The Atholl Highlanders

This was originally a march,written for the Duke of Atholl's regiment,which still is the only private army in Britain.The Boys Of The Lough recorded it a long time ago on their album,The Piper's Broken Finger in a set with another march,Colonel Robertson,both played at a funereal pace compared to the way you hear it in sessions nowadays.Dave Swarbrick used to play it fairly slowly too. David Meredith

# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd

Atholl Highlanders

I learnt this one originally as the Atholl Gathering - I think the source was one of the Kerr's books but I can't be sure as it was a long time ago. It only included the first two parts which is how I prefer to play it. It's probably just a subjective thing but I feel that the 4 part version is two parts too far. For what it's worth, I also feel the same way about the Mason's Apron and the Ship in Full Sail ( I feel the third part doesn't add anything to this jig) just to let you know where I'm coming from!

# Posted on October 2nd 2003 by Bannerman

Atholl Highlanders

Jocklet - you think the "Boys of the Lough" and Swarbrick play it slow ? If you ever get the chance , listen to the trio "Kirkmount" on their CD "The Robin". They play it as a slow air/lament, using fiddle, clarsach and cello, and the track is 10 minutes long - it works , too. [ With apologies to Will Harmon ! ]

# Posted on October 2nd 2003 by Kenny

Atholl Highlanders (Scots Guards version)

I learned this tune way back in my early piping days from the Scots Guards setting which has SIX parts....all variations. Although I play it as a march, I find that audiences unfamiliar with celtic music quickly 'tune in' to its repetitve pattern and often dance...it's a crowd pleaser. My band is now working on it with chords etc. to see how far we can take it. (!)

# Posted on December 30th 2003 by Lewespiper

A variation

I play an interesting variation of Atholl Highlanders. After playing it through in A major, I play it in A minor (raising the seventh to G#). Then I play it in A major again with open E double stops.

I like to play this tune in the following set: Irishman's Heart to the Ladies/Atholl Highlanders (Major/Minor/Major)/Scatter the Mud. Gaelic Storm does this set on their self-titled CD (without the Minor variation of Atholl Highlanders).

# Posted on August 23rd 2004 by lynx22281

Atholl jig

This is indeed as pipish as the Pipe in Rhum. A regimental classic, too. I have played this with Irish groups, without prior rehersal, and it works well. Only the jig version is rounded (but not 100%), of course, Highland pipe marches being heavily pointed. Funny how the multi-octave fiddle and accordian players love these pipe marches so much. At a wedding ceilidh last year in Dunblane, most of the accordian/fiddle tunes played were from the pipes.--Atholl Highlanders being a most popular classic.

# Posted on June 12th 2007 by israelpiper

Scottish touches

To add to the Scottish flavor of the tune, continually bow the A and E strings, keeping the string that isn't carrying the melody open. This "works" for large stretches of the tune.

In the final two measures that do not vary between parts, try treating the initial E as a grace-note for the immediately following high A. It won't matter if everyone in the session does this or not.

Variation tunes of this kind are <i>invitations to improvise</i>. Once the harmony of the tune gets into your head, you can invent new parts easily. See if you can convince your session to go around the circle contributing improvised parts.

# Posted on December 22nd 2007 by ACW

"The Athole Highlanders" / "The Duke of Atholl's March" ~ other ways with it

# Posted on September 5th 2008 by ceolachan

A Fatal G Sharp!

I have an anecdote concerning this tune.

A band that I was with in the 1970s included a melodeon player and a fiddler, amongst others. One evening, when playing for a ceilidh, we used Atholl Highlanders as the last tune for a dance set. It was a 48-bar dance, so we weren't playing the fourth part of the tune, but ending it on the "C" part. The last time through the tune, the melodeon player, instead of playing cdB A3, played EF^G A3.

A very heated discussion then took place between the fiddler and the melodeon player.

The fiddler said that there were no G#s anywhere else in tune, so the melodeon player had no business to introduce one. The melodeon player argued that the tune was in A-Major, so it was OK to play a G#.

The fiddler then said that the tune wasn't A-Major, but Mixolydian mode with a missing seventh. The meleodon player said that he had no idea what Mixolydian mode was. The fiddler then said that he woudn't stay with the band, in the face of such ignorance!

So the fiddler left the band - and I haven't seen him since that night at the ceilidh.

For my money, the fiddler was quite correct. But has anyone else heard of someone leaving a band following an argument concerning just one note?

# Posted on December 4th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian

Played in U.S.???? Is it played in Irish sessions on the East Coast???

First , Mix, love your name and the story!
I'm constantly amazed at the arrogance and nasty narrow mindedness of many musicians, supposedly involved in a CREATIVE art. (No pianos allowed, no guitars allowed, too many bodhrans, blah blah blah,play it my way or leave)

My main question thought to those here who attend sessions in the U.S,
Is this a tune , that will be known if I start it in session??

thanks!
Mick

# Posted on February 1st 2009 by LagansLove.Com

Atholl Highlanders

I don't know about the US but you would find it known in most (I'd say all, but you never know!) english sessions - though perhaps more often in G (for the box players) and not necessarily with the Fnat.

# Posted on February 1st 2009 by spindizzy

Peggy's wedding

I got this name from a ceili band recording. They only play the first two parts, as a jig. In A.

# Posted on May 23rd 2009 by sixholes

But note - there is another tune on this site called Peggy's wedding http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8630

# Posted on May 23rd 2009 by sixholes

Atholl Highlanders bowing tips

Does anyone have bowing tips for the B part? I'm still squeaking on the E string. (dang).

# Posted on October 20th 2009 by Calliope Goodwine

The Atholl Highlanders

jig

March

It's Scottish