BATTLE OF HARLAW, THE. AKA - "The Desperate Battle." Scottish, Fiddle Pibroch (4/4 time). D Major. Standard. AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJKKLLMMNNOOPPQQRRSST (theme and variations). The Battle of Harlaw took place on July 24th, 1411, and pitted the Lowlands lairds against the followers of Donald of the Isles in the latter's claim as successor to the Earldom of Ross. The battle established the territorial limits of the Lords of the Isles and Highlanders still regard it as a victory, though the Lowland ballad also claims victory due to the death of Red Hector, one of the leading Highlanders. Johnson (1983) dates the fiddle version of the tune which he prints to 1720 on stylistic grounds, however, the original melody was probably written as a harp piece "immediately after the battle it commemorates, which took place in Aberdeenshire in 1411" (Johnson, pg. 123). From the harp it may have been transferred to the pipes, he speculates, as the entire piece is in the range of the bagpipes and is in modern pipe repertory (with small alterations) as "The Desperate Battle." The title as a song appears in The Complaynt of Scotland (1548), and as a bagpipe piece in a c. 1650 poem by Drummond of Hawthornden. Lyrics for the tune appear in Allan Ramsay's Ever Green (1724).
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Bagpipe music appears in a manuscript of 1624-25, though the first published appearance of the tune is in Daniel Dow's Ancient Scots Music (c. 1775). It later appeared in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, though that publisher altered the second strain from that printed by Dow. Gratten Flood thought the piece did not bear the marks of a 15th century work but thought it bore all the characteristics of a 17th century tune. Johnson states it should be played on as many open strings as possible to maximize the resonance. Collinson (1975) is of the opinion that "the tune will hardly survive the test of píobaireachd requirements," but concedes when played at the proper adagio tempo there is a faint suggestion, in the melodic progressions and repetitions, of the sound of the píobaireachd. This tune, or one by the same name, metamorphasized into several other dance and song airs--see Bayard's extensive note for "Over the River to Charlie." One version of the ballad, as sung by the late Lucy Stewart of Fetterangus, appears recorded by Scotland's Battlefield Band on their album "At the Front" (Topic 12TS381, 1978). Source for notated version: Ancient Scots Music by Dow [Johnson]. Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 57, pgs. 135-137. Purser (Scotland's Music), 1992; Ex. 8, pg. 76.
CEANN NA DROCHAID BIG (The Head of the Little Bridge). Scottish, Pipe Pibroch. This well-known pipe pibroch was likely composed by one of Montrose's pipers, according to Francis Collinson (1975), in celebration for the victory at Inverlocy on February 2nd, 1645. Montrose won by employing a stunning outflanking march in which he doubled-back across mountain passes in the depths of winter from Killcumin (now Fort Augustus) to Inverlochy, where he fell upon the flank of Argyll and his Campbells in a dawn attack. During the attack not only did the trumpets sound the salute reserved for the royal standard (as Montrose had changed sides to become 'the King's Lieutenant') but pipers played the Cameron picbroch "Sons of dogs, come and I will give you flesh."