[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Bruce and Nigel -- Thanks so much for the info. I appreciate very much your > diligence in tracking down the Thompson's info. as it nails the issue. "Miss > Gunning's" was apparently written in honor of one of two sisters from > Roscommon, who came from down-on-their-luck gentry but who parlayed their > renowned beauty into fortunate marriages: one married an earl and became Lady > Coventry, the other married a duke and became Duchess of Hamilton and Argyle. > They were the toast of London in the 1750's (which fits nicely with the > tune's appearance in the Thompson collection). Irish beggers would thank > tippers with the phrase "May the Luck of the Gunning's be with ye." > > Alas, beauty fades, and one of the sisters ended up poisoning herself with > lead-based cosmetics applied in an ever-heavier manner. > > Regards, > Andrew > Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To >subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
In Charles Gore's 'The Scottish Fiddle Music Index' the theme code of "Miss Gunning's" in D. Rutherford's 1st collection of 200 country dances, c 1756, (source code R12v1) is the same as that for several copies of "Miss Gunning's (Reel/Delight)", as is that from the c 1780 reissue of the Thompson's 1st collection. Probably the same is "Miss Gunning" in J. Johnson's 6th vol. of 200 country dances, 1751. [Listed in 'National Tune Index', as is D. Rutherford's, and copied to file CNTYDAN2 on my website.] The tune is undoubtably not a composition by Wm. Marshall. Bruce Olson -- Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes, broadside ballads at my no-spam website - www.erols.com/olsonw or just <A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw";> Click </a> Motto: Keep at it; muddling through always works. Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
