The papers consist of the transcriptions, arrangements, and research notes compiled by John Murdoch Henderson between the mid 1920s and his death in 1972. Henderson's particular interest was in music for the Scottish fiddle, and in addition to extensive work on the older sources of such music, he was an authority on the compositions of his contemporaries, who seem frequently to have sought his advice. In addition to his own material, the collection contains many autograph compositions of 20th century musicians, particularly from the Aberdeen area, including most notably James Scott Skinner.