Matthew McAllister - Lament for the Death of His Second Wife (Niel Gow)

For Matthew McAllister's encore performance at the 2013 Montreal Classical Guitar Festival, he performed Lament for the Death of His Second Wife, by Niel Gow. As with the rest of the concert, the piece was beautifully executed, and you get to hear some of his great stage banter as well.
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[@colindouglas7769]

For your information: Niel Gow (the Father of Scottish fiddle music) was born in Upper Strathbraan in Perthshire on 21st March, 1727 and lived all his life in the village of Inver across the River Tay from Dunkeld. He died on the 1st of March, 1807. Like his father, Niel Gow was a weaver to trade, but he is best known of course as a master of the up-driven bow on the Scottish fiddle. From the age of 18, he was employed as the family musician of the Murray family by the first, second and third Dukes of Atholl which meant he was eventually able to become a full-time musician. His first engagement was to entertain Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, who stopped off at Blair Castle in 1745 with his Jacobite Army on his way south through the Highlands to restore the Stuart dynasty to the British throne. As the title of this tune suggests, Niel Gow had two wives during his lifetime. The first wife was Margaret Wiseman who was the birth mother of his seven children. Niel wrote a strathspey called Niel Gow's Wife for her. There is the story that the "wife" it refers to was his fiddle, but this has to be treated with a certain amount of scepticism, however. His second wife was Margaret Urquhart and it was she who did all the rearing of the Gow children, four sons and two daughters (the seventh child didn't survive the birth). When she died in 1805, Niel was so consumed with grief that he stopped playing altogether for several months until he felt able to resume take up his fiddle again. His grief is embodied in this gem of a lament superbly and sensitively rendered here by Mr McAllister.

[@Izegrim59]

So delicately played…truly moving…this kind of Scottish music is a benefit for the soul…Thx Matthew..

[@vasilyyevolochenko2369]

Gospodin McAllister. I applaud this most sensitive rendition, causing my heart to ache & my very tears upon tears to weep. You inspire me to retrieve my guitar from a decade of solitude & allow it's very much amateur voice to be heard once more. Spasiba my friend.

[@galleryofguitar]

Hi Vasily, thank you for your kind comment and I am very happy that you are enjoying the music.

[@allan2098]

I love this video. He is a typical Scot with the little history lesson and humour on the piece but it's quite clever too. The tuning of the guitar on this is a beast to get right. Even after tuning it, you have to let it settle for a few seconds to retune it again. It is a nightmare for a performer to tune an instrument while everyone is watching. The chat he has with the audience is well planned and a great distraction to the tuning procedure.

[@francoisona]

Why is this channel so under-appreciated? Such skills.

[@susanroycroft89]

Hello Mathew, its Donald here from Hamilton NZ on my Wife's tablet (Susan) absolutely beautiful, with a lovely Celtic touch on your left hand 😢wich adds to the beauty, thankyou

[@daisyfanning612]

Play this at my funeral.

[@glennsprigg2378]

I am 'English', Australian.... I 'love' this, but I have to say.... I had 'No' idea what he was saying at first!!! It's no wonder that 'Foreigners' struggle to understand English!!! Please do not get me wrong, this is absolutely beautifully played....., absolutely no doubt... But there is 'English' & there is 'English'... xoxox

[@jerrychetty2524]

This is awesome and thank you for the post

[@galleryofguitar]

Thanks Jerry. 🙏🎶

[@lewisrabjohns7507]

Was at his fathers funeral this afternoon and Matthew played this. Absolutely beautiful and I think Danny would've loved it.

[@sobellfanatic]

Unbelievable feel, musicianship...and banter!

[@michaelpagliaro9510]

Matthew m'lad, you have taken me back to me Celtic roots of joy and sadness intermingled with this lovely performance. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@galleryofguitar]

A pleasure Michael. :-)

[@ChristianWandzala]

Beautiful. I never had gotten much into this tune before seeing this performance.. I get it now.

[@alswearingen323]

Wonderful. That was a revelation for me. Such an old tune, that could have been written yesterday. I really need to broaden my listening horizons.

[@Hollcall]

Thank you so much Matthew. Coming from CAPE BRETON, fiddle { violin } tunes are very much a part of my listening . A dear friend , whom I knew for a very short time, ALVIN SEYMOUR was a Fiddler. { among other instruments} He introduced me to this tune. Played it for me many times. You , today brought back a lot of fond memories.

[@galleryofguitar]

My pleasure!

[@edwardmorton6691]

Love that accent and sense of humour. The guitar playing is quite good into the bargain.

[@galleryofguitar]

Ha ha!

[@peterrist1345]

Beautiful piece, beautiful playing!

[@danielherskovic2103]

This is incredibly beautiful. So suave!

[@galleryofguitar]

Thanks Daniel. 😀

[@wapangmolier7404]

One of the best touch he has....

[@galleryofguitar]

Thank you. 😀

[@allandunn1431]

That was just lovely. Nice to hear a bit of banter as he retuned - and the comment about the fitba' team is, unfortunately a relevant today. This could be on my daily playlist now. Braw!

[@kaborra1]

Beautiful piece . I was introduced to this via a friend in the Orkney's

[@galleryofguitar]

Perfect place to get introduced to this lovely piece.

[@Ashley-uk4ld]

Beautiful!

[@galleryofguitar]

Thanks Ashley. 😀

[@SusyOlivaFuentes]

Niel Gow Born: 1727 In: Strathbraan, Perthshire, Scotland Died: Mar 1 1807 (at age ‎~80‏)

[@Michajeru]

Wonderful. I love it.

[@WilliamSimcoe]

Very Lovely! Bravo!

[@monstertrucktennis]

That was the sweetness.....

[@galleryofguitar]

Thanks!

[@ktan8768]

Out of this world...so gentle and moving. Thanks for yet another heart moving performance, ever since I discovered you from your version of the 2nd movement of Pathetique. Please come perform in Australia!! @galleryofguitar

[@kevinmeserole7345]

Sweet and very moving.

[@amirhooman72]

amazing

[@ricklanders5645]

I prefer the tune on violin, but really...this is brilliant.

[@scotsbard7138]

Neil Gow was Niel Gow 1727-1807 so 1727 was the year that he was born, whereas .Johann Sebastian Bach was born(31 March 1685 and died 28 July 1750. Thee fiddle was always played in the Gaidhealtachd and never superseded the pipes since both worked concurrently always.

[@antoniogonzagadasilvanetog2023]

Bravo.

[@galleryofguitar]

Thank you. 😀

[@gybx4094]

Yes, I've heard this played by Celtic fiddlers rarely. Sounds great on guitar.

[@galleryofguitar]

Thanks. 😀

[@dougla6]

Lovely rendition. I thought that he never played for a while after his celist brother Donald died. Folklore also has it that his first wife was actually his fiddle.

[@colindouglas7769]

He was equally bereft when his second wife passed away in 1805, taking several months to take up his fiddle again, but this time he never really got over the loss until his own death in 1807. Incidentally, Niel composed a wonderful lament for his brother. There is that story about his first wife being his fiddle, but I think it's simply a myth. His first is in fact commemorated by his strathspey "Niel Gow's Wife".

[@fannyingabout]

Fantastic Matthew - I'm learning an easier arrangement at the moment but love this.

[@galleryofguitar]

Great tune! Glad you like it John.

[@murrmac]

beautifully and tastefully played ...for once, a guitar performance of Niel Gow's Lament which doesn't slavishly follow David Russell's transcription with that excruciating downward slide from the flattened 7th to the 6th ....

[@mcewanschampion]

Beautiful piece Matthew.. do you ever get down to Northumberland or Newcastle area? thanks.

[@BruthalnyRzeznik]

He starts playing at 2:28 :)

[@robertbalcombe8583]

What a beautiful performance of a simply moving melody. Is there a tablature version of this and,if so, where can one obtain it ?

[@galleryofguitar]

Hi Robert, I don't know of a tablature version, I am glad you are enjoying the lament. Matthew

[@blumenthol]

Sweet

[@MrIbgrant]

Agreed!!!!

[@MissyMissChrisDiss]

Is there anywhere I can get the sheet music of this arrangement? It's so beautiful

[@GibsonMarco]

David Russell - Celtic Music Vol. 1 - At Doberman-Yppan

[@deloceanophoto]

Apparently his first wife did get a tune - Margaret Brown's jig. (or something like that - so I've heard... that may also be folklore.)

[@louis6720]

his guitar sounds really nice. anyone knows whats the soundboard wood?

[@galleryofguitar]

Spruce, the guitar is by Michael Ritchie.

[@tsb3093]

Terrific rendition….note however that Neil (or Niel) Gow lived 1727-1807. His second wife died only 2 years before him…the tune was indeed a wonderful gift to music near the end of his life.

[@joeystox2208]

skip to 2:26

[@abl0675]

Is the sheet music for this arrangement available for purchase anywhere?

[@charlito30]

Really Great playing! And a nice sounding guitar ! Who's the builder ?

[@johnjamieson7087]

Michael Ritchie of Fintry, Stirlingshire, Scotland

[@robdonell9915]

Someone kindly share the guitar tuning Matthew is using here. Many thanks.

[@galleryofguitar]

Low C and G.

[@charliemcleod764]

Perhaps he met his second wife while he was still married to his first. Maybe there was no lament for his first, because she was still alive, or they had a falling out after he married his second wife. I don't even know if divorce existed back then. Maybe his first wife just died and he didnae feel inspired to compose a lament for her, maybe he wrote a really happy jig, stuff like that happens I suppose. Bonnie playing though

[@adriansierramartinez7516]

hello, somebody know hows arragment is this song?

[@StudiobaseNL]

I think David Russell, with a small number of personal adjustments.

[@RichardJonesArtist]

Drifted off.... :)

[@charliemcleod764]

Perhaps he met his second wife while he was still married to his first. Maybe there was no lament for his first, because she was still alive, or they had a falling out after he married his second wife. I don't even know if divorce existed then. Maybe his first wife just died and he didnae feel inspired to compose a lament for her, maybe he wrote a really happy jig, stuff like that happens I suppose.

[@colindouglas7769]

He wrote his strathspey "Niel Gow's Wife" for his first wife.

[@uinneaguilleam7633]

Answer to your query Matthew, his first wife was his fiddle so did'nt need a lament as she obviously did'nt die. hope this enlightens. lovely arrangement!

[@galleryofguitar]

Or whisky..... We will never know....

[@deanpenny8456]

Actually Margaret Wiseman apparently. He and she had 8 children together - bit of a feat if his first wife was a fiddle! But beautifully played - very moving.

[@allan2098]

His first wife was Margaret, not his fiddle..

[@colindouglas7769]

@@allan2098 He had two wives, both called Margaret: Margaret Wiseman and Margaret Urquhart. This tune is for Margaret Urquhart.

[@johndeagle4389]

Gow did not die in 1727. Gow was born in 1727.

[@SusyOlivaFuentes]

Yes, and he died in 1807

[@petermarkoli5244]

where could i get the sheet music it s really beautiful and mathew plays it sooooo well. it just melts my hearth

[@almostaclassicalguitarists8363]

SheetMusitiicPlus has the PDF score. It's David Russell's Message of the Sea Collection, I highly recommend it, the versions of Bonnie,Bonnie, Skye Boat Song, Spatter the Dew are all really wonderful. Fair warning however, David doesn't include much in the way of fingereings position changes and the like.........so for a big sight reader such as myself I had to go through each piece and write in a lot of stuff. You can download it right away, print it off and play!!

[@Respectthewilderness]

Lack of volume

[@1earflapping]

Music starts at 2:30

[@PhenixPhalanges]

Anyone know were a tab for this is?

[@christianoaguiar1892]

did you find the tabs ?

[@bobross7005]

Anyone got the tab?

[@bobross7005]

Anybody

[@didier0072]

Bof bof!

[@UISTMAN59]

Too much intro and "joking" which ill fits the emotion of the tune itself. It wouldn't have harmed the clip in the slightest to have just played the tune.

[@Edinburgh_Bathrooms_Kitchens]

Hi there was actually a purpose to that. When you tune the guitar 6th string all the way down to C it goes out of tune really quickly so you have to wait a minute or 2 then to it again then it stays for a while. I guess it didn't need to be in the clip though.

[@glennsprigg2378]

Ummm... When a man can 'tune' an instrument, live, and THEN speak in 'Klingon', I guess he can play well !!! xoxox Yes, I know it is played great though... Kudos to you my friend

[@keithdap-og]

walay lami paminahon

[@weis1869]

Sigh. I guess you can joke about this…..if you can joke about this

[@jake28363gaj]

Shallow, pale.

[@davepowell7168]

Bucket?