The Rowan Tree reel

This is really an Air not a Reel, but the Tune Submission list box does not allow selection of an Air. In order to get the ABC header to come out correctly, I had to plant it as reel. ‘Scraper’

From the most clichéed part of the marching pipe-band’s repertoire.

http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=226

A tonic for the voice?
http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/foraging/rowan.php

This is a Scottish air, and I have often danced a strathspey to it. I’m sorry to hear that it’s become clichéed in marching bands, as it has a lovely elegiac quality when you dance to it.

Interesting to see the claim that this is also known as The Bantry Girls Lament. It certainly sounds similar in the first part, but less so in the second to the Bantry Girls Lament that I’m familiar with, as sung by Tommy Fleming, Mary Black and many others.

…..some unknown person adds an “alternative” title here - and there’s no justification for it mentioned above - doesn’t make it true.

A simple, mournful rendition in various keys.

Pipe version without ornaments.

Lyrics by Lady Nairne (Caroline Oliphant) 1766-1845 - a very soulful and sad song. (At a slower pace than marching pipe bands!) Listen to the late Jean Redpath singing it.

My thoughs are that it’s a song about memories of a happy childhood and yes, there are wistful thoughts of those days which are gone, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a “very … sad song”. Having said that, the majority of performers sing it as if it’s the saddest song in history.

In a band I play with we have a melodeon player who turns everything into a march, and we play “The Rowan Tree” fairly briskly. At one event after we’d played it, a woman stood up at the back and let everyone know of her disapproval.

Rowan Tree was one of the first things learned in my group fiddle class. We all got to know it by heart and I think it can be played both slowly or fairly fast. I’d put it beside “The Four Marys” as an easy tune to play - and that is also a song.

“Fairly fast”?

No faster than this for me, please…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9lOJefTIN0

play video

Yes, lovely version by Jim Reid too: certainly no faster than that for singing it! As for dancing a strathspey to it? Tricky as it isn’t in strathspey timing, tho’ I suppose you could if it’s played slowly: we do play a faster version in a Gay Gordons set.

The last verse of the song is IMHO at least, fairly sad, although, I agree, Nigel, the earlier verses are more nostalgic:

The Rowan Tree Lady Nairne (Caroline Oliphant)
Oh! Rowan Tree Oh! Rowan Tree!
Thou’lt aye be dear to me,
Entwined thou art wi mony ties,
O’ hame and infancy.
Thy leaves were aye the first o’ spring,
Thy flow’rs the simmer’s pride;
There was nae sic a bonny tree
In a’ the countrieside
Oh! Rowan tree!

How fair wert thou in simmer time,
Wi’ a’ thy clusters white
How rich and gay thy autumn dress,
Wi’ berries red and bright.
On thy fair stem were many names,
Which now nae mair I see,
But they’re engraven on my heart.
Forgot they ne’er can be!
Oh! Rowan tree!

We sat aneath thy spreading shade,
The bairnies round thee ran,
They pu’d thy bonny berries red,
And necklaces they strang.
My Mother! Oh, I see her still,
She smil’d oor sports to see,
Wi’ little Jeanie on her lap,
And Jamie at her knee!
Oh! Rowan tree!

Oh! there arose my Father’s pray’r,
In holy evening’s calm,
How sweet was then my Mither’s voice,
In the Martyr’s psalm;
Now a’ are gane! we meet nae mair
Aneath the Rowan Tree;
But hallowed thoughts around thee twine
O’ hame and infancy. Oh! Rowan tree!

And FWIW, we did plant a small rowan bush close to my parents’ grave in Aberdeenshire: it is now a
thriving tree, 17 years since my mother died and 9 years since Dad went. I have been known to play either Rowan Tree or Highland Cathedral (one of their favourites) by their graveside.

Though I don’t personally think this tune would work well as a strathspey it’s certainly possible with adapted 4/4 marches. Here’s Phil Cunningham playing Lord Lovat’s Lament as a scottiche, more commonly played by Fergie MacDonald. From 7.45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7FtBv8f_0

play video

Yes, Fergie does that to a number of tunes: notably Flett Frae Flotta also.

That is Flett from Flotta Phil is playing of course, I wasn’t thinking straight!

Ha-ha! Just shows how bad my hearing is now! “ The eyebrow tune“.