S 9 E 04 Celtic Melodies Mail Coach and Angus MacKay's High B Manuscript

02/23/25 • 80 min

Wetootwaag's Bagpipe and History Podcast

Tunes:
Anderson: The Mail Coach
Highlander: “Gu’n d’thug mi suil air an trupa ghlas.” “I cast an eye on the grey troop”, “Chaidh mi thun na traigh.” “I wen to the Ebb”, “Gur Trom, tom a tha mi” Sad, Sad am I,
Angus MacKay: Wha’ll be King but Charlie, Lilla’s A Lady, Lilla’s a Lady, Voulez vous danser Madamoiselle or the Portuguese, Paddy Rafferty’s With Variations, Fowler’s Rant, Lady Ellinor Campbell, No. XIII Pipe Reel, “Gur mise tha suncach” “Tis me that’s Happy”, No. 22 Pipe Reel “Lochiel’s Awa To France”
Hamilton: Lilla’s a Lady
Alexander MacKay: Lady Ellinor Campbell’s Reel, Miss Catherine Campbell Ardmore’s Strathspey,
Andrew O’Sullivan: Black Grouse
William Vickers: Lochail’s Real

Sources:

Cover Art:
42nd Highlander Playing a Frenchman as a Bagpipe:
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:232077/

+X+X+

I read from Hugh Cheape’s Delightful Tartan Book, you should read it:
https://archive.org/details/tartanhighlandha0000chea

Sources:

1820s: Anderson’s Mail Coach from Anderson's pocket companion of the most approved Highland strathspeys, country dances, &c. for the German flute, fife, hautboy, & violin
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105006453

+X+X+

1815: “A ghruagach an leadain” “Nymph with the beautiful hair.” “Gu’n d’thug mi suil air an trupa ghlas.” “I cast an eye on the grey troop”, “Chaidh mi thun na traigh.” “I wen to the Ebb.” from Celtic Melodies by Robert Purdie
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012382

+X+X+

1830s?: Wha’ll Be King but Charlie, Lilla’s a Lady, Voulez vous danser Madamoiselle or the Portuguese Dance from Angus MacKay’s Manuscript

+X+X+

1846: Lilla’s a Lady from Hamilton's Universal Tune Book vol. 2 (1846, p. 68)
https://archive.org/details/bub_man_0d3e53b425fd9604ed8120afba639d35/page/n79/mode/2up?view=theater

+X+

1822: “Gur Trom, tom a tha mi” Sad, Sad am I, “Domhnull Ban” Fair Donald.
from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012261

+X+

1833: Lady Ellinor Campbell
from Celtic Melodies (the second one) by a Highlander

+X+

1822: Lady Ellinor Campbell’s Reel
from A Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Slow Tunes Arranged for the Piano Forte Chiefly composed by Alexander MacKay
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/104488057

+X+

1815: Pipe Reel, “’S tric mi smuaineach ort.” “Oft am I thinking of thee.” from Celtic Melodies by Robert Purdie
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012316

+X+

1822: Miss Catherine Campbell Ardmore’s Strathspey from A Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Slow Tunes Arranged for the Piano Forte Chiefly composed by Alexander MacKay
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/104487969

+X+

1822: “Ge d’ tha mi gun Chrodh gun aighean” “Though I am without Cows or Querys” and “Gur mise tha suncach” “Tis me that’s Happy” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012272

+X+

1815: “C’ arson nach rachinn cuide riut.” “Why would I not go with you.” and Pipe Reel from Celtic Melodies by Robert Purdie
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012371

+X+

1776: Lochail’s Real from William Vicker’s Manuscript
http://www.farnearchive.com/farneimages/jpgs/R0306600.jpg

+X+

FIN

Here are some ...

Sources:

Cover Art:
42nd Highlander Playing a Frenchman as a Bagpipe:
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:232077/

+X+X+

I read from Hugh Cheape’s Delightful Tartan Book, you should read it:
https://archive.org/details/tartanhighlandha0000chea

Sources:

+X+X+

1830s?: Wha’ll Be King but Charlie, Lilla’s a Lady, Voulez vous danser Madamoiselle or the Portuguese Dance from Angus MacKay’s Manuscript

+X+X+

1846: Lilla’s a Lady from Hamilton's Universal Tune Book vol. 2 (1846, p. 68)
https://archive.org/details/bub_man_0d3e53b425fd9604ed8120afba639d35/page/n79/mode/2up?view=theater

+X+

1822: “Gur Trom, tom a tha mi” Sad, Sad am I, “Domhnull Ban” Fair Donald.
from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012261

+X+

1833: Lady Ellinor Campbell
from Celtic Melodies (the second one) by a Highlander

+X+

1776: Lochail’s Real from William Vicker’s Manuscript
http://www.farnearchive.com/farneimages/jpgs/R0306600.jpg

+X+

FIN

Here are some ...

Previous Episode

Season 9 E 03 Celtic Melodies with new article from Roddy Cannon & Keith Sanger and tunes from Rod Nevin

Tunes:
“Highlander” (Maybe Alexander MacKay): Biodh mid subhach (Let us Be Merry), Falb orra, ho! (Ho away she goes) and Pipe Reel (Smith of Killiechassie), Latha dhomhsa ‘s mi siubhal garbhlaich (One day as I was traversing mountains), Cha ‘n ‘eil Cailleach agam fhein (I am Alone since my wife died), Pipe Reel (The Black Hen’s Egg), Cainntearachd (As is played on the pipe!), A Jacobite Air.

If you have some thoughts about the collection of tunes, or want to send me a recording of you playing some of the tunes get in touch at [email protected]
Sources:

+X+

1822: “Biodh mid subhach.” Let us Be Merry from Celtic Melodies by “Highlander”
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012239

+X+

1822: “Falb orra, ho!” “Ho away she goes” and Pipe Reel from Celtic Melodies by by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012250

See Smith of Killiechassie for No. III
https://ceolsean.net/content/Ferguss/Book02/Book02%2014.pdf

+X+

1822: Pipe Reel, “Latha dhomhsa ‘s mi siubhal garbhlaich.” “One day as I was traversing mountains.” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012360

+X+

1822: “Cha ‘n ‘eil Cailleach agam fhein” “I am Alone since my wife died” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012305

+X+

1822: Pipe Reel (The Black Hen’s Egg) and “Buair bhi’s cach na’n cadal Samhach.” “Where the rest are sound asleep” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012283

+X+

1822: Cainntearachd “As is played on the pipe!” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012338

+X+

1822: “A Jacobite Air”, “Mo Shorridh sunntach slan leibh” “My heary lively wishes to you” from Celtic Melodies by a Highlander
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105012613

+X+X+

FIN

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!
Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!
Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:
https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag
You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:
https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/
You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1
You can just send me an email at [email protected] letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!
Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support
Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

Support Wetootwaag's Bagpipe and History Podcast

Next Episode

undefined - S 09 E 05 The Advocate’s Manuscript New Chanter, Ghost Notes and also I’m the new President of Lowland and Border Piping Society! with tunes from Fionnllagh MacA’Phiocar and Donald Lindsay

S 09 E 05 The Advocate’s Manuscript New Chanter, Ghost Notes and also I’m the new President of Lowland and Border Piping Society! with tunes from Fionnllagh MacA’Phiocar and Donald Lindsay

Tunes:
Gutch, Rimbault Et. Al: Robin Hood’s Preferment
Me: Dynamic Theme, Storm Theme,
Fionnllagh MacA’Phiocar: Ghost Notes
Donald Lindsay: Invocation of the Corn Mother, Two Boats Under the Moon
Advocates Manuscript: Tune 58, 1, A Scots Measure, Jamies Reel (Oyster Wives Rant), The Britches Loose, The Island of Love, The White Jock
O’Farrell: The Shepherds Hornpipe
Walsh: Petticoat Tight, Petticoat Loose,
Fitzmaurice: Loose the Belt
Straight and Skillern: Cupid’s Frolick, Cox’s Museum, Naples Dance, Black Dance, Island of Love
James Horner: The Legend Spreads

Sources and Links:

+X+X+

2025: Check out Fionnllagh MacA’Phiocar on instagram
https://www.instagram.com/fionnllagh/
Here is the clip of him playing with the Ghost Notes:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DF0q59LN_1x/

+X+

2001: Invocation of the Corn Mother, from Alasdair Roberts’ album (with Donald Lindsay) on Appendix Out: Travels in Constants Volume Thirteen
https://www.alasdairroberts.com/

+X+X+

2025: Two Boats Under the Moon by Donald Lindsay:
Check out his Crowd Funder here to get early access to the album:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/two-boats-under-the-moon

+X+X+

Advocates Manuscript

Most of the tunes in this episode come from the Advocates Manuscript. I also read Ross Anderson’s Article about the Collection, you can read the article here:
https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/archive/rja14/music/pastoral.pdf

1765: Tune 58, 1, A Scots Measure, Jamies Reel (Oyster Wives Rant), The Britches Loose, The Island of Love, The White Jock from the Advocates Manuscript
All tunes but 58 appear here: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/archive/rja14/musicfiles/manuscripts/advocates1.pdf
Tune 58 is here:
https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/archive/rja14/musicfiles/manuscripts/advocates2.pdf

+X+X+

1806ish: The Shepherds Hornpipe from O’Farrell’s Pocket Companion
https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/archive/rja14/Papers/ofarrellspc3.pdf

Set From Bannocks Of Barley Meal

Check out Bannocks of Barley Meal here:
https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/bannocks-of-barley-meal

+X+X+

1748: Petticoat Tight from Walsh’s Caledonian Country Dances:
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/90248459

1748: Petticoat Loose from Walsh’s Caledonian Country Dances:
https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/90247895

1805: Loose the Belt from Fitzmaurice’s New Collection of Irish Tunes No 2:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Fitzmaurice_s_New_Collection_of_Irish_Tu/vq4Fb5TyTK4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP7&printsec=frontcover

+X+X+X+

Set from Rowly Powly

Check out Rowly Powly Here:
https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/rowly-powly

1775ish: Cupid’s Frolick, Cox’s Museum, Naples Dance, Black Dance and Island of Love all from Straight and Skillern’s 204 Favourite Country Dances
https://imslp.org/wiki/204_Favourite_Country_Dances_(Various)

+X+X+