The Gesto Collection of Highland Music (book)
This is a reprint of the 1895 Highland music collection, The Gesto Collection, made by Keith Norman MacDonald on Skye. The book contains an eclectic mixture of Gaelic airs (some with lyrics), pipe tunes and general fiddle tunes played and collected in the 19th Century.
Dr. Keith Norman MacDonald was an enthusiast and a collector but not a careful editor The result is that this book contains a mixture of items, traditional Gaelic songs alongside military marches and so on. The most important item would seem to be the 68 page appendix which shows careful editing by Frances Tolmie, one of the greatest authorities of her time on Gaelic music and song.
The most valuable section for researchers is the 68 page appendix given to the author by Frances Tolmie who lived on Skye and was one of the greatest authorities on Gaelic music and song.
Instruments:
Accordion, Fiddle, Gaelic song, Harp, Mandolin, Whistle
Tune Types: Air, Dance tunes, Gaelic waltz, Hornpipe, Jig, March, Polka, Reel, Slow strathspey, Strathspey, Waltz
Date: 1895 facsimile copy Origin: Scottish.
Contents:-
The fair wedding
Colin my dear
The finger lock
Prince Charlie
Young Alexander
A march for the clone
The gay plaid
Will you hear me
o sweetheart
Dr. Macleod wears a dirk
Bonnie Brown Maiden
An old Skye air
An old Skye air
An original gaelic air
The Hunter and the Owl
The thing of beauty
The hereditary Hall of MacLeod
I was yesterday in Ben Doran .
The bonnie brown dairy maid
The Grey Buck
The varle with the breeks .
Bonnie Stathmore The Shieling in the Braes of Rannoch
The cottage by the fall
The Braes of Glen Braon
The Goal Herd and Shepherd
Bugle Horn
Sleep on till day
Fairy song
How can we abstain from Whisky
Where will the Maiden sleep?
Malcolm of the glen
Captain Campbell’c march
Big John’s daughter
The hamlet of Glendaruel
Colonel
Alexander Macdonald
What care I for the Minister?
Coming through the heather
The hill of my delight
Colin’s cattle .
The spraith of the lowlands
The Cuckoo of the Grove
Fingal’s weeping
The bard’s lament
A St. Kilda Ferment
MacIntosh’s lament
Sir Norman Macleod’s lament
Sleep and be quiet
Deil tak the wars
Thou hast left me melancholy
Dornoch Links
Dr MacKinnon’s reel
Duke of York’s march
The isle of mist (Skye)
Hail beautiful Morar
The Prince’s Salute
Struan Robertson’s salute
The airy plover of the heath
The Boatman
Mc.Kinnon Corry
Love song
Fingal’s weeping
Each ailment but love
Though I am tocherless
The village Lads or: The bride is a bonnie thing
The drover lads
Lads in the kilt
The poor herdboy
The sword dance
Gin I had a bonnie lassie
Glendaruel
Glengarry’s march
Happy may I see thee
I am in Sorrow
Love song
You are my pretty auburn maid
I love the girl
He’s o’er the hills that I lo’e weel
Hey Johnny Cope Highland Rory
A Skye air
The Emigrant’s adieu
Black Mary
My boon companion
My pretty auburn haired maid
The dairymaid’s lullaby
John Campbell of the Bank
John Mc.Kinnon
Clan Ranald’s boat song
The Emigrants
The Brown Maid
Joy gae wi’ my love
Kinrara
Lady Margaret Stewart
Lament for Mary Queen of Scots
Lament for Ruaridh Mor Mc.Leod
Lewie Gordon
Locheil’s awn to France
Locheil’s farewell to Isla
Logan’s bonnie woods and braes
Lord Lovat’s lament
Lord Panmure’s march
Mac Gregor’s search
Macgregor of Roro.
This is an example of the contents – there are 150 more tunes besides the titles given
