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Flora Macdonald reel

Also known as Flora MacDonald’s, McDonald’s, Miss Flora MacDonald’s, Thearlaich! Nan Tigeadh Tu.

There are 23 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

Flora Macdonald appears in 1 other tune collection.

Flora Macdonald has been added to 7 tune sets.

Flora Macdonald has been added to 178 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Five settings

1
X: 1
T: Flora Macdonald
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:E2EF BFEF|E2EF dFDF|DEEF EFGA|BGAG FD DF:|
f2ef beef|g2gb agfd|(3eee ed efga|bgag fd dF|
f2ef beef|g2gb agfd|(3eee ed efga|bgag fe de|
BEBA BEEe|BEB^c dBAe|BEBA B^cde|fde^c dBAF|
BEBA BEEe|BEBA BEEe|BEE^c dBAc|(3BBB B^c dfdf|^cece dB A2|
2
X: 2
T: Flora Macdonald
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:~E3F BFDF|~E3F dFDF|E2ED EFGA|BGAG FEDF:|
|:E2ed eEED|Eeef dBAd|B2ed Bcde|1 fdec dBAF:|2 fdec dBAg||
f2ef beef|g3g gaef|gfeg bag(f|f3)^d bagf|
gfeg beg(g|g3)g ^gaef|gfec dBAF|FG2G FEFD||
3
X: 3
T: Flora Macdonald
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
|:E2EF BFDF|E2EF dFDF|E2EF G2GA|BGAG FDDF:|
|:Beed eEEF|Eee^c dBAF|Eee^c d2de|1 fde^c dBAF:|2 fde^c dBAg||
|:f2ef beef|g2gb agfd|e2ed efga|1 bgag fddf:|2 bgag fedc||
|:BEBA BEEe|BEB^c dBAe|1 BEBA B^cde|
fde^c dBAF:|2 B/B/B B^cd2 de|^c/d/e cA dBAF||
4
X: 4
T: Flora Macdonald
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
F|:E2 (EF) BFEF|E2 (EF) dFDF|E2 (EF) EFGA|BdAd FDAF:|
|:Eee^d eEEF|Eee^c dDAF|Eeed B^cde|faef dDAF:|
5
X: 5
T: Flora Macdonald
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
F|E2 EF BFEF|E2 EF dFDF|E2 EF EFGA|(B/c/d) AG FDD:|
F|E(ee)d eEEF|E(ee)c dDAF|Eeed BcdB|(e/f/g) Tfe dDD:|
# Added by Tadhg .

Eleven comments

Thanks for uploading this. It was beginning to become a pain trying to learn it by ear.

Corrections :

The last line has bar 1 repeated twice - I think this is an error as it ends up giving a 5 bar phrase at the end.
Also, it’s in E minor - same key signature as G, but the chord structure would be in Em.

Is this not the reel version of Bog an Lochan?

hmm i believe the last note of the last bar of the the second line should be one octave higher…

Re: Flora Macdonald

I’m only now realizing this tune’s similarities to Bog An Lochain (or Atholl Cummers?)… obviously. Duh!🥴 Maybe there’s a reason as to why I’ve heard them commonly played together. Ya think?! 😵‍💫😂 Wendy MacIsaac does a nice little set of Bog An Lochain/Flora MacDonald/Hull’s reel. I’ve also heard it with Nine Pint Coggie, Lamey’s, Prince Charlie’s, etc. All E tunes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9znnZioUk4

Re: Flora Macdonald

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VF90m2C853k&pp=ygUXTmF0YWxpZSBmbG9yYSBtYWNkb25hbGQ%3D


This is yet another AMAZING, and unexpected, ‘slow air’ version of this tune--but with a jazz twist. I mean… I hope more people out there hear this. I hope this arrangement is appreciated in the world! I think it’s Grammy worthy. Seriously. One of Natalie MacMaster’s finest moments; Flora MacDonald as a slowed-down, jazz-inspired ballad. So much variation, subtlety, interesting counterpoint & accompaniment of just the piano, guitar & double bass. It’s ethereal but also somewhat “lost”-sounding, like almost apathetic or disillusioned. Natalie starts the track with just the standard setting of the tune (maybe a bit Nata-fied). Then, the second time through, she gets down a little more, and then it peaks & crescendos, before a calming piano bridge… then she revisits the CCDD parts of the tune again, only slightly more embellished, melodic variations with interesting staccato bowing, open E/fourth finger double-stops. The whole track ends with a very melancholy minor chord. Her variations are just so full of emotion!!