George I. Taylor strathspey

By J Murdoch Henderson

Also known as Captain’s Pledge, The Captain’s Pledge, Captains Pledge, George Taylor.

There are 8 recordings of this tune.

George I. Taylor has been added to 1 tune set.

George I. Taylor has been added to 17 tunebooks.

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Two settings

1
X: 1
T: George I. Taylor
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmin
B<dB>A G>AB<G|F>fc>A F>Ac<A|B>dB<G c>=Bc<e|(3dcB (3cBA B<G G2|
B<dB>A G>AB<G|F>f=e<g f>cA<F|B>dB<G c>=Bc<e|(3dcB (3cBA B<G G>f||
{f}g2 d2 {f}g2 ba/4g/4f/4=e/4|f<ac>a f>ga<f|{f}g2 d2 g2 ba/4g/4f/4=e/4|f<c d (3c/B/A/ B<G G2|
g2 G>B d>g (3gab|a2 F>A c>f (3fga|B2 (3Bcd c<A (3ABc|(3BAG (3AG_G =G4||
2
X: 2
T: George I. Taylor
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
G<BG>F E>FG<E|D>dA>F D>FA<F|G>BG<E A>^GA<c|(3BAG (3AGF G<E E2|
G<BG>F E>FG<E|D>d^c<e d>AF<D|G>BG<E A>^GA<c|(3BAG (3AGF G<EE>d||
d<eB>d d<e (3gfe|d<fA>f d>ef<d|d<eB>d d<e (3gfe|d>A (3BAF G<EE2|
e2 E>G (3Bee (3efg|f2 D>F (3Add (3def|G2 (3GAB A<F (3FGA|(3GFE (3FED E4||

Six comments

George I. Taylor

Another tune I was inspired to learn after hearing Gilles Losier play it at the session. A little birdie told me he had a Leahy album with this tune on it, so I borrowed it, and voila. They say they picked up the tune from Jean Carignan and Denis Lanctot.

This is the first time I’ve tried to notate (or learn) a strathspey. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

George I. Taylor

I also enjoy listening to the song on the Leahy CD. This song will be my first attempt at a strathspey also. Any hints are definitely welcome.

George I. Taylor

This tune was composed in 1931 by J Murdoch Henderson after an Aberdeen fiddler. He was a left-handed fiddler who played his fiddle tuned normally (i.e. not strung left-handed). JMH said “his interpretation of strathspeys in the minor mode is particularly fine.”

George Taylor’s father was also a left-handed fiddler celebrated by James Scott Skinner in his tune “The Left-Handed Fiddler” https://thesession.org/tunes/4661

Winston Scottie Fitzgerald recorded this one on an LP. It was later put on CT “Classic Cuts”. Needless to say, it sounded really good.

George I. Taylor, X:2

I’ve loved this tune since I first heard it on Leahy’s album in a set they called “The French”. This is a simplified setting, transposed to E minor (a much more accommodating key for newbs like me)

Re: George I. Taylor

I found a recording of a strathspey I like called “Davie Taylor”, which was also composed by Skinner. I wonder if Davie came from the family of left-handed fiddlers.