The Orange And Blue (strathspey) on The Session

Gan Ainm

This is a Northern Irish reel version of the Scottish strathspey known as "Orange & Blue" or "Brochan Lom". More information later.

If I’m not mistaken, ‘Brochan Lom’ is Gallic (Scots Gaelic) for ‘Thin Porridge’.

I’ve heard a version of this reel on a live recording by The Ceili Bandits.

Brochan Lom

I first heard this reel version of the strathspey/schottische "Brochan Lom" played at a session in Mullagh, Co. Clare, by a fiddler who I was told was named Seamus Sands. I think he came from Newry. The only two other occasions I’ve heard it played since then was by that fine flute player, Leon Agnew, in Miltown Malbay, and also, as David says , on a recording by "The Ceili Bandits". I posted it as "Gan Ainm" because someone may wish to post the original Scottish version some day - either as "Brochan Lom" or "Orange & Blue", which was recently requested. Makes a fine flute tune , I think, and deserves to be played more.

Another Irish setting of this tune is known as a reel called Kitty Jones’: https://thesession.org/tunes/2499

Fling Setting

Submitted on December 22nd 2002 by Trevor Jennings: https://thesession.org/tunes/1245

In Triplicate ~ another Highland Fling

Without the repeats, triplicate or no, in its 16 bar form this is a classic highland fling, swung and snapped to if you like…

Puirt

Brochan lom, tana lom, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan lom, tana lom, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan lom, tana lom, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan lom ‘s e tana lom ‘s e brochan lom na sùghain

Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan lom ‘s e tana lom ‘s e brochan lom na sùghain

Thugaibh aran dha na gillean leis a’ bhrochan sùghain
Thugaibh aran dha na gillean leis a’ bhrochan sùghain
Thugaibh aran dha na gillean leis a’ bhrochan sùghain
Brochan lom ‘s e tana lom ‘s e brochan lom na sùghain

Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan tana, tana, tana, brochan lom na sùghain
Brochan lom ‘s e tana lom ‘s e brochan lom na sùghain.

“The Orange and Blue” ~ rescued duplication

“Orange and Blue” ~ more usually swung ~ & 16 bars, not 32

For such a highland, including this one, in general, they aren’t 32 bars but 16, commonly with a long second ending for the B-part, and defining the basic structure for the dances the tune is meant for.

“The Orange and Blue Highland” ~ 16 bars & with some differences 8-)

In the case of these ‘versions’, and check them all, both the A and the B part have that long second ending, 2 1/2 bars worth, and shared, meaning the same for both the A & B parts, which is further hint that the parts DO NOT REPEAT and the tune is structured melodically to be 16 bars, not 32… The dances also tend to be 16 bars, though there are also ‘short’ or ‘single’ versions that are 8 bars in length…

X: 3
T: Orange And Blue, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: Gmaj
d>c |\
B<G G2 D<G G2 | B>c (3dcB G2 A>G | F<D D2 [A,A]<D D2 | F>G (3AGF D2 d>c |
B<G G2 D<G G2 | B>cd>B G2 c>d | e>cd>B c>AB<G | F>A (3DEF G2 ||
d>c |\
B<d d2 B<dd>c | B>c (3dcB G2 A>G | F<A A2 F<AA>G | F<DA>F D2 d>c |
B<d d2 B<dd>c | B>cd>B G2 c>d | e>cd>B c>AB<G | A>F (3DEF G2 |]

X: 3
T: Orange And Blue, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: Dmaj
a>g |\
f>dd/d/d A>dd/d/d | f>ga<f d2 e>d | c>AA/A/A E>AA/A/A | c>de<c A2 (3bag |
f>d d2 A>d d2 | f>da<f d2 (3fga | b>ga<f g>ef<d |e>c (3ABc d2 ||
a>g |\
f<a a2 f<a a2 | f>da<f d2 (3def | g<b b2 g<b b2 | g>eb<g e2 a>g |
f<a a2 f<a a2 | f>da<f d2 (3fga | b>ga<f g>ef<d | c>eA<c d2 |]

Down ~ or ~ Up

In the B-part there one can down or up, both ways given above, down on version 3 ~ A>G | F<A A2 F<AA>G | ~ and, Oops!, I forgot to change the number, but, up on that last version ~ (3def | g<b b2 g<b b2 | ~

I’m not sure if the tune was meant for a schottische, Ceol. It most likely started out as a strathspey. If the "Orange and Blue" is its original title (which there seems to be little evidence for or against) then I would imagine that refers to the colours of the Williamite contingent - who were around before the schottische and its derivatives came to these shores.
It could be a reference to the follow on from those days - they of strange practices in july.

It would be an interesting trail to follow.

Category: Strathspey / Barndance

It would be better suited filed under ‘strathspey’, or ‘barndance’ rather than as it is at present, under ‘reel’…

DUPLICATION! ~ This submission too!!! ~ earlier: “Allt-y-Caethiwed”

Submitted on December 22nd 2002 by Trevor Jennings.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1245

Though, to be fair, Kenny has it as a Northern ‘reel’ version of the melody… (I need my sleep!) I was sure this was here in a swung version but followed the link offered in swisspiper’s duplication, instead of chasing up this earlier one myself, as I’d usually have done.

Desperately needed ~ more sleep and less fretting!!! :-D

Whether it started life as a strathspey or not, which is the category favoured for ‘Highland Schottisches’ and ‘Highland Flings’, the dance it was used for in Ireland was the ‘highland fling’, and it had a wide presence on that island as a 16 bar tune for dancing to…

It’s a trail I’d love to follow too…

~ to continue to follow… ;-)

The "Highland Fling" was invented by people who realised they had nothing better to do after removing their previous source of amusement. They could no longer harass the tenants of their estates by demanding more rent and threatening to burn the piper’s hut if they didn’t get their groats.
There were only sheep grazing the hills.
Instead, they reinvented Highland culture and brought in dance steps more akin to ballet and that of the French Court than those steps the pre-sheep inhabitants used to amuse themselves with in the piper’s hut.

There are somewhat dubious stories about old victory dances and imitating stags etc, but the "fling" was a whim of the Victorian "Highland Societies".

There are elements of taking the pee and some serious parts in my little rant above.

You don’t say, :~p

In my source this is given as "Music for the <Highland Schottische>" together with the Pinacree Ferryman
https://thesession.org/tunes/1930
files as a reel here too, but that’s not a reel either…

Highland Schottische / Highland Fling

It’s the same basic dance ~ 16 bars, and themusic is usually swung, with snaps…

The ‘country dance’ folk, RSCDS for example, are likely the ones that took to doubling the parts, and something similar has happened at times in Ireland when taking them as reels, more usually single reels, but doubled too…

"You don’t say, :~p"

Aye, but I had to include the disclaimer. That way, any inexactitudes can be put down to taking the pee, and any exactitudes can be claimed as words of wisdom.

“The Fiddle Music of Scotland” ~ Jame Hunter

Tune 354: "Orange and Blue" - under ‘Miscellaneous’

~ as played by Bill Hardie as a 16 bar Highland Schottische…

“Orange and Blue” ~ 1887

X: 5
T: Orange and Blue
B: Keith Norman MacDonald’s "The Skye Collection", 1887, page 121
N: so swung it is given here as jig or strathspey
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig setting
K: CMaj
f |\
e2 c cBc | G2 c E2 c | e2 c ege | c3 c2 e | f2 d dcd | A2 d d2 c | B2 G BdB | G3 G2 f |
c2 c c3 | B2 c E2 c | e2 c ege | c3 c2 g | a2 f g2 e | f2 d e2 c | BdB GAB | c3 c2 ||
f |\
e2 g gag | e2 g gag | e2 c ege | c3 c2 e | f2 a ac’a | f2 a ac’a | f2 d faf | d3 d2 f |
e2 g gag | e2 g gag | e2 c ege | c3 c2 g | afa geg | fdf ece | BdB GAc | c3 c2 |]
M: 4/4
R: Strathspey
f/ |\
e>c (3cBc G>cE>c | e>c (3ege c2 c>e | f>d (3dcd A>dd>c | B>G (3BdB G2 G>f |
c>c c2 B>cE>c | e>c (3ege c2 c>g | a>fg>e f>de>c | (3BdB (3GAB c2 c3/ ||
f/ |\
e>g (3gag e>g (3gag | e>c (3ege c2 c>e | f>a (3ac’a f>a (3ac’a | f>d (3faf d2 d>f |
e>g (3gag e>g (3gag | e>c (3ege c2 c>g | (3afa (3geg (3fdf (3ece | (3BdB (3GAB c2 c3/ |]

A transposition will follow… ;-) Note, yet again, 16 bars…

7th bar ~ A & B

These are equivalent bars and either way can fit the A or the B part…

~ | a>fg>e f>de>c | ~ equivalent ~ | (3afa (3geg (3fdf (3ece | ~

I’ll add a transposition of this version for comparison, after I’ve finish other tasks…

Skinner’s “Balmoral Schottische”

Skinner was a dancing master. The "Balmoral Schottische" (an indication of its toff origins) was the "Highland Scottische"
Here is his tune for the dance - 2x8 repeated bars. A 32 bar jobbie:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/display.php?ID=JSS0746

The "Orange and Brochan Blue Lom" just sounds boring with repeats. It may be that I’m so used to hearing it without. Our box player (in a previous band) would insist on playing the repeats. If you like the steps and tune parts neat and proper, then 16 bar tunes are more suited. 32 bars work, you just cover more times round the dance before the tune ends. Most tunes that are typically played for the dance are better when they finish anyway, so 16 bars is probably enough.

Anyway, Skinner felt that a 32 bar number was suitable.

It’s not worth busting a gut over.

"Our box player (in a previous band) would insist on playing the repeats" and was severely reprimanded each time.

Should have explained.

Skinner also wrote them 16 bars…

To fit the dance… It is ‘dance music’ after all…

There is, however, also 32 bar ‘schottisches’ / ‘barndances’. They are related, but they aren’t the same tune-wise or dance-wise, though they share certain things, like steps and, generally, swing…

Skinner’s "Balmoral Schottische" ~ isn’t a highland schottische / highland fling, and the melodic structure speaks to 32 bars not 16… It would be best to learn the dances to know the differences. The fit, music to dance, is wonderful, 16 bars to 16 bars for the various dances known as ‘highland flings’…

For highland flings/schottisches the long second ending more usually only happens with the B-part of the music, fitting perfectly the usual ending and stepping for the dance…

"Skinner’s "Balmoral Schottische" ~ isn’t a highland schottische "

Aye it is. Why would he call it a Balmoral Schottische?

"It would be best to learn the dances to know the differences. "

I’ve been calling The Highland Schottische in ceilidhs for centuries. Even in the Highlands. Geez.

This is the way it’s danced in my neck of the woods.

You could use "Kitty Bairdie" either with or without repeats.

With, the dance would go round twice for the length of the tune, without the repeats it would go once. Nae difference.

Weejie, believe it or not,there is a difference between a ‘schottische’ and a ‘highland schottische’. I’ll have to dig out my Skinner stuff, as I may be crossing wires, but I have played Scott Skinner tunes that were 16 bars, called ‘highland schottisches’ and had that tell tale second ending on the B-part. AND ~ I have played hundreds of 32 bar schottisches, not forgetting a load of dancers from just about every corner of this planet that are ‘in the family’, 16 and 32 bars, and other curious counts… But on the Skinner thing, I’ll have to check what we’ve got here, if I can find it.

But, the melodic structure between the 16 bar and 32 bar tunes is, in most cases, obvious…

Yes, it’s a schottische, but ~ … :-/ Nuff said, back to the music…

~ a load of dances ~ that ‘r’ just slipped in there naturally… ;-)

"Weejie, believe it or not,there is a difference between a ‘schottische’ and a ‘highland schottische’."

I’m well aware of that. However, a "Balmoral Schottische" is a "Highland Schottische".

"But, the melodic structure between the 16 bar and 32 bar tunes is, in most cases, obvious"

Really? Do you think I don’t know that?

It doesn’t affect dancing the Highland Schottische to Brochan Lom or Kitty Bairdie - the dance works with or without the repeats.

You are beginning to sound like some old dear at a Country Dance Association gig - one of those that can only dance to records.

The only discernable difference between playing something like Kitty Bairdie with repeats or not, is that if the repeats are played, the musicians start getting very bored. Possibly the dancers too, but there is no difference rhythmically between the two parts.

It’s a bit like ironing your underpants.

“Orange and Blue” ~ the promised transposition (dinner is in the oven)

X: 6
T: Orange and Blue
B: Keith Norman MacDonald’s "The Skye Collection", 1887, page 121
N: transposed from C to G Major, with minor adjustments
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Strathspey
K: GMaj
c/ |\
B>G (3GFG D>GB,>G | B>G (3BdB G2 G>B | c>A (3A^GA E>AA>=G | F>D (3FAF D2 D>c |
B>G (3GFG D>GB,>G | B>G (3BdB G2 G>d | e>cd>B c>AB>G | (3FAF (3DEF G2 G3/ ||
c/ |\
B>d (3ded B>d (3ded | B>G (3BdB G2 G>B | c>e (3ege c>e (3ege | c>A (3cec A2 A>c |
B>d (3ded B>d (3ded | B>G (3BdB G2 G>d | (3ece (3dBd (3cAc (3BGB | (3FAF (3DEF G2 G3/ |]

The only real change is the 5th bar of the A-part, making it ‘agree’ with the first bar… As before, the 7th bar of each part is really the same, just variations of one another… ;-)

I can only suggest you learn the dances…

Consider me an ‘old dear’, I’ve little patience for the general run of ‘country dance’ balls, or ‘dress up’, but I have a long passion for dance and for the music that accompanies it, and for making it easier on dancers where possible, helping to define the dance with the inherent rhythm, beat and phrase, in the music.. As well as teaching both the music and the dance and travelling a lot to learn from those that had it at their roots and had danced it and played for dance more intensely and regularly that I have or ever will. Ignorance, and my own too, is nothing rare, I run into it a lot, including when knocking around in my own oddly wired brain, and sometimes walking into walls…

It’s counter productive when name calling is the last resource… I’ll bow to your greater knowledge and leave this discussion as it is… It wouldn’t be the first time and it won’t be the last…

Best of health to you and yours and your music too… And, thanks for the generally value comments…

There are a few weird sentences there, proof of my exhaustion, lost sleep and consequent disorder ~ "As well as ~" Huh? The thought strayed, as seems to be too often lately. "As well as ~" I’ve also - done a lot of travelling and searching and asking questions, with the greater focus, where possible, on ‘living sources’ rather than musty old books. But, I’ve spent a lot of time in libraries and musty old books too… But that matters for not, except to me. I’ll continue to ask questions and explore…

Actually, most of what I know and value most was courtesy of the generosity and good spirits of ‘old dear’, but, on the whole, the music was live, not recorded… Bless ‘em. I miss them. Mind you, it only worked if I didn’t assume I already knew it all. Sadly we tend to get more set in our ways and opinions, to fossilize, as we get older. It is a constant battle to overcome that… :-D

" can only suggest you learn the dances.."

I’ve danced the Highland Schottische in my sleep. Actually played for it on a TV advert too (that was well paid).

Needing the tune only to last the length of one round of the dance is somewhat anal. There is no rhythmical difference between the strains of most common tunes used for the dance, and repeating the thing is not going to upset anyone but the most pernickety of dancers (but bore the players).
So long as it’s not overdone to the extent that the dancers are knackered before the tunes are complete.
It is neater if you use 16 bar renditions - but, as I suggested, only in the context that ironing your underpants makes them theoretically neater.

Skinner only mentions filling "8 bars of the music" and "the other bars of the strain", not the tune. His instructions just about sum up how the dance came from toffsville:

"Schottische means just "Scotch Dance" of which there are several varieties. This one makes a delightful round dance, and it is very suitable for ordinary dancers. Its introduction was opportune to prevent the Strathspey step, which had been danced for centuries, from going out, as it was threatening to do.
Prizes are often given at Games for the Highland Schottische, and are competed for by amateurs, the lady partner in the winning couple getting the prize. The same thing might be done at Balls. This would help to preserve the step to which we have referred.
The Highland Schottische is executed in the following manner:- The lady begins with right foot, and the gentleman with left. Beat before and behind, but not like the 2nd step of the Marquis of Huntly’s Highland Fling.This step must be learned, and, as we have already said, ought certainly to be preserved.
Having executed it, glide 1, 2, 3, hop - lady to right, gentleman consequently to left.Both, of course, go in the same directions, but, being opposite, the lady’s right is the gentleman’s left. Repeat this and return. Then take 8 hops round, always taking care when the foot is lifted to keep a perpendicular line from the ankle to the calf. All this fills 8 bars of the music.
Occasionally the gentleman dances Fling steps to the Highland Schottische- breaking away to the left, and back with the usual first step round the leg, counting 4, and 1, 2, 3, to the left; then doing the same with right and returning. He then joins his partner, and goes merrily round to the other bars of the strain.
While the gentleman is executing his solo steps the lady may either dance the same steps (if not considered too wild) or she may be content to execute the Strathspey step already referred to.
It is very important that strict time be kept in the Highland Schottische. The music should be slower than Strathspey time, and well marked."

The dance wasn’t all that popular with the ceilidh dancers at Glasgow Uni - only a smaller percentage would get up, compared with the enthusiastic reaction to less twee jives.

We played a gig in Kingussie, with Alasdair Gillies doing the calling. You cannae get much more pernickety than him (I believe he makes an appearance on "Four Weddings and a Funeral"). He didn’t seem too bothered about the tunes lasting 16 bars or 32, so long as the tempo was right, and the accent.

‘old dears’

‘old dears’ ~ I miss them, all my teachers, friends, great characters, and generally not burdened with taking themselves too seriously ~ good fun, not limited to just music and dance… But there were a few hard asses too, and they were also interesting, informative, good craic if you lucked out and caught them in a good mood…

Was it "Alasdair" or "Andrew Gillies" - or another Gillies? Must be getting older…

We played for a group of Country dancers in Kirkwall a good few lives ago. They couldn’t handle dancing to live music. You could get them dancing to a record with us playing along, turn the volume down, with just us playing, then bring it up, and we’d be in exactly the same spot - but when we played they couldn’t handle it. It wasn’t our playing, honest!

‘twee jives’ - still resorting to pejorative descriptions… It’s down to a difference in experiences and attitude. I need to bow out of this as planned. Besides, there’s some tunes calling for attention, and dinner too…

Interesting history, enjoyed the read…

Admitting limitations, the greater experience I have with highland flings, tunes and dances, is to do with Ireland… But I do like Scott Skinner tunes, and his dance manuals, if not his fiddling…

Dinner is served…

"’twee jives’ - still resorting to pejorative descriptions… "

I’m sorry, but I’m never going to take the Highland Schottische as seriously as Mr Skinner. It’s a good jive, but it’s still twee.

It’s not like I haven’t resorted to pejorative terms descriptions before, and to do with RSCDS balls for one… I suppose it all depends, the Irish take on these things, and as I’ve had it elsewhere, ‘twee’ wouldn’t enter into my mind. But, in a Scottish RSCDS setting, I’d probably escape to the nearest pub for a nice single malt and avoid the pejoratives…

Most things ‘Scottish’ for me, were through the musicians and dancers of Ireland, but I’ve cut a few capers with the RSCDS too, but I prefer single malts, straight, to ‘twee jives and jivin’…

Skinner, the man did make some damned fine tunes, but even most of those I’ve had fun with were via Ireland and Cape Breton, the Canadian Maritimes ~ places that have been ‘home’ and are still considered so… And great for the music and dance and the craic…

Dinner was scrumptious, simple comfort food…

Actually, I missed posting a link earlier - when I said this is the way it was danced in my neck of the woods. I was forgetting that Kitty Bairdie was only half as long as Brochan Lom.

If you see this, which is the way it’s danced in my neck of the woods, you’ll find that the dance goes in the space of one part of Brochan Lom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QWZF1mGsfU

play video

It really doesn’t matter if you repeat it, the steps are the same either way.

Yes, while I see what you mean, that’s the ‘short’ version, 8 measures worth, and just about any 8 bars will work for it, though there are tunes best suited to it. The ‘long’ versions of this family of dances are all 16 bars in length ~ 2-hand, 3-hand, and 4-hand - and then there’s the 8-hand dances…

:-P I prefer ‘other’ ways… I’m never going to be a fan of Miss Milligan and her cronies and inheritors and their way with such things… But, it generally keeps their likes off the streets and out of the pubs…

Just to throw another spanner in the works - the ‘schottische’ did not originate in Scotland, however much folks would like to lay claim on it as such… But I’m not going to waste more time on that, as the effort probably wouldn’t count for much. Folks believe the fantasies that suit them, myself as well, but - I have spent considerable time and effort working past my own preconceptions and ignorance, a lifelong pursuit…

~ not forgetting to repeat and stress the plural in all this ~ ‘dances’…

"that’s the ‘short’ version"

It’s the one you’ll find in ceilidhs up here.

"the ‘schottische’ did not originate in Scotland, however much folks would like to lay claim on it as such… "

I’ve yet to find a Scot who thinks it did. There’s some pretty bad spellers up here, but most recognise that the word is from a foreign place. The steps, as I’ve already said, are as contrived as Skinner’s stage garb.
However, I prefer the Norwegian derivative - the Reinlendar. there’s not much twee in that jive.

From a recipe book published by a local mill:

[ Brochan

Put 2 heaped tablespoons oatmela into a bowl. Pour over 1 pint milk and stir well. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and stir again. Leave standing for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Pour off liquid into a saucepan and bring almost to the boil, stirring all the time. Sweeten to taste with comb honey if possible.]

A bit too milky and I would be adding salt instead of honey - I like pinhead porridge. Just oatmeal, water and a pinch of salt.

Nearly as much stirring involved in that recipe as there is in the comments here.

I too love pinhead oatmeal, especially steel cut, and enjoy it with a little maple syrup instead of honey, and other little luxuries I like to throw in the mix, one of my all time favourite breakfasts…

The Orange And Blue, X:7

Setting as played at the Golden Guinea pub session, Bristol, UK.

My son goes to the Gaelic school here in Glasgow and sings Brochan Lom. One of the first songs he came home with. Only he only sang the first part (A part) Which of course got stuck in my head and would randomly come out on flute. Glad to have part two.

Knew there was something familiar about Kitty Jones reel as well. Just never clicked till today……….

The Orange And Blue strathspey

Eight settings

Sixty-four comments