menu
Log in or Sign up

The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord strathspey

Also known as The Bonnie Lass Of Bon Accord, The Bonny Lass Of Bon Accord, Lass Of Bon-Accord, The Lass Of Bon-Accord.

There are 16 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord has been added to 2 tune sets.

The Bonnie Lass O' Bon Accord has been added to 30 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Three settings

1
X: 1
T: The Bonnie Lass O' Bon Accord
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
E | A>Bc>B AA,CE | A/G/A/f/ e/c/B/A/ B3 c | A>Bc>B ACE=G | F/D/F/A/ G/E/G/B/ A3 :|
(3e/f/g/ | a>cde eAag/f/ | eA f/e/d/c/ B3 (3e/f/g/ | a>cde eAa>=G | F/D/F/A/ G/E/G/B/ A3(3e/f/g/ |
a>cde eAag/f/ | eA f/e/d/c/ B3 c | A,/C/E/A/ c>B ACE=G | F/D/F/A/ G/E/G/B/ A3 |]
2
X: 2
T: The Bonnie Lass O' Bon Accord
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A | d>ef>e dDFA | d/c/d/b/ a/f/d/f/ e3 A | d>ef>e dFA=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 :|
(3a/b/c'/ | d'>fga add'c'/b/ | ad b/a/g/f/ e3 (3a/b/c'/ | d'>fga add'=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 |
(3a/b/c'/ | d'>fga add'c'/b/ | ad b/a/g/f/ e3 f | D/F/A/d/ f>e dFA=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 |]
3
X: 3
T: The Bonnie Lass O' Bon Accord
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amin
E | A>Bc>B AA,CE | A/^G/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 E | A>B {A/B/}c>B ACDF | {E/F/}E/D/E/F/ E/D/C/B,/ A,3 E|
A>B {A/B/}c>B AA,CE | A/^G/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 E | A>B {A/B/}c>B Ac df| e/d/e/f/ e^G A3||
{e/^f/^g/}a>=gfe fedc| c/B/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 (3e/^f/^g/ |a>gfe d/c/B/c/ d/e/f/d/ |e/d/e/f/ e^G A3|
{e/^f/^g/}a>=gfe fedc| c/B/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 c|,A/C/E/A/ c>B ACDF|{E/F/}E/D/E/F/ EG, A,3||

Ten comments

Bon Accord being, of course, the fair city of Aberdeen

This is a fiddle tune by James Scott Skinner. I have sheet music for this in the key of A, but I’ve submitted this in D because that’s the key I play it in. What can I say, I’m a whistle player, playing everything in the key of D is what we do 🙂

You should have posted it in "A", as it was composed, with your "D" setting in "Comments". I’m a whistle player too, and I can play in more than 1 key.

Posted by .

Now in A

As suggested, I have now submitted in A. Setting in D below:

X:1
T:Bonnie Lass o’ Bon Accord
C:James Scott Skinner
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:D
A | d>ef>e dDFA | d/c/d/b/ a/f/d/f/ e3 A | d>ef>e dFA=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 :|
(3a/b/c’/ | d’>fga add’c’/b/ | ad b/a/g/f/ e3 (3a/b/c’/ | d’>fga add’=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 |
(3a/b/c’/ | d’>fga add’c’/b/ | ad b/a/g/f/ e3 f | D/F/A/d/ f>e dFA=c | B/G/B/d/ c/A/c/e/ d3 |]

There was a reason I submitted it in D. Of course I play in more than one key, even on the same whistle sometimes. You can’t actually play this tune as composed on your bog standard D whistle as it goes too low. Even in D, this tune uses your full 2 octaves from D to d’ so it really is the only key you can play it in without picking up a different instrument.

I shall be sure to use more than one smiley face next time!

The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord

“The Bonnie Lass” contained within the title is a reference to the late Mina Bell.

An inscription on gravestone Fetteresso Cemetery, Stonehaven reads:

"In loving memory of Mina Bell, who died 8th June, 1938, aged 72 years, immortalised in James Scott Skinner’s masterpiece The Bonnie Lass o’ Bon-Accord.”

“Bon Accord” is of course the motto on the City of Aberdeen’s coat-of-arms, rather than being another name for the city itself.

Indeed so, Mix O’Lydian. Being an Aberdeenshire lass myself, I am well acquainted with the silver city and have more than one filling in my rotten doric teeth brought on my swigging Bon Accord Red Kola 🙂

Minor Mode Variation

Skinner also wrote a minor mode variation of the tune:

X: 2
T: Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: strathspey
K: Amin
E | A>Bc>B AA,CE | A/^G/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 E | A>B {A/B/}c>B ACDF | {E/F/}E/D/E/F/ E/D/C/B,/ A,3 E|
A>B {A/B/}c>B AA,CE | A/^G/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 E | A>B {A/B/}c>B Ac df| e/d/e/f/ e^G A3||
{e/^f/^g/}a>=gfe fedc| c/B/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 (3e/^f/^g/ |a>gfe d/c/B/c/ d/e/f/d/ |e/d/e/f/ e^G A3|
{e/^f/^g/}a>=gfe fedc| c/B/A/B/ c/A/d/c/ B3 c|,A/C/E/A/ c>B ACDF|{E/F/}E/D/E/F/ EG, A,3||

You can see the manuscript version of this variation here:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/display.php?ID=JSS0018

Re: The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord

I’ve been playing it a bit on the metal flute, requires some creative octave work - imho best not to just jump individual low notes, but to take the whole melody line up when necessary. With my new keyed wooden flute, I am going to have to work on being able to play it there. As I know the tune, the major and the minor variations belong together and I would endeavour to play it like that - hence needing the keys… I also need to work on getting it a bit more solid off by heart.

Thank you for posting the link above, Kenny.

Re: The Bonnie Lass O’ Bon Accord

I am working on learning this tune, nearly all of the versions I have listened to include the Am variations, usually on the 3rd repeat. I highly recommend The Celtic Fiddle Festival’s version, with the late great Johnny Cunningham, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRVj4q-vlLM


If I can manage to work out something close on they variations the play on the 2nd repeat (still working on that), I will post it.

Posted by .