strathspey@strathspey.org:44480

Jim Healy

RE: Music - Westminster Reel

March 5, 2006, 10:26 a.m. (Message 44480, in reply to message 44478)

Greetings!

Hamish Paterson writes:

>When  this dance (The Westminster Reel) was originally published in the 
>London Jubilee book, the recommended tune was "Ian Murray's Reel".
No. When this dance was originally published in the London Jubilee Book 
(1989), two original tunes were given. One was Ian Murray's Reel which Jim 
MacLeod chose to use in his original recording of the dance and the other 
was The St Alban's Society Caledonian Society. When the Society's members 
chose the dance for publication, the music sub committee decided that they 
would use the second of the two alternatives. I am advised that, as both 
tunes are in D, they are considered by musicians as offering a choice not an 
original and a second tune. _My_ question is, why does offering the choice 
that London Branch obviously intended to be available seem to cause such 
anguish?

>Does anyone have this tune in a form that can be emailed or faxed to me?
The full scored version is available from Coates Crescent free of charge, as 
announced in the first Scottish Country Dancer magazine.

Jim Healy
Convenor, Membership Services