant (1856 - 1942) was a native of Battangorm, Carrbridge, which gave rise to his familiar name - 'Battan'. As a boy he was exposed to what were to become his two great passions - fiddling and fishing. He went on to excel in both areas; as an angler by inventing his own unique fishing rod known as the 'Grant Vibration Rod', and as a fiddler by leading the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society for almost forty years and by becoming an expert in fiddle making techniques. He also invented a unique disc-shaped violin known as a 'Rondello'. An example of Grant's fishing rod, fiddle and Rondello can be seen at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery (IMAG).
Grant was a great friend of fellow musician and composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), a major figure in the development of Scottish traditional music, often referred to as 'The Strathspey King'. This hand-written manuscript was sent to Grant by Skinner. It is undated but Skinner has added the note 'from J Scott Skinner nearing his 81st birthday' which would make the date around 1924. The music is Skinner's violin solo arrangement for 'Dark Lochnagar' a tune originally composed by Miss Gibson, 1841 (Skinner's note)