'Musick for Allan Ramsay's collection of Scots songs', around 1725 [Library reference: Ing.38].
Allan Ramsay was well-connected with Edinburgh's musicians.
One such musician was Alexander Stuart — also often spelled 'Stewart' — who played for the Edinburgh Musical Society. Ramsay printed a small pocket-book entitled 'Musick for Allan Ramsay's collection of Scots songs' at some point between 1724 and 1726.
This booklet seems to have been designed to provide music to accompany the first edition of his work the 'Tea Table Miscellany' from 1723. Although the 'Tea Table Miscellany' included an indication of the tunes, there was no musical notation.
Familiar with the tunes, Alexander Stuart set the music contained in the pocket book. His settings are among the first of many collections of Scots tunes produced by Edinburgh musicians throughout the 18th century.
View a digital version of 'The Tea-Table Miscellany'.