The Hills Of Glenorchy jig

Also known as The Hills Of Glen Orchy, Hills Of Glenorchie, The Hills Of Glenurchie, The Hillside, Jockeys Lament, The Jolly Corkonian, Marla Hill Ducks, Mrs. Martin’s Favourite, Over The Hills, The Robin’s Nest, The Rollicking Boys Of Tandaragee, There Came A Young Maiden, The Wild Hills O’ Wannie, The Wild Hills O’Wannie, The Wild Hills O’Wannies.

There are 39 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Hills Of Glenorchy appears in 3 other tune collections.

The Hills Of Glenorchy has been added to 20 tune sets.

The Hills Of Glenorchy has been added to 320 tunebooks.

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Twelve settings

1
X: 1
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:d/c/|B2E EFE|BAB d2B|A2D DED|FDF Adc|
B2E EFE|BAB d2e|dBd AFD|EFE E2:|
|:B|efe edB|efg f2e|ded dAF|dcd fed|
efe edB|efg f2e|dBd AFD|EFE E2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
efe ABA|ede g2e|ded G2G|BGB d2g|
efe ABA|ede g2b|age dBG|A3 A3:|
a3 a3|agb age|g3 g3|gef gfe|
a3 a3|agb age|gfg dBG|1 . ABA efg:|2 . ABA g2f||
efe ~A3|ede gfe|ded ~G3|BGB dgf|
efe ~A3|ede gab|age dBG|1 . ~A3 ABd:|2 . ~A3 A2g||
~a3 age|agb age|~g3 ged|gfg bag|
~a3 age|agb age|~g3 dBG|1 . ~A3 A2g:|2 . ~A3 ABd||
3
X: 3
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
efe ABA|ede g2 e|ded GAG|BGB d2 g|
efe ABA|ede g2 b|age dBG|A3 A3:|
a3 a2 b|agb age|g3 g2 a|gef gfe|
a3 a2 b|agb age|gfg dBG|1 ABA efg:|2 ABA g2 f||
4
X: 4
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Emin
A|B2 E EFE|BAB d2 B|A2 F DED|FEF A2 A|
B2 E EFE|BAB d2 B|A2 F DEF|E3 E2:|
|:B|e2 B e2 B|efg f2 e|d2 A d2 A|def e2 B|
e2 B e2 B|efg f2 e|d2 B A2 F|DEF E2:|
5
X: 5
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Emin
d|:B2 E EFE|BAB d2 B|AFD DED|AFA d2 d|
B2 E EFE|BAB d2 e|dBd AFD|EFE E2d:|
|:efe edB|efg gfe|ded dAB|def fed|
gbg faf|ege BdB|dBd AFD|EFE E2d:|
6
X: 6
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:d|B2 E EFE|BAB d2 B|AFD DED|AFA d2 d|
B2 E EFE|BAB d2 e|dBd AFD|EFE E2:|
|:d|efe edB|efg gfe|ded dAB|def fed|
gbg faf|ege BdB|dBd AFD|EFE E2:|
7
X: 7
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ddor
|:c/B/|AFD DED|AGA cBA|GEC CDC|EDC EFG|
AFD DED|AGA cde|dcA GEC|DED D2:|
|:A|ded dcA|dcd fed|cdc cBA|GAB cGE|
ded dcA|def fed|cBA GEC|DED D2:|
8
X: 8
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
d/>c/|B>EE E>FE|B>AB d2 c/<B/|A>FE D>ED|FDF A2 d/<c/|
B>EE E>FE|BAB e2 d/<c/|d>cB A<FA|BEE E2||
B/d/|e>fe Bcd|e>fe B2 c|d>cB ABc|d>cB A2 d|
e>fe Bcd|e>fe B2 c/>c/|d>cB A<FA|BEE E2||
9
X: 9
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
d|:c|B2E E>FE|BAB d2B|ABA D>DD|FDF Adc|
B2E E>FE|B>AB e3|dcd AFD|E3 E2:|
|:B|efe edB|efg gfe|ded d>BA|def fed|
efe edB|efg gfe|dcd AFD|E3 E2:|
10
X: 10
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
d|BEE EFA|BAB d2B|AFD DED|FAA A2d|
BEE EFA|BAB d2B|Afd AFD|EFE E2:|
|:d|efe edB|efg f2e|ded dAF|ABA ABd
efe edB|efg faf|edB AFD|EFE E2:|
# Added by Moxhe .
11
X: 11
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
a|:ede ABA|ede g3|BAB GDG|BAB d2 g|
ede ABA|ede g2 a|geg dBG|1 ABA A2 a:|2 ABA A2 e||
aba age|aga b2a|gag ged|gdg gbg|
aba age|aga b2a|geg dBG|ABA A2 e|
aba age|aga b2a|gag ged|gdg gbg|
c'c'c' bbb|aaa eed|ege dBG|ABA A2 a||
12
X: 12
T: The Hills Of Glenorchy
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
efe ABA|ede gfe|ded G2G|BGB dgf|
efe ABA|ede gab|age dBG|1 . ABA ABd:|2 . ABA efg||
a3 age|agb age|g3 ged|gfg bag|
a3 age|agb age|gfg dBG|1 . ABA efg:|2 . ABA ABd||

Thirty-six comments

Hills of Glenorchy

This is a fine traditional Scottish jig and popular especially among fiddlers. I’m not sure if it’s already been introduced to Irish musicians, but it seems equally appealing to them.

I’ve just found this tune is being played in Ireland as “Over the Hills.” I heard it in Galway just a few weeks ago and just before now noticed it is on Tap Room Trio album. I’m just listening to the sample through the web page of Claddagh Records but will get the CD soon. Really sounds great.

It seems the fiddlers in Scotland and Cape Breton often play this jig in A dor.

Over the Hills: the Irish Setting in Ador

I’ve just learned the Irish version of this great Scottish jig off the recording of the Tap Room Trio. Here it is:

X: 1
T: Over the Hills
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Ador
efe ABA|ede g2e|ded G2G|BGB d2g|
efe ABA|ede g2b|age dBG|A3 A3:|
a3 a3|agb age|g3 g3|gef gfe|
a3 a3|agb age|gfg dBG|1. ABA efg:|2. ABA g2f||
“Variation”
efe ~A3|ede gfe|ded ~G3|BGB dgf|
efe ~A3|ede gab|age dBG|1. ~A3 ABd:|2. ~A3 A2g||
~a3 age|agb age|~g3 ged|gfg bag|
~a3 age|agb age|~g3 dBG|1. ~A3 A2g:|2. ~A3 ABd||

Harry Bradley informs us that the tune “Over the Hills” comes from the playing of Donegal fiddler Cornelius Boyle and is a variation on the song air “The Rollicking Boys of Tanderagee.”

The variation below is my own, somewhat influenced by the original Scottish setting. (The Edor version posted here is also my own, though.) The Edor version is a little melancholic, but the Ador one is cheerful and more fun to play, especially Harry Bradley’s version. Well, we can choose. Maybe it’s nice to play both settings in one and the same set with Gmaj or Dmaj tune in between.

The Tap Room Trio Version

Here is the more accurate transcription of the Trio’s playing of the tune. More accurate, I mean it may not be exactly the same.

K: Ador
efe ABA | ede g2 e | ded GAG | BGB d2 g |
efe ABA | ede g2 b | age dBG | A3 A3:|
a3 a2 b | agb age | g3 g2 a | gef gfe |
a3 a2 b | agb age | gfg dBG |1 ABA efg:|2 ABA g2 f||

Also known as ‘The Wild Hills O’Wannie(s)’

This tune appears as “The Wild Hills O‘Wannie” on the CD “NOrthumbrian Small Pipes”, and as “The Wild Hills O’Wannies” on Bob Ballantine’s whistle CD “Northumbria Down Under”.
Bob, now residing in Victoria, Australia notes in his CD liner notes:
“My father (Billy Ballantine 1891-1971) made this tune popular in the 1940s-50s on ”Wot Cheor Geordie“… and ”Barndance“,… regular radio shows in Northumbria in the 1940s and 50s. The Wannies are a group of hills in central Northumberland, and words were written to this tune by a homesick Northumbrian living in Canada. My father possessed these words, lent them to a group of Serenaders, and never saw them again.”

The Hills of Glenorchy (aka. Over the Hills)

According to Harry Bradley, this tune is related to the melody of the song “The Rolling Boys of Tanderagee”: https://thesession.org/tunes/1392 I suspect “The Apples in Winter” is a variant of it and found an interesting setting of the well-known tune in this site: https://thesession.org/tunes/1395

There are numerous versions of the tune even in Scotland. It seems pipers usually play simpler settings in Ador. The Donegal version Harry Bradley recently recorded with Jesse Smith is very similar to the Cape Breton version recorded by Ashley MacIsaac and Buddy MacMaster.

As said above, the setting posted here is my own, but it’s mostly based on the Shetland group Filka’s playing.

The Rigged Ship

I learnt this from a Scotswoman in a pub so I thought it was Scottish - but according to the Fiddlers Companion it’s an English jig.

I have been trying to play The Rigged Ship / Haste to the Wedding / Smash the Windows on mandolin - but this is a set of such remorseless jolliness that I can never bring myself to play it to the bitter end.

Well spotted

I learnt it as The Rigged Ship. Later I found it in Mike Raven’s “1,000 English Country Dance Tunes” (p 126). This book is full of Scottish and Irish tunes and I see that the only reference given in The Fiddler’s Companion is Mike Raven again.

I conclude we have a duplicate tune here with an alternative title and it should be treated as such.

The Hillside

Don’t know where it is from or, if anyone plays it but it’s a nice little tune I think it’s Irish. In the second part I thinks its got a dotted rhythm but I don’t know where. Hope you like it

According to the Fiddler’s Companion, it’s in Mike Raven’s book of English dance tunes.

Whats the Fiddler’s companion?

Glenorchy

This is the Scottish tune ‘Hills of Glenorchy’. Never heard it called The Hillside before.

Quickstep, not a Jig

I think the earliest source is James S Kerr, who may even have wrote it. Anyway, the important point is it’s listed as a quickstep, not a jig. Does anyone know how traditional quicksteps used to be danced, and whether faster/slower, jerkier, or whatever?

3’s ~ basically ~ you could do a tune search here on site, just enter ‘quickstep’ and then you could compare the results… As the quickstep came into favour a lot of jigs were put the the business, but frankly, Mr. Kerr aside, who I doubt had anything to do with this tune aside from putting it in his collection, ain’t a great quickstep. It makes a much better jig… ‘Quickstep’ refers to the steps and the dancing, and jigs weren’t the only thing put to the purpose of accompanying this form…

“The Hillside” ~ another duplication rescued?

X: 4
T: Hillside, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: E Dorian
|: d |
B2 E EFE | BAB d2 B | AFD DED | AFA d2 d |
B2 E EFE | BAB d2 e | dBd AFD | EFE E2 :|
|: d |
efe edB | efg gfe | ded dAB | def fed |
gbg faf | ege BdB | dBd AFD | EFE E2 :|

The Hillside ~ Don’t know where it is from or if anyone plays it but it’s a nice little tune. I think it’s Irish. In the second part I thinks its got a dotted rhythm but I don’t know where. Hope you like it.

# Posted on September 23rd 2007 by Nicky.B

According to the Fiddler’s Companion it’s in Mike Raven’s book of English dance tunes (by this title).

# Posted on September 23rd 2007 by Dow

Close Match Here

This is very similar to “The peeler’s away with my daughter”

That tune is in A minor

Here it is:

https://thesession.org/tunes/6541

Posted .

The Hills of Glenorchy

Have just listened to a great rendition of this tune on a CD my mum just sent me for Xmas from Scotland: Best of Scottish Fiddle, by Arc Music. Fiddlers Gavin Marwick (The Iron Horse band) and Jonny Hardie (Old Blind Dogs band). The tune is played as an air but is usually a jig.

Them there hills

The hills of Glenorchy is usually played as a 6/8 march round these here parts.

Bobby MacLeod plays it as the middle tune on his “After the Games” set, right before the classic John Morrison of Assent House. So get your gramaphones wound up and give it a spin in good old 78 stylie. As Tommy would say; “thats jest solidmahog” .

Anyone know the names of the two jigs Ashley MacIsaac follows this one with on his album? My fanboy fiddle student wants to know!

X:1
T:The Jolly Corkonian
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:jig
K:Ddor
|:c/2B/2|AFD DED|AGA cBA|GEC CDC|EDC EFG|
AFD DED|AGA cde|dcA GEC|DED D2:|
|:A|ded dcA|dcd fed|cdc cBA|GAB cGE|
ded dcA|def fed|cBA GEC|DED D2:|

“The Hillside” duplication ~ adding the back slash \

X: 4
T: Hillside, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: EDor
|: d |\
B2 E EFE | BAB d2 B | AFD DED | AFA d2 d |
B2 E EFE | BAB d2 e | dBd AFD | EFE E2 :|
|: d |\
efe edB | efg gfe | ded dAB | def fed |
gbg faf | ege BdB | dBd AFD | EFE E2 :|

# Posted on September 23rd 2007 by Nicky.B

X: 1
T: the hills of glenorchy
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: march
K: Edor
d |: c | B2E E>FE | BAB d2B | ABA D>DD | FDF Adc |
B2E E>FE | B>AB e3 | dcd AFD | E3 E2 :|
||: B | efe edB | efg gfe | ded d>BA | def fed |
efe edB | efg gfe | dcd AFD | E3 E2 :|

The Hills Of Glenorchy, X:8

This version appears in P.W. Joyce’s Old Irish Music and Songs (1909), vol. 1, p. 117, No. 241, as Mrs. Martin’s Favourite.

Posted by .

The Hills Of Glenorchy, X:9

This version of “The Hills of Glenorchy” is from a live recording of a Thursday-night Glencoe Mills dance played by Buddy MacMaster and Joey Beaton.

From the liner notes to the excellent compilation “The Heart of Cape Breton” (the liner notes themselves can be downloaded at the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings web site at http://www.folkways.si.edu/the-heart-of-cape-breton/celtic-old-time-world/music/album/smithsonian ):

"The stage is so small, the hall typically so crowded, that we were unable to put a microphone on a stand to record Buddy’s fiddle. As a result, this track is recorded directly from Buddy’s contact mic, held to the fiddle by a rubber band.

Buddy and Joey play a group of jigs…for a first figure. Buddy has a very distinctive, very powerful approach to playing jigs, and Joey’s strong piano provides excellent backing. … The fourth jig, “The Hills of Glenorchy,” is an old Scottish tune, one of Buddy’s trademarks… Buddy played the dance, which began at 10pm and ran until 1am, after having played for about three hours in a bandstand in a park in Inverness."

Even though I haven’t notated Buddy’s articulative choices in this transcription, the entire set of jigs (including this tune) is an excellent and transparently expressed (Mac)master class in how to articulate jigs in Cape Breton style. The alternation between cuts and taps in the B part is especially exciting!

According to Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index, this seems to be a pretty popular jig on Cape Breton recordings — recorded most frequently in its Ador setting, with occasional occurrences of the Edor setting:
http://www.cbfiddle.com/rx/tune/t262.html

Re: The Hills Of Glenorchy

I note the various comments re being a jig or a dotted 6/8 march, but sounds brilliant and very wistful/atmospheric if played as a slow air. You could play it slowly first time, then up it to a slow 6/8 march second time through.

Re: The Hills Of Glenorchy

Deja vu: was about to say the same again. I do like the slow version!
Of all the versions given above, more like X9, but with more dottedness in the second half of the tune.

Re: The Hills Of Glenorchy

It’s a Highland Bagpipe tune with multiple versions from the Ceol Sean archive of pipe music.
(#2994 t0 #3003). https://ceolsean.net/content/mindex3.html#anchor8

Bruachan Ghlinn Urachaidh if you want the Gaelic

Remarkable how tunes get their origins and names changed and altered over time.

Cheers now

Joddy