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McKechnie’s Farewell polka

There are 3 recordings of this tune.

McKechnie’s Farewell has been added to 14 tune sets.

McKechnie's Farewell has been added to 68 tunebooks.

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Seven settings

1
X: 1
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DE|F2 FA|E2 DE|FE FA|E2 DE|F2 FA|dc BA|AB BA|B2 zc|
dc BA|BA FD|FE FA|E2 DE|FE FA|ED B,A,|B,D DE|D2:|
|:FA|B2 BA|Bd c A-|A A AF|AB (3FED|E2 ED|EF DE|FA AF|AB FA|
B2 BA|Bd c A-|A A AF|AB (3FED|E2 ED|EF DB,|A,D DC|D2:|
# Added by henk .
2
X: 2
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DE|: F2 FA E2 DE|FEFA E2 DE|F2 FA dcBA|B2 BA B2 c2|
dcBA BAFE|FEFA E2 DE|FEFA EDB,A,|1 B,DDE D2 DE:|2 B,DDE D2 FA||
B2 BA (3B2d2c2|A2 AF AB (3FED|E2 ED EFDE|FAAF ABFA|
B2 BA (3B2d2c2|A2 AF AB (3FED|E2 ED EFDB,|1 A,DDE D2 FA:|2 A,DDE D4||
3
X: 3
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DE|F2 FA|E2 DE|FE FA|E2 DE|F2 FA|dc BA|AB BA|B2 zc|
dc BA|BA FE|FE FA|E2 DE|FE FA|ed BA|Ad de|d2:|
|:FA|B2 BA|Bd cA-|AA AF|AB (3FED|E2 ED|EF DE|FA AF|AB FA|
B2 BA|Bd cA-|AA AF|AB (3FED|E2 ED|EF DB|Ad de|d2:|
4
X: 4
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DE|:"D"F2 FA |"A/C#"E2 DE|"D"FE FA |"A/C#"E2 DE|
"D"F2 FA |"A"dc BA|"G"AB BA |B2 zc|
"G7"dc BA |BA FD|"D/F#"FE FA |"A/E"E2 DE|
"D"FE FA |"A7"ED B,A,|1 B,D DE |"D"D2 DE :|2 B,D DE |"D"D2 FA||
|:"Bm"B2 BA |"A/C#"Bd c "D"A-|AA AF |AB (3FED|
"A"E2 ED| EF DE|"F#m"FA AF| AB FA|
"G"B2 BA| Bd c "D"A-|A A AF| AB (3FED|
"A"E2 ED |EF DB,|1 "G"A,D DE |D2 FA:|2 A,D DE |"D"D4||
5
X: 5
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GA|:"G"B2 Bd |"D/F#"A2 GA|"G"BA Bd |"D/F#"A2 GA|
"G"B2 Bd |"D"gf ed|"C"de ed |e2 zf|
"C7"gf ed |ed BA|"G/B#"BA Bd |"D/A"A2 GA|
"G"BA Bd |"D7"AG ED|1 "C"EG GA |"G"G2 GA :|2 "C"EG GA |"G"G2 Bd||
|:"Em"e2 ed |eg f "G"d-|d d dB |de (3BAG|
"D"A2 AG |AB GA|"Bm"Bd dB |de Bd|
"C"e2 ed |eg f "G"d-|d d dB |de (3BAG|
"D"A2 AG |AB GE|1 "C"DG GA |"G"G2 Bd:|2 "C"DG GA |"G"G4||
6
X: 6
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
[M:4/4]DE|F2FA E2DE|FEFA E2DE|F2FA dcBA|ABBA B3c|
dcBA BAFE|FEFA E2DE|FEFA EDB,A,|A,DDE D2DE|
FEFA E2DE|F2FA E2DE|F2FA dcBA|ABBA B3c|
d2 c/B/A BAFE|FEFA E2DE|FEFA EDB,A,|A,DDE D2||
|:FA|B2BA BdcA-|AAAF AB F/E/D|E2ED EFDE|FAAF ABFA|
B2BA BdcA-|AAAF AB F/E/D|E2ED EFDB,|A,DDE D2:|
7
X: 7
T: McKechnie's Farewell
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
[M:4/4]AB|c2ce B2AB|cBce B2AB|c2ce agfe|effe f3g|
agfe fecB|cBce B2AB|cBce BAFE|EAAB A2AB|
cBce B2AB|c2ce B2AB|c2ce agfe|effe f3g|
a2 g/f/e fecB|cBce B2AB|cBce BAFE|EAAB A2||
|:ce|f2fe fage-|eeec ef c/B/A|B2BA BcAB|ceec efce|
f2fe fage-|eeec ef c/B/A|B2BA BcAF|EAAB A2:|

Twenty comments

McKechnies Farewell

Saw Innes Watson play this on the Alba TV prog Horo… - i learnt it from the youtube clip of Lori Watson’s rule of 3 - it is written by the accordion player John Somerville. Great tune - quite slow.

Apologies

sorry couldnt find it last night - kept getting error message 404 when i searched for it on this site so posted it anyway

Small differences

What a coincidence! We both used the same "source" for the dots. I hear some slight differences. Could these versions be combined?

Posted by .

Background information

Is there anyone who knows the background sory of this tune?

Posted by .

Small Differences

Henk, Sorry if i had come across yr original transcription i should have added mine as a variation ( I am not sure if i can do it now?) I am new to transcription so variation may be due to my limited knowledge of music theory etc. Regards.

McKechnie’s Farewell

I believe this tune was composed by John Somerville, who is producing some cracking tunes. As well as playing with Lori, he has been involved with The Treacherous Orchestra.

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

And there you have the answer to henk’s question of 6 years ago: "written for Neil McKechnie, who was chairman of Feis Rois for 2o years". And a lovely, and much longer, tribute in that link posted 3 years ago.

McKechnie’s Farewell, X:6

This setting is more like how the tune was originally conceived (and taken from the playing of John Somerville).
Note the A part variations on the repeat - very typical of John.

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

That’s pretty much how I play it as well, Donald, apart from your mistake in the 4th last bar.

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

D and C# in that bar should be an octave higher?

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

Thanks, Nigel and Trish. It’s much harder doing abcs accurately with three rioting grandchildren in attendance.

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

Sounds like a cue for a new tune! You have my empathy, tho only 2 rioters so far!

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

First heard this at the local sesh and fell in love with it. I also quite like this harp version - slower than the original, but I think she manages nicely to maintain the relaxed feel of the piece, no?
https://youtu.be/_voJxDcIMmA

Re: McKechnie’s Farewell

A good tune for the harp and relatively easy to work out a good arrangement even for me.

I’m not taking anything away from the lovely version above though……

McKechnie’s Farewell, X:7 - an alternative solution for flute players.

This tune was written in D Major. There a few notes in bars 7 and 8, 15 and 16 etc that go below the compass of the flute.
I note that versions #3 and #5 put those phrases up an Octave, a very acceptable solution. Another is to play the tune in A major. Hence this version #7. It is Donald K’s version transposed up.