The Highland Brigade At Magersfontein waltz

This tune (a 3/4 retreat, not a waltz, of course) is by Pipe Major John McLellan (1875-1949) of Dunoon, who composed some well known tunes including “The Road to the Isles”. It commemorates the Highland Brigade’s part in the battle of Magersfontein during the second Boer War. They were on the losing side and suffered heavy casualties.
Although this is a pipe tune with British military connections, I learned it from the playing of Tom McDermott of Fairlie, Ayrshire during sessions in that part of the world. Tom plays English concertina and he paired this tune with another 3/4 retreat by PM McLellan, “Lochanside” (a tune that Andy “where’s yer troosers” Stewart used for the song “By the Lochside”). That tune is also in the database here:

https://thesession.org/tunes/6479

Tom played the tune in A major and evened out the quavers a wee bit. His version was more like this:

X:1
T:The Highland Brigade at Magersfontein
C: Pipe Major John McLellan
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Retreat
K:A
|:A3/2B/2 c2ce|a3/2g/2 f2e2|e3/2c/2 A2Ac|
e3/2f/2 c2B2|e3/2c/2 A2Bc|ec a3/2g/2 f2|
ga e3/2d/2 cA|B3/2c/2 A2A2:|
|:c3/2d/2 e2ea|fa e2c/2A3/2|c3/2d/2 e2ea|
f/2g/2a/2f/2 e2ec|d/2c/2B/2c/2 A2Bc|
ec a3/2g/2 f2|ga e3/2d/2 cA|B3/2c/2 A2A2:|

There is information on the composer here:

http://www.pipetunes.ca/composers.asp?pg=Details&composerID=23

Thanks for that :~)

Outstanding version of this great tune here by “Canterach”. If you only ever learn one Scottish tune, learn this :
https://youtu.be/irl_9LNeT2E

play video

This, I believe, is the correct J. MacLellan setting.

Note that Bar 7 of both parts begins on g.

Sorry McLellan, not MacLellan.

He wrote several other great tunes including The Taking Of Beaumont Hamel which has had a resurgence in recent years.

That’s identical to what is given in Dale Brown’s book “the bagpipe music of John McLellan 1875-1949”, apart from the second bar in the second part where Dale has |f3/4g/4a3/4f/4 e2cA|, although I prefer to play it as you have, Richard, apart from snapping from the c to the low A: |fa e2 c/4A3/4|. I also tend to go for Weejie’s variation at the start of the seventh bar of each part.

He wrote some great tunes, did the DCM holder (for gallantry on the field at Magersfontein) from Dunoon.