BRAES OF AUCHTERTYRE [1]. AKA and see "Braes of Auchentyre," "Belles of Tipperary," "Beaus of Albany." See "Billy in the Lowground." Scotland; Reel, Strathspey. C Major. Standard. AB (Alburger, Cole, Gow, Kerr, Skye, Athole): AABB (Cranford, Perlman). Auchtertyre lies midway between Dornie and Kyle on the northern shore of Loch Alsh, Scotland. This popular tune was first published by Stewart (Collection of the Newest and Best Reels and Country Dances, c. 1761, pg. 45) and later transposed to the key of 'A' and played as a strathspey. Glen (1891) finds it printed about the same time in Joshua Campbell's 1778 collection (pg. 4). The melody is sometimes credited to James Crocket, but evidence for this ascription is wanting according to some reviewers. The tune appears to have developed from a slow 3/4 time Lowland Scots song tune called "O Dear Mother (Minnie) What Shall I Do?" Toward the end of the 18th century "Braes of Auchtertyre" was composed from it, which in turn become the direct ancestor of the American tune "Billy in the Lowground/Low Lands." Jack Campin points out that at the time "Braes" was fashioned from the "Minnie" song, the laird of Auchtertyre was wealthy and well-connected; the kind of influential personage and estate that attracted labeling and re-labeling of music. Perlman's Prince Edward Island-collected version is somewhat distanced from the usual printed versions. The tune is popular on Cape Breton Island, where it was recorded by Scotty Fitzgerald in the 1930's. Many Cape Breton fiddlers follow the lead of Angus Chisholm and precede "Braes of Auchtertyre" with the strathspey "Rothiemurchus Rant." Source for notated version: George MacPhee (b. 1941, Monticello, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 37, pg. 60. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 42 (version, somewhat altered, appears as "Braes of Auchentyre"). Cranford (Jerry Holland's), 1995; No. 74, pg. 22. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 20. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 23, No. 1, pg. 14 (strathspey). Lowe (A Collection of Reels and Strathspeys), 1844. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 106. Middleton's Collection. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 119. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 62. James F. Dickie's Delights (1976). Shanachie 14001, "The Early Recordings of Angus Chisholm."
T:Braes of Auchtertyre
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:C
G,|C2CF EGGA|cded cAGc|A/A/A AG A2a2|gcfe d2c2|C2CF EGGA|
cded cAGc|AcGc FcEc|dBcE D2C||f|efga gecg|afeg edcG|A/A/A ag a2 c'2|
ecfe d2 cf|efga gecg|afdg edcA|AcGc FcEc|dBcE D2C||
ROTHIEMURC(H)US RANT. AKA - "Rothe(r)murchies Rant." Scottish, Strathspey Rant. C Major. Standard. AABB (Alburger): AABBCD (Kerr): AABBCCD (Athole, Gow): AA'BB'CC'D (Perlman): AABBCCDD (Emmerson, Glen, Skye). The tune was composed and first printed by Robert Bremner (c. 1713-89), who published the earliest collection of specifically Scottish dance music (1757-61) {Alburger}. The melody retains the same characteristics as a rant with the dotted strathspey rhythm. It was a great favorite of the Scots national poet, Robert Burns, who wrote:
***
Many of our Strathspeys ancient and modern give me exquisite
enjoyment...For instance, I am just now making verses to
Rothiemurche's Rant, an air which puts me into raptures;
and in fact, unless I be pleased with the tune, I never can make
verses to it...
***
The song he wrote to the melody is called "Lassie wi' the lint-white locks." Gow (1799) noted "This tune may be played very slow." Source for notated version: Peter Chaisson, Jr. (b. 1942, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 29, pg. 54. Emmerson (Rantin' Pipe and Tremblin' String), 1971; No. 48, pgs. 139-140. Glen (Glen Collection of Scottish Music), Vol. 1, 1891; pg. 10. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 18. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 17, No. 1, pg. 11. Lowe (A Collection of Reels and Strathspeys), 1844. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; pg. 17. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 105. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 200. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 70. Shanachie 14001, "The Early Recordings of Angus Chisholm" (Cape Breton) {appears as "Rothermurchies Rant," originally recorded for a Decca 78 in 1934}.
T:Rothiemurchus Rant
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:C
G|E>DE>C EG G2|c>GA>G c>G A<c|E>DE>C E<G G>c|A<c G>c E<DD:|
|:f|e2 d>c d>ed>B|c>de>d e/d/c/B/ c>G|A/A/A a>g e2 d>c|A<cG<c E<DD:|
|:f|e<g g>a g>ag>d|e<a a>b a>ba>g|e<g d>e c>de>c|A<a g>e e<dd:|
|:g|e2 d>^c d<e a2|g<e e>d c<A A>c|GAcd e2 d<c|A<cG<c E<D D>g|
e2 d>c d<e a2|g<e e>d c<A Ae/g/|a>eg>d e2 d<c|A<cG<c E<DD||