BLAIR DRUMMOND. AKA and see "Rob an Lugi." Scottish, Canadian; Reel or Strathspey. Canada, Cape Breton. A Mixolydian (Dunlay & Greegberg, Gow, Kerr): G Mixolydian (Athole). Standard. AABCCD (Gow): AABBCD (Kerr): AABBCCDD (Athole, Dunlay & Greenberg/D. MacLellan): AABBCCDDEEFF' (Dunaly & Greenberg/T. MacLellan). The tune appears in the Gillespie Manuscript (1768), but it was first published by Bremner in his 1757 collection (Vol. 1, pg. 87), according to Glen (1891). Another early printing is in MacKintosh, vol. 3 (1796). Two part settings of the melody can be found under the title "Rob an Lugi;" four part settings can be found in pipe collections and some fiddle collections under the "Blair" title.
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Blair Drummond is located in Perthshire, less than five miles northwest of Stirling and some 40 miles southwest of Perth. Drummond means 'at the ridge,' thus Blair-Drummond is a 'level clearing (blar) at the ridge.' Lord Drummond was created the Earl of Perth in 1605 by King James IV. Drummond Castle is located at Concraig.
In modern times Blair Drummond is the name attached to Scotland's only safari park (near Stirling). Sources for notated versions: Donald MacLellan and Theresa MacLellan [Dunlay and Greenberg]. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton), 1996; pg. 30 (two versions). Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 35. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 26, No. 4, pg. 16. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 200. DAB 3-26-1, Kinnon Beaton - "Cape Breton Fiddle 1" (1982). IMS-WRC1-759, Winnie Chafe - "Cape Breton Scottish Memories" (1979). Rounder 7006, Theresa MacLellan - "A Trip to Mabou Ridge" (1979. Appears as unlisted 2nd strathspey on 1st cut, side two).
T:Blair Drummond
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:G Major
G2 B/c/d BgdB|G2 B/c/d A=fAF|G2 B/c/d Bgde|=fadf AFcA:|
|:~g2 dB gBdB|~g2 de =fcAF|~g2 dB gBde|=fage =fcAF:|
|:BGGA BGBg|BGGB A=fAF|BGGA Bgde|=fadf AfcA:|
|:~g2 dB gBdB|~g de =fcAF|~g dB gBde|=fadf AfcA:|
FICKLE FORTUNE. Irish, Reel. The 'A' part is the same as "Stirling Castle." Source for notated version: from the playing of North Kerry fiddle master Jeremiah Breen, as noted down by his pupil Thomas Rice and later copied by Sgt. James P. Walsh of the Chicago police. O'Neill (Waifs and Strays), No. 296.
GRAY DAY-LICHT. AKA and see "Stirling Castle," "The Kirn."
GRAY DAY LIGHT. AKA and see "Stirling Castle," "The Kirn."
HARVEST HOME [2]. AKA and see "Stirling Castle," "The Kirn." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard. AAB. Only a passing resemblance, perhaps, to "Harvest Home" [1]. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 35. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 83.
T:Harvest Home
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:C
A|DDF>D A>DF>D|A,A,C>A, E>A,C>A,|DDF>D A>DF>A|
(3Bcd (3efg f<dd:|
f|ddf>d g>ef>d|g2 e>d c>BA>f|ddf>d g>ef>d|B<g e>c d2 A>f|
ddf>d g>ef>d|g2 e>d c>BA>c|(3dfe (3efg (3fed (3cBA|
(3BAB (3ABc (3dAG (3FED||
MARQUIS (of) HANSLEY'S. AKA and see "Stirling Castle." Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AABB. Nigel Gatherer finds this to be a composite tune: the 'A' part of the tune is from "Stirling Castle," while the 'B' part is "Marquis of Huntly's Highland Fling." Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 35.
RACHEL RAE. AKA and see "The Bashful Bachelor Hornpipe," "Courting Them All," "Don't Bother Me," "Jimmy Holmes' Favorite," "The Moving Bogs (of Allen)," "Miss Rae's Reel," "Obelisk Hornpipe," "Shaw's Reel," "Where Did You Find Her?" "The Wily Old Bachelor." Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AB (Honeyman): AAB (Athole, Kennedy, Kerr, Raven, Skye): ABB' (Hardie). Attributed often to John Lowe and appearing in his Collection, Book 1, though with the footnote: "This favourite reel has been published in many collections, but none have subscribed the Author's name; it was composed by Mr. Lowe's father, many years ago, when he was teaching Dancing in Marykirk, Kincardineshire." MacDonald, in his Skye Collection opines "This excellent reel is in Mr. (John) Lowe's best style and very popular." Lowe was a dancing master in Marykirk whose famous reel first appeared in Archibald Duff's Collection of 1794 as "Raecheal Rea's Rant." His son was the Joseph Lowe who published a collection of melodies in the 1840's. Emmerson (1971) poses a class of Scottish reels defined by the rhythm quarter note-two eight notes-quarter note-two eight notes per measure. Tunes in this catagory include "Rachel Rae," "The Wind that Shakes the Barley," "Largo's Fairy Dance," and "De'il amang the Tailors." It has been suggested that the melody of "Rachel Rae" is the basis for the American old-time tune "Forked Deer." Bill Hardie (1986) thinks it is a "particulary suitable" tune to follow the triplet close of "Stirling Castle." See also "Archie Menzies" and "Sir David Davidson of Cantry" for other famous John Lowe compositions. Cameron's Selection of Violin Music (Glasgow), 1859; pg. 15. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1986; pg. 23. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 7. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 215. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune Book), Vol 2, 1954; pg. 13. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 2, No. 2, pg. 4. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 32. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 178. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 89. Beltona 2103 (78 RPM), Edinburgh Highland Strathspey and Reel Society (1936). Fife Strathspey and Reel Society - "The Fiddle Sounds of Fife" (1980).
T:Rachel Rae
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:D
A,|D2FA d2Ac|d2fd fedc|d2Ad BAGF|E2AE FDD:|
A|defg a2fd|g2bg e2cA|defg a2fd|Agfe fddA|defg fafd|g2bg eecA|
D2Ad BAGF|E2 AD FDD||
STIRLING CASTLE. AKA - "Sterling Castle." AKA and see"The Grey Daylight," "Gray Day-Licht," "Harvest Home" [2], "The Kirn," "Marquis of Hansley's." Scottish (originally), Irish; Highland or Strathspey. Ireland, County Donegal. D Major. Standard. AB. Composed by Professor Bannatyne, this tune is in both bagpipe and fiddle repertories. According to Bill Hardie (1986), North-East Scottish fiddlers "of two or three generations ago" knew this strathspey by the title "The Grey Day-Licht." The reference to "Harvest Home" as an alternate title comes from J. Scott Skinner's Harp and Claymore collection; as Bill Hardie notes, the similarity between "Stirling Castle" and the popular hornpipe "Harvest Home" is a tenuous one, however, there is considerable similarity to "Harvest Home" [2]. In Ireland the piece is popular today as a highland in County Donegal, and was one of the several Scottish tunes recorded by the great Sligo/New York fiddler Michael Coleman. Sources for notated versions: Bill Hardie (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) [Hunter]; MacDonald (1887) in his Skye Collection notes the tune is "According to Doig"; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 121, pg. 50. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1986; pg. 22. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 8. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 114. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 2, No. 1, pg. 4. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 55. Nimbus NI 5320, Ciaran Tourish, Dermot McLaughlin, Seamus Glackin, Kevin Glackin - "Fiddle Sticks: Traditional Music from Donegal" (1991). Topic 12TS381, The Battlefield Band - "At the Front" (1978). "Melodeon Greats" (1978).
T:Stirling Castle
S:session playing
Z:Juergen.Gier@post.rwth-aachen.de
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Strathspey
K:D
D2F>A D>A F<A|A,2 C>E A,>E C<E|\
D2F>A D>A F<A|1(3Bcd (3efg (3fed (3cBA :|2\
(3Bcd (3efg f<d d|]A|d2 f>d g>e f>d|\
B2 c>d (3efd (3cBA|d2 f>d g>e f>d|\
(3Bcd (3efg f<d d>A|d2 f>d g>e f<d|\
B2 c>d (3efd (3cBA|(3fga (3gfe (3dcB (3AGF|\
(3GAB (3ABc (3dAG (3FGE|]
T:Stirling Castle
L:1/8
M:C
S:Skye Collection
K:D
A,|D<D F>D A>D F>D|A,<A, C>A, E>A, C<E|D<D F>D A>D F>A|
(3Bcd (3efg (3gfe (3cBA|D<D F>D A>D F>D|A,<A, C>A, E>A, C>E|
D<D F>D A>D F>A|(3Bcd (3efg f<d d||A|d<d f>d g>e f>d|
(3Bcd (3efg (3fed (3cBA|d<d f>d g>f g>b|(3agf (3gfe (3dcB (3AGF|
d<d f>d g>e f>d|(3Bcd (3efg (3fed (3cBA|(3fga (3gfe (3dcB (3AGF|
(3GAB (3ABc (3dAG (3FED||