Robert Bremner

Frank Kidson writes:

A music seller originally settled in Edinburgh, who came to London and established a large and important business. Mr. John Glen, in his very valuable work "The Glen Collection of Scottish Dance Music" 1891 gives, among his biographical notices, some interesting particulars of him from original sources.

The first mention which Mr. Glen finds of Bremner is in connection with a concert which he gave on the 13th Dec., 1753, in the High School of Leith, and the next an advertisement bearing date July 11th, 1754, showing that Bremner had a music shop "at the sign of the Golden Harp" in Edinburgh.

Mr. Glen further points out that he came to London in 1762, a date earlier than has been before mentioned for this circumstance. Bremner's London establishment was "at the Harp and Hautboy, opposite Somerset House in the Strand "- no number being given.

He had, while in Edinburgh, adopted the same sign and this combination of musical instruments had more than a hundred years previously held position over a shop which must have been upon practically the same site, for the label of John Shaw, a violin maker, is at the Goulden Harp and Hoboy nere the Maypole in the Strand, 1656.

Walsh had also used the same sign within a few steps of Bremner's place, but before the Scotchman's arrival had omitted it from his imprints.

Bremner's London trade quickly became extensive and besides the re-printing of his Edinburgh works a published a quantity of what was esteemed the best music of his day. He was himself the author of a very popular treatise "The Rudiments of Music" which having had two Edinburgh editions dated 1756 and 1762, was issued again with his London address in 1763.

Besides Scottish music in collections, half sheet Scotch songs are found bearing his initials and his name is attached to a vast quantity of instrumental music by English and foreign composers.

The entry continues.

--JohnnyAdams 15:56, 29 November 2009 (UTC)

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