The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles chiefly acquired during the interesting period from 1715 to 1745 through authentic sources detailed in the extensive notes and introduction. Compiled by Simon Fraser of Knockie, 1816 it was known in the 19th century as the "Knockie Collection".

A classic collection of 232 dance tunes and Gaelic airs arranged for both violin and piano. Legend has it that Fraser was one of the 'tastiest' players of his generation.

From the preface to the 1874 Edition of the book “The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland”...
"Captain Simon Fraser was born at Ardachie near Fort Augustus, in 1773. He subsequently moved to Errogie, in Stratherrick and for a long time was tenant of Knockie, in the same district. A warm patriot and an enthusiastic lover of music, the Captain early set himself to collect the sweet melodies of his native Highlands, - noting down the airs as sung around the hearth on winter nights, or on summer evenings among the shielings of Stratherrick. For several years he served in the Fraser Fencibles; and, during a period of seven years spent with them in Ireland, he found considerable scope for his taste in Celtic music, and became acquainted with the compositions of Carolan, the ‘Neil Gow’ of that country. Besides being a compiler on so large a scale, Captain Fraser was a composer of no mean merit; and as a performer on his favourite instrument, the violin, there were few to surpass him. A gentleman who in his younger days was an intimate friend of the Captain’s – Mr Colin MacCallum, one of the Honorary Presidents of the Gaelic Society of London, - says: “An uncle of mine, the late Captain MacDiarmid of the Forty-Second Highlanders, a first-rate amateur player on flute and violin, was a great admirer of Knockie’s music, and could play it well; but he used to say, that he did not think any person could do the tunes justice but Knockie himself. At all events, I never heard any one make the fiddle speak Gaelic so beautifully!”
Captain Fraser gave his music to the world in 1816, but this did not terminate his labours. From time to time, up to the date of his death in 1852, he added to, and made emendations upon, his large collection; and from the materials thus left to him, his now deceased son, Angus Fraser, prepared an amended copy of the work.  This valuable copy became the property of the other Honorary President of the Gaelic Society of London, and a life member of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Alexander Halley, MD., FGS., through whose kindness the present editor has been enabled to avail himself of its use............In this edition then original names of the airs will be found in correct Gaelic orthography; and, altogether, the care which has been besowed upon it will, it is hoped, enhance the value of a work already nmuch prized as a faithful compilation of genuine Highland Melodies......William Mackay Jun., Blairbeg, Glen Urquart, 28th July 1874."

Read about Captain Simon Fraser