Rev Newton’s Minuet and Waltz, by Stephen Gamble

Benjamin Newton was Rector of Wath from 1814 to 1818, and as such was one of my predecessors in the post. For the last two years of his life he kept a diary which was subsequently published. It is not a work of great literary or theological merit but it is entertaining as a record of the thoughts and day to day life of a Country Parson in the Georgian Era. He enjoyed hunting and socialising, and occasionally fitted in some work as a Parish Priest. Having read his diary, and found myself delighted by having spent time in his company, I decided to write a little dance for him. This he received with gracious thanks, only he did add that it was something of a curious Minuet and Waltz perhaps more typical of modern times than his own. I replied that if there were any curiosity about the thing it that was surely due to me as our times are rarely written in an elegant 3/4 time. The violin is an electronic representation of one generated by my computer which I have discovered fiddles to a better standard than I. From 'Music for Solo Violin Volume II: North Yorkshire, and a Scottish Excursion' at Lulu.com