BALMORAL CASTLE [1]. Scottish, March (4/4 time). A Major. Standard. AAB. Composed by J. Scott Skinner after he visited the summer residence of Queen Victoria in Scotland, located between Braemar and Ballater on the river Dee in the Grampians. Hardie (1992) states that the Queen had commanded Skinner, who first gained considerable fame as a dancing master, to include the tenantry of the castle among his pupils. The word Balmoral is said to mean "the house of the laird," the root being the Gaelic baile, a homestead or, later, village (Matthews, 1972). The estate belonged to the earl of Huntly from the 15th century, and was acquired by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria in 1852 at a price of £31, 500. They demolished the old buildings and built a new castle in the neo-Gothic Scottish baronial style. It was not used much by Victoria after Alberts death, but it has since become a favorite abode of Prince Charles. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; pg. 124 (includes variations). Skinner, Harp and Claymore. Olympic 6151, The Scottish Fiddle Festival Orchestra - "Scottish Traditional Fiddle Music" (1978).
BALMORAL CASTLE [2] Scottish, Strathspey. G Major. Standard. AABB'. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 168.
T:Balmoral Castle
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:G
B|G<G g2 d<gB<g|d<B g>a b/a/g/f/ g<e|d<B g2 d<fB<b|
D<B B>G A3:|
|:B|G>DB,>G, D>G,B,>G,|C>A,B,>G B,/C/D G>B|1 G>DB,>G D>G,B,>G,|
c>A c/B/A/G/ A2 A>B:|2 G<G B2 d<B B>g|B<B B>G A2A||
BALMORAL CASTLE [3]. Scottish, Reel. F Sharp Minor. Standard. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 158, pg. 54.
BALMORAL CASTLE [4]. Scottish, Strathspey. A Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 2, 1988; pg. 8.
BALMORAL HIGHLANDERS. Scottish, March (2/4 time). A Mixolydian. AABBCCDD. The melody, composed by Angus Mackay of Raasay, was included in one of J. Scott Skinner's concert sets (1921) called "Warblings From the Hill's." Mackay's father, John MacKay of Raasay, had been among the last of the pupils at the famous ancient piping college of the MacCrimmons at Boreraig. The younger Mackay wrote, while still in his early twenties, a book called A Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd, or Highland Pipe Music; a piper's bible for many decades after its appearance in 1838. The word Balmoral is said to mean "the house of the laird," the root being the Gaelic baile, a homestead or, later, village (Matthews, 1972). See note on "Balmoral Castle" for more on Balmoral. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 37.
BALMORAL HORNPIPE. Scottish, Hornpipe. B Flat Major. Standard. AABB'. Composed by Alexander Walker. See note for "Balmoral Castle" for more on Balmoral. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1863; No. 52, pg. 19.
BALMORAL'S RANT. Scottish, Reel. The tune appears in "A Collection of tthe best Highland Reels written by David Young, W.M. & Accomptat."
BARNEY'S BALMORAL. Scottish, Pipe Reel. Composed by Pipe Sergeant E. Macdonald, with third and fourth parts by A. Macdonald. Tartan Tapes CDTT1004, Aiden O'Rourke - "Heat the Hoose" (1998).
CHARLES HARDIE. Scottish, Strathspey. A Major. Standard. AABB. Composed by the Aberdeenshire, Scotland, fiddler and composer J. Murdoch Henderson (1902-1972) in 1933 in honor of fiddler Charles Hardie (1849-1893), the 'Methlick Wonder'. Hardie was a carpenter by trade and "one of the best violinists of his day." He was invited to perform before Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle, and she later expressed regret at his untimely death at the age of 44. Source for notated version: Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 70, pg. 32.
G(H)ILLIE CALLUM (The Lad Malcolm). AKA and see "Keellum Kallum (taa fein)," "Sword Dance," "Tail Toddle." Scottish, Strathspey. A Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. The earliest record of the tune is in David Young's 1734 Drummond Castle Manuscript (in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle; sometimes called the Duke of Perth MS because of the inscription); Glen (1891) finds it also in Bremner's 2nd collection (pg. 108) under the title "Keelum Kallum taa fein." "Gillie Callum" retained its popularity into the next century, and J.S. Skinner, who was a dancing master as well as a celebrated violinist, taught the dance at such places as Elgin and Balmoral (where among other dances he had four children dance Gillie Callum "in a masterly style, such as has not been witnessed in this locality before") {Aberdeen Free Press}. In fact, Skinner included the tune later in his collection The Scottish Violinist, under the title "Sword Dance." Several sources note that this is the tune generally played as a Strathspey and Reel for the Highland Sword Dance, and the melody is today familiar in association with a Highland sword dance in which great care is taken not to displace the crossed swords during the exercise. There are puirt-a-beul words to the tune which begin:
***
Gille Callum da pheighinn, (Gille Callum two pennies,
Gille Callum da pheighinn, Gille Callum two pennies,
Da pheighinn, da pheighinn, Two pennies, two pennies,
Gille Callum bonn-a-sia! Gille Callum 'coin of six'.)
***
The Gille Calum was performed not only by men, but (at least on some occassions) by women. Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus wrote of the festivities at Kinrara, the home of the Duchess of Gordon, Jane Maxwell:
***
We are often over at Kinrara, the Duchess having perpetual dances, either in
the drawing room or the servants hall and my father returning these entertainments
in the same style. A few candles lighted up bare walls, at short warnings fiddles
and whisky punch were always at hand and then gentles and simples reeled
away in company till the ladies thought the scene becoming more boisterous
that they liked remaining in; nothing more however, a highlander never forgets his
place, never loses his native inborn politeness, never presumes upon on favour.
***
She follows this passage with a description of the beautiful dancing of Lady Jane Montague, who not only danced the Gille Calum but Sean Triudhas as well.
***
Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 66 (with variations) {appears as "Gillie Callam Da Pheithein"}. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 35. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 20 (appears as "Ghillie Callum"). Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 124. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 5, No. 3, pg. 5. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 14. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 26. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 9 (appears as "Gille Calium"). Celtic CX45, Wilfred Gillis - "Arisaig Airs."
T:Gille Callum
L:1/8
M:C|
S:McGlashan - Reels (pg. 26)
N:"The Original Sett" (sic)
K:A Mixolydian
A<A c>e d2 BG|A<A c>e d2 c>A|E<E G>B d2 B>G|A<A c>e dB e2|A<A c>e d2 B>G|
A<A ce d2 c>A|BEBe d2 B>G|A<A c>e B/c/d e2||A<A c>A g2 B>G|A<A c>A a2 ae|
G2 g2 d2 B>G|A<A c>A dB e2|A<A c>A g2 B>G|A<A c>A a2 ae|g2 a/g/f/e/ d2 B>G|
A<A c>A B/c/d e2||A<A c>A AgBG|A<A c>A AacA|aefd egBG|A<A c>e B/c/d e2|
A<A c>A AgBG|A<A c>A AacA|gbeg dgBG|A<A c>E B/c/d e2||
|:A<A c>A G/G/G BG|A<A c>A A/A/A c>A|c>ABA G/G/G B>G|A<A c>A B/c/d e2:|
|:A<A c>e dgBG|A<A c>e AacA|a/g/f/e/ fd gdBG|A<A c>e B/c/d e2:|
|:A2 cA BGBG|A2 cA cAcA|cAcA BGBG|A<A c>A B/c/d e2:|
|:A<A c>e AgBG|A<A c>e AacA|gaeg dgBb|gaeg dg e2:|
T:Gille Callum
L:1/8
M:C|
S:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:A
e|:AAc>e d2 B>G|AAc>e d2 c>A|B>EB>e d2 B>G|AAc>e d>B e2:|
||AAc>e =g2 B>G|AAc>e a2 c>A|a2 c>A =g2B>G|AAc>e d>B e2|
AAc>e =g2 B>G|AAc>e a>ba>f|=g>ag>e d>=gB>G|AAc>e d>B e2|]
MASTER ANDREW GRANT (Balmoral). Scottish, Reel. A Mixolydian. Standard. AB. Composed by A.F. Skinner. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 24.
T:Master Andrew Grant
L:1/8
M:C
S:MacDonald - Skye Collection
K:A
e>d|c>A A/A/A (EA) A/A/A|(cA) A/A/A a2 (ed)|c>A A/A/A EAA=c|BA =Gf =g2 (ed)|
c>A A/A/A (EA) A/A/A|(cA) A/A/A a2 (e/f/=g)|af=ge fde=c|B>G G/G/G g||cB|
Aaga edcB|Aaga e2 d/c/B|Aaga ef=ge|=gagd B=GGB|Aaga edcB|Aaga e2 (d/f/=g)|
Af=ge =fde=c|B>=G G/G/G g||
OUR HIGHLAND QUEEN. AKA - "Oor Highland Queen." Scottish, "Pastoral Air" or Strathspey. D Major. Standard. AB. One of the six hundred or so compositions by the great Scottish fiddler-composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927). Composed in honor of Queen Victoria, it originally appeared in his Miller o' Hirn collection. In 1858 Skinner, a fifteen-year-old violinist with the boy-troupe Dr. Mark's Little Men, performed before the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and ten years later was a dancing master to the children of her tenants in Balmoral, Scotland. He included it a one of the tunes in his 1921 concert set romantically entitled "Warblings From the Hills." Skinner's directions say it should be played with "grandeur and expression." MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 156. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), 1900; pg. 37.
T:Our Highland Queen
L:1/8
M:C
S:MacDonald - The Skye Collection
K:D
{A,/B,/C/}D>AF>A D>AF>A|(3[DAf]ed (3c{e}dB A3 F/(D/|C>A) G>A F>A D>A|
(3FED (3C{E}DB, A,2 A, (3A,/B,/C/|D>A F>A D>AF>A|(3[DAf]ed (3c{c}dB A2 G/F/|
(3GBe E>G (3FAd [D>A>][A,G]|(3F>ED (3C<FE D2D||
{ABc}d>f (3Adf (3afd (3AFD|(3A,DF (3AFd A2 (AB/^c/^d/|e>)g (3Beg (3bge (3BGE|
(3CEG (3CEA [D2F2] [DF] (3A/B/c/|(d>f) (3Adf (3afd (3AFD|(3A,DF (3AFd A2 A G/F/|
(3GBe E>G (3FAd [D>A>]G|(3F>ED (3C<FE D2D||
QUEEN'S FIDDLER SALUTES MR. TROUP, THE. Scottish, Strathspey. Written by Willie Blair (d. 1884) of Crathie, the Queen's (i.e. Victoria's) fiddler when she was in residence at her estate at Balmoral. Blair was supposed to have been a pupil of Peter Hardie's. The tune itself was composed for Alexander Troup, a fiddler and dancing master in Ballater (Alburger, 1983).