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Author Topic: Geminiani in Scotland  (Read 126 times)
John W
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« on: 19:04:51, 11-07-2008 »

Did anyone else hear the recorder work by Geminiani on Rob Cowan's programme this week?

GEMINIANI
Lady Anne Bothwel's Lament
Genevieve Lacey (recorder)
Linda Kent (chamber organ)
ABC CLASSICS ABC472226-2 Tr 18

With a very Scottish flavour to it this work transported me back over 30 years to an Edinburgh Festival event at St Cecilia's Hall when I took my parents to hear a recorder recital (but can't remember the name of the soloist). I also can't remember if any Geminiani was performmed that evening but I do remember some 'genuine Scottish' recorder music for the recorder by John Reid, and I've just, over 30 years later, checked out who he was:

John Reid 1753 - 1807

Born in Perthshire. Studied Law at Edinburgh University, 1740. After graduating, Reid decided to follow a career in the army and by the time he left in 1770, he had reached the rank of General. Reid was a member of the composer's secret society 'The Temple of Apollo', along with his peer James Oswald. Most of his compositions were for his own instrument, the flute, and were marches or folk in style. His greatest contribution to Scottish music was however the endowment on his will to Edinburgh University which was used to create the 'Reid Professor of Music' chair, this was followed by the creation of a music department at the University
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #1 on: 19:37:24, 11-07-2008 »

Nice to see some non-violin works by Geminiani being played, John Smiley

I hadn't come across your John Reid before, though.  Another recorder-player (along with other woodwind - players of that period were expected to double on traverse flute, oboe, and even bassoon too) of that era active in Scotland was "James Paisible".  He was born Jacques Paisible, and arrived in Britain whilst in the musical of a French dignitary, but seems to have stayed.  During the reign of William & Mary Catholics like Paisible weren't flavour of the month, and he appears to have decamped to Scotland whilst William remained on the throne (after Mary had died).  He's known to have played the bass violin too, but his recorder playing must have been astoundingly good,  judging by the pieces he left behind.

It's very likely - as the best woodwind player of his generation - that when not in hiding in Scotland he would have been one of Purcell's woodwind players....  there are extensive recorder parts in Purcell's work.

Paisible seems to have written the "first version" of the music for The Masque in Timon Of Athens.  Purcell was then asked to come in and spice it up for a later revival, but interestingly he kept much of Paisible's existing music, including the "act music" and "curtain music"...  which are in that sprightly "shaddup-you-lot-the-show's-starting" style from the generation before, typically like William Brade.
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