MACKINTOSH, Robert (c 1745–1807) Airs, Minuets, Gavotts And Reels (1783) / Concerto Caledonia

1 Capt. Macduff’s Delight – Miss Katty Troter’s Reel
2 Minuetto
3 Miss Grant Of Grant’s Reel
4 Miss Grace Stewart’s Minuet
5 Gavotta
6 Air
7 Lady Helenora Home’s Reel / Miss Jessy Dalrymple’s Reel / Miss Stewart’s Reel / Miss Carre’s Reel
8 The Duchess Of Gordon’s Delight
9 Miss Campbell’s Reel
10 The Diamond Reel – Miss Burnet Of Monboddo’s Reel
11 Minuet – Quick Step
12 Lady Betty Boyle’s Reel / Miss Scott’s Reel
13 Miss Bewment’s Minuet – Air
14 Lady Betty Cochran’s Reel
15 Minuetto
16 Lady Emelia Ker’s Minuet
17 Gavotta
18 Miss Henderson’s Minuet / Lady Wallace’s Reel
19 Miss Pringle’s Reel
20 Miss Baird’s Minuet
21 Gavotta
22 Allegro
23 Largo
24 Jigg
25 March

Ensemble – Concerto Caledonia:

Violin – David Greenberg, Greg Lawson
Cello – Alison McGillivray
Harpsichord, Square Piano – David McGuinness

Recorded 5-8 June 2010 at Ardkinglas House, Argyll

Label: Delphian – DCD34128
Barcode: 801918341281
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK
Released: Mar 4, 2013
Genre: Classical
Style: Classical

Robert Mackintosh (c 1745–1807), known as ‘Red Rob’ on account of the colour of his hair, was a Scottish composer and violinist, active in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century. A chamber-scale Concerto Caledonia bring to life a key figure from the Golden Age of Scottish fiddle music, when the publishing of fiddle music books was in full spate and the familiar forms of strathspey, reel and jig were taking shape. ‘Red Rob’ Mackintosh, named in the customary Gaelic fashion after the colour of his hair, found himself a place in the orchestra of the Edinburgh Musical Society and set up business as a teacher. ‘Airs, Minuets, Gavotts and Reels’ (1783) was his first collection, published the year before his ill-fated move to Aberdeen, and it represents his desire both to understand the musical world around him as fully as possible, and to forge himself a career within it. Concerto Caledonia have realised the music from within its pages, shedding light on an age when, not yet ‘traditional’, such dance genres still bore the imprint of their individual composers. Concerto Caledonia is one of Scotland’s premiere early music ensembles with a reputation for reviving little known but important music. With their third disc on Delphian the band bring vital part of Scotland’s heritage to a wider audience with the music of ‘Red Rob’.