Neil Gow’s Lamentation For James Moray Esq. Of Abercairny strathspey

It’s a ‘lament’, and it is slooooow, but not rediculously so, not stretched like some daft singer trying to seem impressive by how long they can hold a single note, usually something high and shrill. And please, don’t do as some folk do to laments and spoil them by showing EVERYTHING you can possilby do. Don’t make it maudlin and overly melodramatic. Please have some respect for a good air that carries the feelings in it without a ton of adornments and warbling weighing it down. LAMENTS generally have that in their basic melody already, the tears are there, so, please, carry that and don’t drown it in sticky over sentimentalization. Feel it, but don’t smother it…

Sorry, I’ve been listening to too many droll renditions lately of lovely sad tunes used by some for showing what they can do, and smothered in a thick treacle of affectation…

I’ve always liked this one too, but had kind of lost track of it and hadn’t realized it wasn’t already on site here. I’ll see if I can do a ‘stretched’ transcription that gives some of the feel of the tempo, and I’ve other takes on it and will try to remember to transcribe one of those, maybe something from Cape Breton.

The transcription here is from the harp playing of Alison Kinnaird.

I also have some historic transcriptions and will add at least one of those, unless someone else beats me to it. 😉

That first lead in I’ve given how it starts, but also how it can be taken ~

|: F/<G/ | ~

|: B,/A,/ | ~

Submitted on August 3rd 2003 by Trevor Jennings.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1863

This reminds me of Shetland fiddler Tom Anderson’s tune "Da Slockit Light", another long time favourite…

X: 2
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray of Abercairny
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for Jas Moray Esqr. of Abercarney (Gow Bk. 1)
B: "The Athole Collection", 1884, James Stewart-Robertson, page 101
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow Strathspey
K: GMaj
B, || "Segno"\
G,>B,D>{}G E>{F/}GD>G | A>B c/B/TA/G/ ~E2 E>{F/}G | G,>B,D>{F/}G E>{F/}G D{f/}g/e/ | {^c/}d>G d/=c/TB/A/ {F/}TG2 G ||
B/c/ |\
{c/}de/f/ ~g>d {f/}e>d{f/}g>B | ca/c/ Bg/G/ {c/B/}A2 A>B | G,>B,D>{F/}G E{F/}G D{f/}g/e/ | {^c/}d>G Td/=c/TB/A/ {F/}G2 G/A/B/c/ |
{c/}de/f/ ~g>d {f/}e>dg>B | ca/c/ Bg/G/ {c/B/}A2 AB/c/ | .e/.d/.c/.B/ .d/.c/.B/.A/ .c/.B/.A/.G/ .B/.A/.G/.F/ | .A/.G/.F/.E/ {F/E/}.D/.E/.D/.B,/ G,2 G,/E/D/A,/ |] "Dal Segno"

X: 3
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray of Abercairny
B: "The Skye Collection", Keith Norman MacDonald, 1887, page 157
N: "Slow and Pathetic." (not bathetic, please)
U: T = !trill!
U: N = !mordent!
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow Strathspey
K: GMaj
B,>A, |\
G,>B,DG EGDG | ~A>B c/B/A/G/ {F/}E2 EF/G/ | G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {A/}G2 GB,/A,/ |
G,>B,DG EGDG | ~A>B c/B/A/G/ E2 EF/G/ | G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {}G2 [B,DG] ||
e |\
de/f/ gd edgB | ~ca/c/ ~Bg/B/ {B/}A2 A>B | ~G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {A/}G2 G>e |
d~e/f/ gd {f/}edgB | Nc/B/c/a/ TB/A/B/g/ {B/}[F2A2] [FA] B/c/ | e/d/c/B/ d/c/B/A/ c/B/A/G/ B/A/G/F/ | A/G/F/E/ D/E/D/B,/ G,2 G, |]

"- reminds me of - "Da Slockit Light" -" ~ which has much to do with the feeling for them both, and how I have appreciated and known a similar way of playing them, akin to a slow march, heartfelt but not gushingly droll or over-burdened with excessive twiddling about in them, which for me, personally, is a kind of disrespect for the melody and the intended sentiment of a lament…

X: 1
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation For James Moray, Esq. Of Abercairny
S: Alison Kinnaird
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: strathspey
K: Gmaj
|: [B,F]<[A,G] |\
G,3 B,D3 G | E G3 D3 G | A3 B c>BA<G | E4- E2 FG |
G,3 B,D3 G | E G3 D2 ge | d3 B d>cB<A | G6 :|
e2 |\
d2 ef g3 d | e3 d g3 B | cBca BABg | A4- A2 FG |
G,3 B, D3 G | E G3 D2 ge | d3 B d>cB<A | G4- G3 e |
d2 ef g3 d | e3 d g3 B | c>Bc<a B>AB<g | A4- A3 B |
cedc BdcB | AcBA GBAG | FA (3GFE DEDB, | G,6 |]

X: 4
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation For James Moray, Esq. Of Abercairny
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: slow strathspey, lament
K: GMaj
|: B<A |\
G3 B D3 G | EG- G2 D3 G | A3 B c>BA<G | E4- E2 E>F |
G3 B D3 G | E<G- G2 D2 g/f/e | d3 G d>cB<A | G6 :|
e2 |\
d3 e/f/ g3 d | e2 d2 g3 B | c>Bc<a B>AB<g | A4- A2 c/B/A |
G3 B D3 G | E<G- G2 D2 ge | d2 G2 d>cB<A | G3 D GABc |
d2 ef g2 d2 | e3 d g3 B | c>Bc<a B>^AB<g | A4- A3 B |
cedc BdcB | A>cBA GBAG | FA (3GFE DEDB | G6 |]

Thanks ‘c’, for the ‘D-limited’ version (my ears, as well as my fingers, were wanting something like that). And for the hints - sorrow rather than syrup maybe ?

I like it David, "sorrow rather than syrup"… 😉

I’ve just remembered I also have the Niel Gow transcription and will add that too…

K: GMaj
B,/>A,/ || "Segno"\
G,>B,D>{F/}G E>{F/}GD>G | - - -

X: 5
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray Esquire of Abercarney
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for Abercarney
B: "The Beauties of Niel Gow, Part 1", 1819, Nathaniel Gow, page 1
N: Slow & Pathetic
N: Mr. Moray was the early and kind parton of the author.
N: The loss which society sustained in the loss of that gentleman was the cause of the production of this truly pathetic and beautiful air.
U: T = !trill!
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow Strathspey
K: GMaj
{C/}B,/>A,/ ||\
G,>B,DG EGDG | ~A>B c/B/A/G/ {F/}E2 EF/G/ | G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {A/}G2 GB,/A,/ |
G,>B,DG EGDG | ~A>B c/B/A/G/ E2 EF/G/ | G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {A/}G2 G ||
e |\
de/f/ gd edgB | ~ca/c/ ~Bg/B/ {B/}A2 A>B | G,>B,DG EG Dg/e/ | dG d/c/B/A/ {A/}G2 G>e |
~de/f/ gd {f/}edgB | Tc/B/c/a/ TB/A/B/g/ {B/}[F2A2] [FA]B/c/ | e/d/.c/.B/ d/c/B/A/ c/B/A/G/ B/A/G/F/ | A/G/F/E/ D/E/D/B,/ G,2 G, |]

I’ve doubled this transcription just to make it ‘easier’ and a little more true to the tempo of a ‘slow strathspey’ alias ‘lament’….


X: 6
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray of Abercairny
S: "Buddy & Natalie MacMaster: Traditional Music from Cape Breton Island", track 6, tune #1 of 5
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow Strathspey
K: GMaj
|: B,A, |\
G,3 B, D2 D<G | E2 E<G D2 G2 | A3 B c>BA<G | E4 E2 FG |
G,3 B, D2 D<G | E2 E<G D2 g<e | d2 G2 d>cB<A | G4 G2 :|
e2 |\
d2 e<f g2 d2 | e2 d2 g2 B2 | c2 ac B2 g<B | A4- A2 B2 |
G,3 B, D2 D<G | E2 E<G D2 g<e | d2 G2 d>cB<A | G4 G2 e2 |
d2 ef g2 d2 | e2 d2 g2 B2 | c>Bc<a B>AB<g | A4- A2 (3Bcd |
e>dc<B d>cB<A | c>BA<G B>AG<F | A>GF<E D>ED<B, | G,4- G,2 |]

Another option it so take the first part up an octave…

X: 7
T: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for James Moray of Abercairny
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Slow Strathspey
K: GMaj
|: B>A |\
G3 B d3 g | e3 g d2 g2 | a3 b c’>ba<g | e4- e2 (3efg |
G3 B d2 g2 | e2 e<g d2 d’<c’ | b2 g2 b>ag<f | g4- g2 :|
e2 |\
d3 e/f/ g2 d2 | (3efe d2 g2 B2 | c>Bc<a B>^AB<g | A4- A2 (3cBA |
G3 B d2 g2 | e2 e<g d2 d’<c’ | b2 g2 b>ag<f | g4- g2 e2 |
d2 ef g2 d2 | e2 d2 g3 B | c>Bc<a B>^AB<g | A4- A2 (3Bcd |
e>dc<B dcBA | c>BA<G BAGF | A>GF<E D>ED<B | G4- G2 |]

If you prefer to keep closer to the usual on those final highs,
instead of ~
~ | e2 e<g d2 d’<c’ | b2 g2 b>ag<f | g4- g2 - - -
you could try ~
~ | e2 e<g d2 g<e | d2 g2 d’>c’b<a | g4- g2 - - -

I have been told I posted this inthe wrong place, so hope this is where it should be. I had been asked by someone if I could supply the chords I used for my version of the tune, so here is the abc, original from Nigel Gatherer and with my chords added.

X:1
T:Lamentation for James Moray of Abercairney
T:Lament for Abercairney
T:Abercairney
C:Niel Gow
O:Scotland
Z:Nigel Gatherer
N: Chords as used by John Kelly
Q:70
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:G
B,|"G"G,>B,DG "C"EG"G"DG|"Am"A>B c/B/A/G/ "C"E2- EG|"G"G,>B,DG "C"EG "G"Dg/e/|
dG "D7"d/c/B/A/ "G"G2- G>B,|G,>B,DG "C"EG"G"DG|"Am"A>B c/B/A/G/ "C"E2- EG|
"G"G,>B,DG "C"EG "G"Dg/e/|dG "D7"d/c/B/A/ "C"G2- "G"G||e|de/f/ gd "C"ed"G"gB|
"Am"ca/c/ "G"Bg/B/ "Am"A2- "D7"A>B|"G"G,>B,DG "C"EG "G"Dg/e/|dG "D7"d/c/B/A/ "G"G2- G>e|de/f/ gd "C"ed"G"gB|
"Am"c/B/c/a/ "G"B/A/B/g/ "Am"A2- AB/c/|"C"e/d/c/B/ "D"d/c/B/A/ "Em"c/B/A/G/ "B7"B/A/G/F/|\
"C"A/G/F/E/ "D7"D/E/D/B,/"G"G,2-G,|]

N: # Posted by John Kelly - September 23rd, 2012 ~ see comment above…

One of my favourite Scottish Airs, played here on Fiddle, English Concertina, Nyckelharpa, Whistle & Hammered Dulcimer.

Neil Gow’s Lament for James Moray of Abercairney!:
https://youtu.be/PqrEc5eR9FI

play video

Cheers,
Dick

Always tricky getting the speed for these slow airs just right, so here’s a lovely version of this tune, played by Laura Risk on Fiddle and Troy MacGillivray on Piano who, for me at least, seem to nail it perfectly.

Lamentation for James Moray of Abercarney:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od6UQW3h4Tg

play video

Cheers,
Dick

Well, being a lament it has, of course, to be played slowly & as you might expect Paul Anderson absolutely nails it when he played it in the Highlands Hotel, back in 2011.

Incidentally, that looks suspiciously like the back of Martin McGinley’s head, to the left of Paul. 🙂

Neil Gow’s Lament for James Moray of Abercairney:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saKNkvlTr_8

play video

Cheers,
Dick