Ron Gonella - Scottish Violin Music

Ron Gonnella played on the Scottish Dance Band circuit with the bands of Jim Johnstone and Andrew Rankine. He had his own band for a while - featuring Iain MacPhail on accordion - but it was as a solo artist that he toured all over the world promoting Scottish fiddle music. He recorded many albums this one was his first solo recording released in 1966 (Scots Disc SDL-001, 1966) He is accompanied by Robert Campbell on piano.

The instrument Gonella played was a 1722 Italian violin made by Carlo Antonio Tanegia. I have been told that after his death there were a number of fiddlers desperate to try it to achieve the same wonderful tone that Gonella produced; in the end it turned out to be a mediocre fiddle, and it was the musician who was special, not the instrument.

01) The Braes o' Auchtertyre (Crockat)/The Miller o' Dervil (Barnett)/Jamie Shearer (Duncan)
02) Hard Is My Fate/Mrs Greig's Strathspey/The Perth Assembly (Duncan)
03) Miss Graham of Inchbrakie (Nath Gow)/Glen Rinnes (D Grant)/Loch Leven Castle
04) The Fallen Chief (J Scott Skinner)
05) Scott Skinner's Compliments to Dr MacDonald (J Scott Skinner)/J F MacKenzie, Stornoway (Ross)/Bleaton Gardens
06) Cluny Castle (Troup)/The Duke of Montrose/The Duke of Montrose
07) The House of Skene (Davie)/Kilwinning Archers/Pretty Peggy
08) Niel Gow's Lament for James Moray of Abercairney (Niel Gow)/The Weavers of Newly/The Flowers of Edinburgh
09) The Rover (J Scott Skinner)
10) The Highland Society of Scotland/Lady Madeline Sinclair/The High Road to Linton
11) Coilsfield House (Nath Gow)
12) The Fallen Hero (Nath Gow)
13) The 'Bonnie Ann' (J Scott Skinner)/Mrs Reid of Kilcalmkill (D Grant)/ The Earl of Seafield (D Grant)

link to the free album

Ron Gonella - Scottish Violin Music