Caller Herrin'

"Caller Herrin'" is a Scottish song, the music by Nathaniel Gow (1763–1831), and the words by Carolina Nairne (1766–1845).

History

Newhaven fishergirls pose with a creel. Photograph by Hill & Adamson, 1840s.

Sir John Everett Millais: Caller Herrin', 1881

"Caller herrin'" means fresh herring.^[1] It was the traditional cry of Newhaven fishwives, who carried in creels freshly caught herring which they sold from door to door. Gow, a violinist and bandleader of Edinburgh, incorporated this cry, and also the bells of St Andrew's Church, into his composition, written about 1798. It became one of his best-known tunes.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne, was a songwriter, using the pseudonym "Mrs Bogan of Bogan". Attending balls in country houses of Perthshire, she heard the music of Nathaniel Gow, and wrote words for "Caller Herrin'".^[5]

It has been adapted many times. Philip Knapton composed a set of variations of the tune, for piano or harp, which appeared in 1820 and became popular.^[6]^[7] Joseph Binns Hart (1794–1844) arranged the tune as a quadrille in his 8th Set of Scotch Quadrilles (1827).^[3]^[8]

Music

The tune and words of the chorus:

In literature

In The Ascent of Rum Doodle by W. E. Bowman, Constant the Linguist gives a "passionate rendering" of Caller Herrin' to Travis the Seal with devastating results.

References

^ The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, rev. Ivor H. Evans. 1994.
^ Percy Scholes, Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press, 1964.
^ ^a ^b Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.
^ (Wha'll Buy My) Caller Herring Archived 3 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine Education Scotland, accessed 17 June 2016
^ Donaldson, William. "Oliphant, Carolina". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19723. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Philip Knapton. Caller Herring: a favorite Scotch air; arr. with variations, for the piano forte or harp, 1820.
^ "Knapton, Philip". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15701. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ The Life & Quadrilles of Joseph Binns Hart (1794-1844) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.

External links

Caller Herring tunearch.com
Traditional Scottish Songs - Caller Herrin' - Lyrics rampantscotland.com
[1] Jean Redpath. Will ye no come back again? The Songs of Lady Nairne

[1] The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, rev. Ivor H. Evans. 1994.

[2] Percy Scholes, Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press, 1964.

[regency-3] Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.

[educ-4] (Wha'll Buy My) Caller Herring Archived 3 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine Education Scotland, accessed 17 June 2016

[odnb-5] Donaldson, William. "Oliphant, Carolina". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19723. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[6] Philip Knapton. Caller Herring: a favorite Scotch air; arr. with variations, for the piano forte or harp, 1820.

[7] "Knapton, Philip". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15701. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[8] The Life & Quadrilles of Joseph Binns Hart (1794-1844) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.

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