Annotation:Bonny Links of Aberdeen (The)

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X:1 T:Bonny Links of Aberdeen, The M:C L:1/8 R:Reel S:Glen Collection, vol. 2 (1895) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Eb B|e2 BA GEBG|F (f2 e) fccd|eBGB AcBg|agfa ge e:| g|bgeg egbg|afge d (f2g)|bgeg gebg|agfa g (e2g)| bgeB eBGE|GEB,E (DF) F2|EB,EB GeBg|agfa g e2||

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BONNY LINKS OF ABERDEEN, THE. Scottish, Reel. E Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by John Anderson (1737-1808) and printed in his second volume, A Collection of New Highland Strathspey Reels (Edinburgh, 1790-91, which contains seven of his compositions. Little is known about him, although he seems to have connections to Perthshire and Edinburgh (he died in Inverness). Musicologist Gavin Greig wrote critically of Anderson in the Aberdeen Journal (1908, p. 178), after reviewing four of Anderson's own pieces from the volume ("Bonny Links of Aberdeen," "Sir James Grant," "Mr. James Ramsay," "New Bridge of Dumfries (The)"):

These exhibit no originality, and have hardly any melodic interest or value--being little more than mere exercises in arpeggios. Anderson, indeed, would appear to have been rather an executant than a composer.