INTRODUCTION

THE EARL OF DALHOUSIE - March
THE COUNTESS OF DALHOUSIE - Strathspey
LORD DALHOUSIE - Reel
YESTER HOUSE - Strathspey
THE PARKS OF YESTER - Slip Jig
MISS HAY OF VESTER - Reel
ARNISTON HOUSE - Slow March
MRS DUNDAS OFARNIS TON - Reel
MISS DUNDAS OFARNIS TON - Reel
MARIA DUNDAS - Reel
LADY MARY PRIMROSE’S FAVOURITE - Pastorale
LADY DOLLY PRIMROSE’S MINUET
THE EARL OF HADINTON - Strathspey
LADY BINNING - Strathspey
PEN TIAND HILLS - Slow Air
THE EARL OF DALKEITH - Reel
THE DUCHESS OF BUCCLEUCH’S FAVOURITE - Pastorale
DALKEITH FAIR - Reel
BROSE AND BUTTER - Slip Jig
LENNOXLOVE TO BLANTYRE - Strathspey
MY LADlE LAUDIANS LILT - Slow Air
ROSLIN CASTLE - Slow Air
THE SHILLINGHILL OF TEMPLE - Jig
PETER BAILLIE - Strathspey
LADY HARlOT HOPE’S - Strathspey

The Lothian Collection by Alison Kinnaird

This is a collection of 25 tunes arranged for the Scottish harp by Alison Kinnaird. The tunes come from the ‘big houses’ and great families of the Lothians, (East, West and Midlothian) ancient regions of the Scottish Lowlands centred round Edinburgh. Most of the music dates from the 18th and early 19th centuries, though one piece is from an early 17th century M.S. and one is a new composition by Alison herself. All have been inspired and dedicated to the houses and their families, by the composers. Ranging from romantic slow airs to sparkling jigs and reels or elegant minuets and pastorales, they evoke the people and places of times past, but are yet still part of the living tradition of Scottish music.

Alison Kinnaird has been at the forefront of the revival of the Scottish harp. She was the first player to research the repertoire of the harp in Scotland, and the first to record an album of instrumental Scottish harp music - ‘The Harp Key’ (Temple Records 1978). Along with Keith San ger, she co-wrote the first history of the Harp in Scotland - Tree of Strings (Kinmor Music 1993). The project led to her taking up the wire-strung clarsach, as well as the gut-strung small harp that she has played for many years. Her interest in developing a specific repertoire for each instrument was the starting-point for this collection.