Only three and a half months left before our annual Burns Night gig and I'm fretting already. Thing is, we get the booking every year even though we're pretty weak in the "obviously Scottish-sounding" tunes department, being as how we do nearly all Irish. We struggle on with a few of the old chestnuts (I won't even mention 'em...) plus the Music of Spey and one or two others of that ilk, then we play Irish sets and hope no-one notices (someone did last year) but I could really do with half a dozen suggestions for tunes that have a real Scottish feel (not just Scottish names!). I really am willing to learn, which is why I'm asking so far ahead. Tunes without accidentals preferred as I'm a diatonic sort of chap, though I don't mind dusting off the old chromatic for the odd waltz or shmaltz. All suggestions for tunes will be gratefully received. Other suggestions may not be.
Yeah, eddie, I know reels, but we talking here about needing tunes that sound a bit Scottish to people while they're scoffing their haggis and neeps. We know about the Scottishness of reels but they don't necessarily!
BTW, it really does have to be McSween's haggis. Accept no substitutes.
Do you still play cassette tapes, Steve ? If you do ,pm me your address and I'll send you a tape by Arthur Middleton of Aberdeen, one-time British champion on mouth organ. I may have some other stuff too - I'll have to look.
Kenny ,I remember Arthur Middleton well,heoften did spots when I was guesting at Aberdeen folk club,he was a great mouthie,and a nice fellow ,he was a postman I believe,I still have a tape of him ,Brilliant.
SteveShaw try, high road to linton,Atholl highlanders,jenny dang the weaver,TheBraesOf Mar,Bog anLochan,Camerons got his wife again,StirlingCastle[the last 4 are Strathspeys]Dick Miles
Steve,I know exactly how you feel, that is how my group has approached things when we have been asked to play for Scots events, and we are trying to build our Scot repetiore.
Try:
The Pigtown Fling (and read the notes here on the website on swinging the tune--a lot of tunes can be played in fling style, which changes their feel considerably). Goes well into the Scot version of Ms. McLeod's Reel.
High Road to Linton (reel)
The Fairy Reel (or Largos Fairy Reel)
Mrs. Jameson's Favorite (a lovely strathspey taken at a leisurely pace).
And marches go nice, in fact some Scot dances like the Gay Gordons get danced to march tempos--Scotland the Brave and The Minstrel Boy are two obvious choices.
And as I am in a situation similar to yours, I will be following this thread with great interest!
Oops, Mrs. Jamieson's Favorite is an air (can be found on this site as a 'jig'). The strathspey that I normally play after it is called "The Sweetness of Mary," and I think Aly Bain did them together on an old album he put out, lovely tunes both of them.
And The Red Haired Boy is another good reel of scots origin, in fact, I am told that Mixolydian tunes are more likely to be Scots in origin because so many pipe tunes are in that mode.
Steve……
Any of the standard pipe tunes would be well received.
Marches in sets and some strathspeys scattered about.
(And don’t neglect a few airs too)
Follow this link (not my site – just one that I use)
for several dozen public domain tunes in midi with the dots
in JPG.
A few that might be familiar in Irish circles are:
Fairy Dance
Flowers of Edinburgh
Marquis of Tullibardine (aka Maids of Tulla & McAuliffe's Mason)Mason's Apron
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay
Nine Pint Coggie
Salmon Tails Up the Water
The Shetland Fiddler
Soldier's Joy
Spey in Spate
Charlie Hunter
Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself
I Hae a Wife of My Ain
Mist Covered Mountains
Lesley's March
Mairi's Wedding
A few I didn't see there:
Farewell to Whiskey
The High Reel
Jig of Slurs
Atholl Highlanders
Spootiskerry
Barrowburn
Da Full-rigged Ship
Da New-rigged Ship
Da Slockit Light
Also, Humours of Ballyconnel is known in Shetland in a two-part version (in reverse order).
A Hundred Pipers (You can play it as a slide)
The White Cockade (Sounds quite Scottish)
The Wild Hills o'The Wannies (You can play it slow and/or fast)
Whisky Welcome back again (A Neil Gow Tune I think)
The Cock of The North (I know!)
Johnny Cope
Mairi's Wedding
Johnny Will Ye Marry Me
Skye Boat song Tune
Hector The Hero
Hey, this is excellent! I'm writing all this down. Naturally, I've come across a good few of the tunes mentioned and we do include 'em on Burns' Night . Barrowburn Reel's a beauty and Spey in Spate's a cracker (I've already worked out that I need to use my D chromatic for that one but you've spurred me on to having another go at it). I've been playing Hector for a while after hearing Tommy Peoples play it on The Quiet Glen (is that the best ITM CD of all time??!) but I need to get the other lads playing it - they'd rather play fast stuff, the philistines! I think we used to do The White Cockade with The Dashing White Sergeant but they're tunes that I seem to have "forgotten," lamentably, through lack of playing. Da Slocket Light is a wonderful tune that requires a blow-bend on hole 9 that I've finally nailed! Thanks all for the brilliant response (but "somebody" appears to have mentioned Johnny Cope... )
Ermm.. dare I mention it...The Bluebell Polka...you could couple it with the Hen's March tae the Midden. The Hen's played first. That would make a mildly "humorous" set.
for marches and Gay Gordons The Headlands and Linda MacFarlane are a good couple , very melodic and enjoyable to play and sound distinctly Scottish even to an undiscerning audience. Should go on the diatonic even though there a couple of "lower sixths" a man of your means could get round that.
Steve, has anyone mentioned the Button Boxes and Moothies Free Reed convention in Aberdeen on weekend of 27th October? http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/events/buttonboxes/
come up here and do some first hand research!
Steve, I just realized that I had started a discussion similar to this last year. I looked in my profile, and the topic was "What are good Scottish tunes and sets?" and the thread was started on 5 October 2006. There were some good answers that time, too, so you might want to look it up (I would provide a link to the old discussion here, but I don't know how to do that).
Steve needs help!
Steve needs help!
Only three and a half months left before our annual Burns Night gig and I'm fretting already. Thing is, we get the booking every year even though we're pretty weak in the "obviously Scottish-sounding" tunes department, being as how we do nearly all Irish. We struggle on with a few of the old chestnuts (I won't even mention 'em...) plus the Music of Spey and one or two others of that ilk, then we play Irish sets and hope no-one notices (someone did last year) but I could really do with half a dozen suggestions for tunes that have a real Scottish feel (not just Scottish names!). I really am willing to learn, which is why I'm asking so far ahead. Tunes without accidentals preferred as I'm a diatonic sort of chap, though I don't mind dusting off the old chromatic for the odd waltz or shmaltz. All suggestions for tunes will be gratefully received. Other suggestions may not be.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
reels
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Saint
Re: Steve needs help!
strathspeys
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Kenny
Re: Steve needs help!
Yeah, eddie, I know reels, but we talking here about needing tunes that sound a bit Scottish to people while they're scoffing their haggis and neeps. We know about the Scottishness of reels but they don't necessarily!
BTW, it really does have to be McSween's haggis. Accept no substitutes.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
Do you still play cassette tapes, Steve ? If you do ,pm me your address and I'll send you a tape by Arthur Middleton of Aberdeen, one-time British champion on mouth organ. I may have some other stuff too - I'll have to look.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Kenny
Re: Steve needs help!
We do Laird of Drumblair (who doesn't!) - which ones do you do, Kenny? Any suggestions for strathspey-reel sets in the same key?
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
Crossed you there, Kenny - I'll PM you!
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
Steve easier questions for please.i'll head off back to the bodhran disscussion
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Saint
Re: Steve needs help!
Flings.............joe bannes/the road to glounthane or her long golden hair / the cameronian highlander...........................
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Saint
Re: Steve needs help!
Kenny ,I remember Arthur Middleton well,heoften did spots when I was guesting at Aberdeen folk club,he was a great mouthie,and a nice fellow ,he was a postman I believe,I still have a tape of him ,Brilliant.
SteveShaw try, high road to linton,Atholl highlanders,jenny dang the weaver,TheBraesOf Mar,Bog anLochan,Camerons got his wife again,StirlingCastle[the last 4 are Strathspeys]Dick Miles
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Dick Miles
Re: Steve needs help!
Steve,I know exactly how you feel, that is how my group has approached things when we have been asked to play for Scots events, and we are trying to build our Scot repetiore.
Try:
The Pigtown Fling (and read the notes here on the website on swinging the tune--a lot of tunes can be played in fling style, which changes their feel considerably). Goes well into the Scot version of Ms. McLeod's Reel.
High Road to Linton (reel)
The Fairy Reel (or Largos Fairy Reel)
Mrs. Jameson's Favorite (a lovely strathspey taken at a leisurely pace).
And marches go nice, in fact some Scot dances like the Gay Gordons get danced to march tempos--Scotland the Brave and The Minstrel Boy are two obvious choices.
And as I am in a situation similar to yours, I will be following this thread with great interest!
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Steve needs help!
Oops, Mrs. Jamieson's Favorite is an air (can be found on this site as a 'jig'). The strathspey that I normally play after it is called "The Sweetness of Mary," and I think Aly Bain did them together on an old album he put out, lovely tunes both of them.
And The Red Haired Boy is another good reel of scots origin, in fact, I am told that Mixolydian tunes are more likely to be Scots in origin because so many pipe tunes are in that mode.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Steve needs help!
can we give the bodhran player the credit for coming up with the flings first.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Saint
Re: Steve needs help!
Steve……
Any of the standard pipe tunes would be well received.
Marches in sets and some strathspeys scattered about.
(And don’t neglect a few airs too)
Follow this link (not my site – just one that I use)
for several dozen public domain tunes in midi with the dots
in JPG.
http://web.ripnet.com/~nimmos/music.html
Just have fun with the gig………
J
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Fr.Jack
Re: Steve needs help!
You might check out this site:
http://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes/abc/abc1.html
A few that might be familiar in Irish circles are:
Fairy Dance
Flowers of Edinburgh
Marquis of Tullibardine (aka Maids of Tulla & McAuliffe's Mason)Mason's Apron
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay
Nine Pint Coggie
Salmon Tails Up the Water
The Shetland Fiddler
Soldier's Joy
Spey in Spate
Charlie Hunter
Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself
I Hae a Wife of My Ain
Mist Covered Mountains
Lesley's March
Mairi's Wedding
A few I didn't see there:
Farewell to Whiskey
The High Reel
Jig of Slurs
Atholl Highlanders
Spootiskerry
Barrowburn
Da Full-rigged Ship
Da New-rigged Ship
Da Slockit Light
Also, Humours of Ballyconnel is known in Shetland in a two-part version (in reverse order).
The Idle Road sounds very Scottish to me.
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by GaryAMartin
Re: Steve needs help!
A Hundred Pipers (You can play it as a slide)
The White Cockade (Sounds quite Scottish)
The Wild Hills o'The Wannies (You can play it slow and/or fast)
Whisky Welcome back again (A Neil Gow Tune I think)
The Cock of The North (I know!)
Johnny Cope
Mairi's Wedding
Johnny Will Ye Marry Me
Skye Boat song Tune
Hector The Hero
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Ottery
Re: Steve needs help!
good god, why are you taking an Irish tune and trying to make it sound Scottish?
just play Scottish tunes:
Fling and Sean Triubhas set:
John MacApline
Marquis of Huntleys Highland Fling
Whistle O'er the Lave O't
Orange and Blue
Jig Set:
My Wifes a Wonton Wee Thing
Merrily Danced the Quackers Wife
Stool of Repentance
Lady Home
Lrd Alex. Russells Jig
Capt Wm. McLeods Fancy
Miss Hannahs Jig
Strathspey Set:
The Earl of Angus and Arran
Mrs Garden of Troups Strathspey
Delvin House
The Marquis of Huntleys Strathspey
or
Balmoral
The Iron Man
The Kerrie Kebbuck
Reel Set
The Highlanndman Kissed His Mother
Put Me in a Box
Sir David Davidson of Cantray
Miss Sheperd
or
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay
The Barrowburn
The Reconciliation
Far From Home
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by Sunnybear
Re: Steve needs help!
"Orkney" ~ an air in 3/4 time by Gordon Gunn
Key signature: Eminor
Submitted on October 2nd 2007 by ceolachan.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7811
Don't say I never gave you anything...
# Posted on October 3rd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Steve needs help!
Hey, this is excellent! I'm writing all this down. Naturally, I've come across a good few of the tunes mentioned and we do include 'em on Burns' Night . Barrowburn Reel's a beauty and Spey in Spate's a cracker (I've already worked out that I need to use my D chromatic for that one but you've spurred me on to having another go at it). I've been playing Hector for a while after hearing Tommy Peoples play it on The Quiet Glen (is that the best ITM CD of all time??!) but I need to get the other lads playing it - they'd rather play fast stuff, the philistines! I think we used to do The White Cockade with The Dashing White Sergeant but they're tunes that I seem to have "forgotten," lamentably, through lack of playing. Da Slocket Light is a wonderful tune that requires a blow-bend on hole 9 that I've finally nailed! Thanks all for the brilliant response (but "somebody" appears to have mentioned Johnny Cope...
)
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
Ermm.. dare I mention it...The Bluebell Polka...you could couple it with the Hen's March tae the Midden. The Hen's played first. That would make a mildly "humorous" set.
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: Steve needs help!
Bit of a sod for the diatonic man, the Bluebell Polka, though I can fake it quite well if there's a fiddler on the job too!
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Steve needs help!
for marches and Gay Gordons The Headlands and Linda MacFarlane are a good couple , very melodic and enjoyable to play and sound distinctly Scottish even to an undiscerning audience. Should go on the diatonic even though there a couple of "lower sixths" a man of your means could get round that.
Steve, has anyone mentioned the Button Boxes and Moothies Free Reed convention in Aberdeen on weekend of 27th October? http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/events/buttonboxes/
come up here and do some first hand research!
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by Bren
Re: Steve needs help!
Four Scottish tunes I play are:
- Farewell to Whiskey (already mentioned, I know)
- Neil Gow's Lament (for the death of his second wife)
They pretty nice together, and so do:
- Sitting in the Stean of a Boat
- Lord Lovat's Lament
These are all slow pieces.. not sure if that's what you're looking for.
For a bit of the Shetlands, it's hard to beat "Leaving Lerwick Harbour".
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by nofrets
Re: Steve needs help!
They "SOUND" pretty nice together... DUH!
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by nofrets
Re: Steve needs help!
Bren gave us a handy list here: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/4239
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Steve needs help!
Ceolachan ~ Orkney at last . . .
I remember it being posted months ago as a polka?
Cheers!
# Posted on October 4th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Steve needs help!
John McColl's Farewell To The Scottish Horse
Cant say that I am an expert, but it sounds very Scottish to me.
Besides, it's right in the name.
# Posted on October 5th 2007 by Nopstavon
Re: Steve needs help!
How about a Cunningham set:
Celtic Society's Quickstep & Highlander's Fairwell to Ireland
these are beautiful tunes
# Posted on October 5th 2007 by Brown Creeper
Re: Steve needs help!
Steve, I just realized that I had started a discussion similar to this last year. I looked in my profile, and the topic was "What are good Scottish tunes and sets?" and the thread was started on 5 October 2006. There were some good answers that time, too, so you might want to look it up (I would provide a link to the old discussion here, but I don't know how to do that).
# Posted on October 5th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Steve needs help!
Steve, How about one of the most appropriate for Burns night "the Star of Rabbie Burns", after "Auld Lang Syne" of course!
# Posted on October 8th 2007 by davedrive
Re: Steve needs help!
Sent you some stuff in the post yesterday Steve. Hope it gets to you - probably will eventually.
# Posted on October 12th 2007 by Kenny