William McGibbon and Niel Gow: Reflections of tradition and taste in eighteenth-century lowland Scotland

Abstract

The nature of Scottish fiddle music in the mid-eighteenth century was shaped by three main factors: the social context of music-making for performer and audience, the coexisting traditions of folk and classical music, and international influences. These factors are analyzed and extensively illustrated in a detailed examination of the compositions and performing styles of two musicians; the classical style is exemplified by William McGibbon and the folk tradition by Niel Gow. The decline of Scottish music from the end of the eighteenth century is explained in terms of the limited possibilities for classical development of folk music, the rise of nationalism, and the stifling of the native idiom by a combination of these factors.