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John MacDonald Of Glencoe march

By William Lawrie

Also known as John McDonald Of Glencoe.

There are 11 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

John MacDonald Of Glencoe has been added to 1 tune set.

John MacDonald Of Glencoe has been added to 25 tunebooks.

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Two settings

1
X: 1
T: John MacDonald Of Glencoe
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
|:e/>d/|c/<e/A Aa|c/>A/c/<e/ fe/>d/|ce Ac|B/<G/B/>c/ de/>d/|
c/<e/A Aa|c/>A/c/<e/ fe/>d/|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A:|
|:c/>d/|eA/>c/ ag/>f/|eA ce|df/>d/ c/<A/e/>c/|B/<G/B/>c/ dc/>d/|
[1 eA/>c/ ag/>f/|eA cd|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A:|
[2 ea ce|A/>A/A/>B/ cd|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A||
e/>d/|cA/>c/ c/<e/A/>c/|df/<a/ ec/<A/|cA/>c/ c/<e/A/>c/|BG/>B/ B/<e/d/>B/|
cA/>c/ c/<e/A/>c/|df/<a/ ec/<A/|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA Ae/>d/|
cA/>c/ c/<e/A/>c/|df/<a/ ec/<A/|c/<e/A/<c/ cA/<c/|BG/>B/ B/<e/d/>B/|
cA/>c/ c/<e/A/>c/|df/<a/ ec/<A/|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A||
|:c/>d/|ea ag/>f/|eA ce|df/>d/ c/<A/e/>c/|B/<G/B/>c/ [1 dc/>d/|
ea ag/>f/|eA cd|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A:|
[2 d/>f/e/>c/|d/>c/B/>c/ A/>B/c/>d/|e/>A/c/<e/ fe/>d/|c/>d/e/>A/ c/>B/d/<G/|BA A||
2
X: 2
T: John MacDonald Of Glencoe
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
|:e>d|c<e A2 A/A/A a2|c<A c<e f2 e>d|c2 e2 A/A/A c2|B<G B>c d>f e>d|
c<e A2 A/A/A a2|c<A c<e f2 e>d|c2 {d}e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2:|
|:c>d|e2 A>c a2 g>f|e2 A/A/A c2 e2|d2 f>d c<A e>c|B<G B>c d2 c>d|
[1 e2 A>c a2 g>f|e2 A/A/A c2 d2|c2 {d}e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2:|
[2 e2 a2 c/c/c e2|A2 A/A/A c2 d2|c2 {d}e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2||
|:e>d|c2 A>c c<e A>c|d2 f<a e2 c<A|c<e A>c c2 A>c|B2 G>B B<e d>B|
c2 A>c c<e A>c|d2 f<a e2 c<A|c2 {d} e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2:|
|:c>d|e2 a2 a2 g>f|e2 A/A/A c2 e2|d2 f>d c<A e>c|B<G B>c d2|
[1 c>d|e2 a2 a2 g>f|e2 A/A/A c2 d2|c2 {d}e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2:|
[2 e>c|d>c B<c A>B c>d|e>A c<e f2 e>d|c2 {d} e>A c>B d>G|B2 A2 A2||

Eleven comments

John MacDonald of Glencoe

4-part pipe march - one of my favourites and quite well known i think. Written by Pipe Major William Lawrie, the famous piper and composer.

John MacDonald Of Glencoe

Yes, this is one of the all time greats of 2/4 marches. A beauty to say the least.

John MacDonald Of Glencoe

My goodness, mate, this tune is amazing!! It’s so fast!!

John MacDonald Of Glencoe

It shouldn’t be played fast. MacSgianMhor has listed it as a polka because that way the notation comes out like a 2/4 march. Think of it more as a barndance, emphasizing the heavy doted rhythm. If you happen to be unfamiliar with 2/4 pipe marches then it’s pretty vital to listen before learning.

John MacDonald Of Glencoe

Here’s a pretty decent example of the tune being played that I found on youtube. Maybe a bit heavier than you would play in company but it should give you you a fair idea of how the tune goes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFz5ym-TX-8

John MacDonald Of Glencoe

There’s actually one crucial mistake in the notation here in the 2nd and 6th bars of the first part. The first note should be cut and the second doted. I know it seems trivial but it’s not.

John MacDonald Of Glencoe, X:2

I put this in 4/4 for two reasons 1) to make it easier to read and 2) to make the digital playback sound more natural. (Even in 4/4 the digital playback is too fast.)

This setting is the only way I’ve heard Highland pipers play it, which can be heard in the video posted above. However I don’t have the Seumas MacNeill Collection to check against.

Personally I prefer cutting the first B in the last line, but I’m in the minority!

I put in triplets on A to simulate the piper’s “birls” (borrowed from the way I’ve heard Phil Cunningham play Highland pipe tunes on the accordion).

Re: John MacDonald Of Glencoe

About the “proper” tempo, and reckoning the tune in its actual 2/4 time, the solo piper above is around 68 while the pipe band below is playing it at 77.

Inveraray (here, below) is putting in an extra note in the last bar of the first line, and cutting the B in the first bar of the last line (which I mentioned in my post above).

I’m going to change my setting above to follow the Inveraray version.

Since I don’t have the Seumas MacNeill Collection I don’t know if they’re in the published version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITQJ_eBKeS0&t=46s

Re: John MacDonald Of Glencoe

The digital playback is 93, Inveraray & District Pipe Band 77.

I don’t think I’ve heard a soloist or band play it anywhere close to 93.

By the way setting #1 was notated as if in 2/4 yet the setting is actually in the program’s default 4/4 which is why it plays twice the speed it should. It would be cool if that were fixed.

Re: John MacDonald Of Glencoe

I suspect for solo competitions mid 60s are common - for more “expression”.
I prefer my 2/4s to be mid to high 70s - not that I am any authority, but I do like my 2/4s.

I think the site speed setting here is governed by the denominator rather than the numerator.