GOW, Nathaniel

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GOW, Nathaniel

GOW, Nathaniel, Scottish violinist, arranger, and music publisher, son of Niel Gow; b. Inver, near Dunkeld, May 28, 1763; d. Edinburgh, Jan. 19, 1831. He played the trumpet in Scottish bands, then changed to violin. In 1788 he opened a music shop in Edinburgh. He publ. numerous arrangements of Scottish tunes by his father and also his own arrangements of Scottish dances. He became a commercial music publisher in 1796, but was bankrupt by 1827. He also led a band for various aristocratic assemblies. Among his original pieces was an interesting instrumental composition, Caller Herrin’, based on a street vendor’s cry.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire