Bridge Of Dee strathspey

Learned and modified mostly from The Fiddle Music of Scotland compiled by James Hunter with quick references to the mighty Athole Collection.

Personally, what’s funny about this tune is that I passively ran over the first part a few months back. I can’t speak for others here but tunes rarely stick if I learn them solely from reading. So, I largely put it out of my mind until a few weeks later when I would hum it randomly. “What is this devil’s tune that comes from over the winds?” I asked myself while running one day. After thinking on it a few days, the answer was plain. Crap music reading skills or not, this one won’t be ignored!

Composed by “James Young (1815-1851) [who] was born in Montrose. In 1837 he moved to Aberdeen to work as a teacher and leader of the orchestra in the Theatre Royal, Marischal Street.” (James Hunter 1979).

In addition to Hunter’s notes, James Young was the son of a fiddle maker, and his brother John Young (c1812-1884) was also a fiddle maker. The tune (and its companion reel of the same name) was printed in Book 4 of Joseph Lowe’s Collection (1844-5). I think it’s an excellent tune. I think I’ll post the reel.

The Bridge of Dee Reel: https://thesession.org/tunes/13755