The Laird Of Drumblair strathspey

This is also played as a reel, which was composed by J. Scott Skinner. The reel’s title is “Angus Campbell”. Skinner often wrote tunes in more than one form, i.e. as a strathspey and a reel. I wonder if he did it with this pair?

I understand that Strathspeys are often followed by a reel which is similar to the original tune but may be someone with more knowledge of Scots’ tunes could give us the gen on this.
As regards the tune, although this one is played quite a bit it still holds up pretty well,I think.
Dave

I was taught this version of the tune a few days ago.

E>G|:A2c>A E>Ac>e|a2g>a f>ae>c|(3def (3efg (3aed (3cBA|(3Bcd (3cBA (3G FE (3dcB|
A2c>A E>Ac>e|a2g>a f>ae>c|(3def (3efg (3aed (3cBA|1 (3GFE (3dcB A2 E>G:|
[2 (3GFE (3dcB A2 e>g|:a2e>a c>aA>a|(3cBA e>A a>ec>e|b2f>b ^d>bB>f|
(3^dcB f>B b>f^d>f|a2e>a c>aA>a|(3cBA e>A a>ec>e|(3def (3efg (3aed (3cBA|
[1 (3GFE (3dcB A2 e>g:|2 (3GFE (3dcB A2||

Apart from minor changes in the lead-in notes to the sections, the major difference is the d# in bars 3 and 4 of the B part (I have notated the repetition of the d# in bar 4 for clarity). This gives an extra brightness to the tune.

This tune goes well with another strathspey recently posted on this site, “Little Johnnie’s Hame”.

Yeah, Strathspeys are commonly followed by reels, especially for dancing. Traditonally in Highland dance you do the Strathspey and then either the Highland Reel, 1/2 Tulloch Reel, Reel of Tulloch or Hullachan Reel (which, the Tulloch and Hullachan I’m told are the same dance)

An audio sample (2 speeds) at my tune-learning site : http://www.jim.dorans.dsl.pipex.com/mp3/lairdofdrumblair1.mp3

http://www.jim.dorans.dsl.pipex.com/mp3/lairdofdrumblair2.mp3

Jim

The best version to date that i’ve heard of this tune was by the late jonhnny cunningham on the celtic fiddle festival recording, it’s the last of a set of three strathspeys and when he kicks into it’s reel version it’s an absolute explosion of brilliance… well worth a listen.

In the early 70s, Don MacAlpine, a fellow teacher, friend and neighbor, and proud Scot, introduced me to this tune. National Geographic Magazine had an issue on Scotland. It also had as part of it a tear out floppy vinyl record of the (then)-Scottish National Fiddle Champion. He played this tuen and another whose name I cannot recall. I have posted them transcribed as accurately as I can remember) to the Sibeliusmusic.com website
http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin/show_score.pl?scoreid=32779&storeid=452

I feel that this is a more accurate representation as it contains the traditional Scottish “snap” (accented 16th note on the beat folloowed by a dotted eighth) .

If anyone knows the name of the second tune, I would be most appreciative.

Here’s a video of Johnny Cunningham playing it at the beginning of a set with brother Phil:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGxWWctBtw&NR=1

play video

This is mind-blowing stuff.

Tommy Peoples

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fEFlZLA4Trc

play video

That’s fecking brilliant.

l love this tune. Of course I am not overly talented in any case and I found the tune difficult to master on the mandolin. The B-part seems the most problmatic at first --but in the end the A-part was the hardest for me to polish. Keep in my with my playing polish and in the rough differ marginally. I have never seen the sheet music for Laird O’ Drumblair but I have come up with my own version of that tune as well. It seems to me to be almost the same tune with a few notes left out so it can be played at reel speed?

This can be found in Scott Skinner’s “Scottish Violinist” on p. 10. The original publication sited there is in his “Harp and Claymore”.

An Angus Campbell is on p. 13 as a concert reel.

I used to have an LP with Skinner playing this. A short clip of his playing can be found at
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/audio.php

Tommy Peoples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_UI9Z0Yz0

play video

Hi!
Is there another version maybe for whistle or keylesa flute?
Thanks

I have just published a setting (X: 3) in G for Gianmarco (FromtheWood). When you’re a bit more experienced, you should try it again in A major - it’s perfectly achievable on whistle.

The Laird O’ Dumblair Strathspey, The Ten Pound Fiddle Reel, Baker Reel: http://archive.org/details/TheLairdODumblairStrathspeyTheTenPoundFiddleReelBakerReel

Thanks really Nigel!!

The unknown reel put up on Sibelius (http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/14749.html) by JoelJacklich turns out to be Miller’s Reel (in the Session as ‘The Dawn’) composed by Zeke Bacus.

This tune bears a striking resemblance (0r maybe it’s the other way ’round) to:

https://thesession.org/tunes/3532

That one is “Aggie White’s” (not to be confused with Aggie Whyte’s Chattering Magpies, which is a different tune).

A version from the playing of Tommy Peoples in the aforementioned video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_UI9Z0Yz0

play video

This tune also appears in a Northumbrian Pipers tune book. It fits well on the pipes ( and under the fingers) and is a great tune, as are many of Scott Skinner’s.

In the Tommy Peoples clip linked above, he seems to play G# in the dotted rhythms (bars 2 and 6), but G natural when in the triplets. The G natural is in both octaves. Any thoughts on this? Is this part of the Donegal fiddle tradition? The same goes for his recording on The Bothy Band’s first album, although the G naturals may be bit sharper?

I’ve never give this any thought. If the G natural is consistent, I’d assume it’s a feature of Tommy Peoples’ playing/setting/style/intonation, rather than the Donegal tradition itself.

More on style vs. personal intonation:
https://thesession.org/discussions/20477#comment427848

jeff_lindqvist - Thanks for the link, I hadn’t seen that

The previously posted link to Johnny & Phil Cunningham playing this tune is broken, but here’s a currently working one: https://youtu.be/GZpslt4ouP0?t=242

play video

I’ve made a close (but not quite identical for practical reasons) transcription of the melody line of “The Laird o’Drumblair” from an original Scott Skinner manuscript held by the University of Aberdeen (available online) which has a harmony line/bass part for piano. The melody line is a little different in detail from any of the above settings, especially regarding scotch snaps. Also there are no section repeats. I’ve done the same for the reel setting “Angus Campbell” as Skinner himself arranged it. I’m not going to post an ABC here - you can access (view, download, print) my Word document containing both tunes in staff and ABC notation together with facsimile images of the manuscript originals (which have notes by the composer of especial relevance to fiddle players) here: https://app.box.com/s/dvixl4o2ez5mmuwtadupzpgxqazajurj

Further note - “Angus Campbell” is not an alternative title for the strathspey version. Scott Skinner himself made the 2/4 time reel version which he entitled “Angus Campbell”. It clearly has a linked but distinct identity and it isn’t the closest possible shift note by note between the two forms. IMO the reel really deserves to be listed as a tune in its own right, although clearly Skinner intended that it should (or at least could) be played directly after the strathspey. Refer to my transcription and source document linked in the previous comment to see what I mean.

2m30, then 4m05 :
https://youtu.be/ZiBf5aHuQuU

play video