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The Battle Of Killiecrankie march

Also known as Battle Of Killicrankie, The Battle Of Killicrankie, Gilliecrankie, Killecrankie, Killicrankie, Killiecrankie, The Killiecrankie March, Killycrankie.

There are 13 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with Rothiemurchus Rant (a few times), Argyle Bowling Green (a few times), Feargan (a few times), The Haggis (a few times) and The White Crow (a few times).

The Battle Of Killiecrankie has been added to 36 tunebooks.

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Three settings

X: 1
T: The Battle Of Killiecrankie
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmaj
C6 |: E>F |E<G-G>A G2 E2 | G>EG<A G2 E2 | G>FE>D CDE<F | G4 G2 E<G |
A3 c A2 G2 | A>GA>B A2 G<E | c2 cd e2 dc | A4 A2 e>g |
a2 g>e g2 e>d | e2 d>c e3 d | cBA<G c2 E2 | G4 G2 cB |
A2 GA c2 Ac | d2 cd e3 d | c>BA<G c2 E2 |[1 D4 C2 :|[2 D4 C4 ||
|: e<g-g>a g2 e2 | g>ega g2 e2 | g>fe<d c>de<f | g4 g2 e<g |
a3 c' a2 g2 | a>ga>c' a2 g2 | a>ge<d c>de<g | a4 a2 a<c' |
g2 e>d e2 d>c | d2 c<d e3 d | c>BA<G c2 E2 | G4 G2 cB |
A2 GA c2 Ac | d2 cd e3 d | c>BA<G c2 E2 |[1 D4 C4 :|[2 D4 C2 |]
X: 2
T: The Battle Of Killiecrankie
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmaj
|: C2 |G3 A G2 E2 | G3 A G2 E2 | D2 C2 CDEF | G4 G2 G2 |
A3 c A2 G2 | A2 cB A2 G2 | c3 d e2 c2 | A4 A2 cd |
e2 g2 d2 e2 | c3 d e2 c2 | G3 A c2 E2 | G4 G2 G2 |
A3 A c2 c2 | d3 d e3 d | dcBA GAcE | D4 C2 :|
X: 3
T: The Battle Of Killiecrankie
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: F/G/ |A>B {c/}AF A/F/A/B/ A>F | A>B A/B/d/F/ A2 AF/A/ |
B>c BA B/A/B/d/ BA/B/ | d>e d/e/4f/4e/d/ B2 Bf/a/ |
ba/f/ af/e/ {g/}fe/d/ e>f | d>B A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ |
BA/B/ dB/d/ ed/e/ f>e | d>B A/B/d/F/ TE2 D :|
|: f/g/ |a>b af a/f/a/b/ a>f | a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a2 af/a/ |
b>c' ba b/a/b/c'/ b>a | b/a/f/e/ d/e/f/a/ b2 bf/a/ |
b/a/f/b/ a/f/e/a/ g/f/e/d/ e>f | d>B A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ |
BA/B/ dB/d/ ee f>e | d>B A/B/d/F/ TE2 D :|
|: F |A>B (3A/G/F/ d/F/ (3A/G/F/ d/F/ A>B | D/E/F/G/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ |
B>c B/d/A/d/ B/d/A/d/ BA/B/ | d>e g/f/e/d/ B2 Bf/a/ |
ba/f/ a>b g/f/e/d/ ed/e/ | f/e/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ |
Bd/B/ ce/d/ d/f/b/a/ g/f/e/f/ | d/c/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ E2 D :|
|: f/g/ |a>b a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a>b | a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a2 ad/a/ |
b>c' ba b/a/b/c'/ b>a | b/a/g/f/ e/f/g/a/ b2 bf/a/ |
b/a/f/b/ a/f/e/a/ g/f/e/d/ ed/e/ | f/e/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ |
B/B/B/B/ d/d/d/d/ e/e/e/e/ f/g/f/e/ | d/c/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ TE2 D :|

Eleven comments

“The Battle of Killiecrankie” ~ march, a Cape Breton setting

I’ve several takes on this lovely march, slow and a bit more up tempo. This transcription is taken from a rough recording of Mike MacDougall. It is the first tune in the fifth medly on his "Tape for Father Hector", Cranford Publications, and entered on site here.

I’ll return with some other versions and keys for this lovely march later… In some cases it is played without repeats and in another version it is basically only the A-part, for which the B-part is really only a variation that takes it up an octave for part of the melody. I don’t think I’ve heard a version of it I didn’t like…

“Killiecrankie” ~ K: C Major

This is from Cecil Sharp’s collecting:
"Country Dance Tunes", 1909

|: C2 |
G3 A G2 E2 | G3 A G2 E2 | D2 C2 CDEF | G4 G2 G2 |
A3 c A2 G2 | A2 cB A2 G2 | c3 d e2 c2 | A4 A2 cd |
e2 g2 d2 e2 | c3 d e2 c2 | G3 A c2 E2 | G4 G2 G2 |
A3 A c2 c2 | d3 d e3 d | dcBA GAcE | D4 C2 :|

“The Battle of Killiecrankie” ~ some notes via The Fiddler’s Companion

Scottish, Air and Slow March (cut time). D Major (Aird, O’Farrell): C Major (most versions). Standard. One part = A (Sharp): Two parts = AB (Johnson, Perlman): AABB (Aird): Four parts (variations) =AABBCCDD (O’Farrell). O’Farrell (c. 1806) directs: “Slow.” There appear to be two main versions of “Killiecrankie” tunes, according to Paul Roberts, a Lowland/Williamite version and a Gaelic/Jacobite one…

Scottish, Irish; Slow March (2/4 time) or Set Dance (cut time). D Major. Standard. AB (Kerr): AABB (Roche).

The title commemorates the famous Battle of Killiecrankie, Perthshire, in 1689. ~ the earliest printing of the song appears to be in the Leyden Manuscript of c. 1692, according to John Glen (Early Scottish Melodies). Glen further states: “That portion of (“Killiecrankie”) which is sung to the chorus is still more ancient; it forms part of the tune called “My Mistres blush is bonny” (sic) in the Skene Manuscripts” (c. 1615).

Notes on ‘style’:

McGibbon’s "Scots Tunes, book II", 1746 ~ "Brisk."

The Gow’s 1st Repository, 1799 ~ “very slow.”

O’Farrell’s "Pocket Companion, vol. II", 1806 ~ "Slow."

“Killiecrankie” & the Canadian Maritimes

Played by Maritime fiddlers including on the islands of Cape Breton and Prince Edward…

Mike MacDougall’s tempo ~ 4/4 = 165 bpm

So, in the earlier suggestion of McGibbon ~ "Brisk"…

“Killiecrankie” ~ CALLING ALL PIPERS ~ “O’Farrell’s Pocket Companion”!!! ~ ???

I am sadly lacking some of my resources. I would very much like to see the ABC’s added here for the 4-part take on this tune that is in "O’Farrell’s Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes" 1806 ~ please? I know some of you pipers out there will have it. There was also a reissue done by Patrick Sky, but I’m unsure whether or not this tune was in that. So ~ how’s about it? I still have the D version to place here too…soon…but hope others will contribute too…

Killiecrankie played by Alasdair Fraser

Wow. I love this tune as played on Legacy of the Scottish Fiddle, Vol. 2 by Alasdair Fraser. Just in heaven here listening and had to share.

Bit advanced for me at this point, but looking forward to being able to play it one day. 🙂

Posted by .

“O’Farrell’s Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, Volume II” Dublin, 1806

Pages 102-103: "Killecrankie" ~ with variations

X: 3
T: Killecrankie
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: march
K: Dmaj
N: slow
|: FG |\
A>B{c/}AF A/F/A/B/ A>F | A>B A/B/d/F/ A2 AF/A/ | B/c/B/A/ B/A/B/d/ BA/B/ | d>e d/e/4f/4e/d/ B2 Bf/a/ |
ba/f/ af/e/ {g/}fe/d/ e>f | d>B A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ | BA/B/ dB/d/ ed/e/ f>e | d>B A/B/d/F/ {tr}e2 D2 :|
|: fg |\
a>baf a/f/a/b/ a>f | a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a2 af/a/ | b>c’ba b/a/b/c’/ b>a | b/a/f/e/ d/e/f/a/ b2 bf/a/ |
b/a/f/b/ a/f/e/a/ g/f/e/d/ e>f | d>B A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ | BA/B/ dB/d/ ee f>e | d>B A/B/d/F/ {tr}E2 D2 :|
|: F |\
A>B (3A/G/F/ dF (3A/G/F/ dF A>B | D/E/F/G/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ | B>c B/d/A/d/ B/d/A/d/ BA/B/ | d>e g/f/e/d/ B2 Bf/a/ |
ba/f/ a>b g/f/e/d/ ed/e/ | f/e/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ | Bd/B/ ce/d/ d/f/b/a/ g/f/e/f/ | d/c/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ E2 D2 :|
|: fg |\
a>b a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a>b | a/g/f/e/ d/e/f/g/ a2 ad/a/ | b>c’ ba b/a/b/c’/ b>a | b/a/g/f/ e/f/g/a/ b2 bf/a/ |
b/a/f/b/ a/f/e/a/ g/f/e/d/ ed/e/ | f/e/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ A2 Ad/c/ | B/B/B/B/ d/d/d/d/ e/e/e/e/ f/g/f/e/ | d/c/d/B/ A/B/d/F/ {tr}E2 D2 :|]

Hmmmm, weird lead note & first measure to the 3rd part ~ mixed meter?

Killiecrankie

I’ve been listening to a beautiful recording of this air on Kimberley Fraser’s ‘Heart Behind the Bow’ . Sheumas MacNeil accompanies her on piano. Superb stuff!