The Laird Of Drumblair
The best known of fiddle master Scott Skinner’s many strathspey compositions.
The tune was composed by J Scott Skinner in honour of William McHardy, Laird of Drumblair near Huntly, who had given Skinner a rent-free cottage to live in. Skinner wrote that the tune “flashed into his head” one night.
He composed it in the cottage,
wrote it down on a piece of soap-paper and sent it to McHardy. McHardy
responded with a thank-you cheque to Skinner every Christmas for the rest of
his life.
Skinner wrote that “I jumped out of bed [looking for music manuscript paper]...but a search produced nothing better than a piece of soap paper, and on this I promptly dashed off 'The Laird o' Drumblair.' And the tune was dispatched as it had been written."
“Ye’re no’ gaun tae send that awfy-like paper tae the Laird,” protested his wife, “He’ll jist licht his pipe wi’ it!”
It was sent anyway.
