A Bhriogais Uallach three-two

The first part is traditional from the puirt a beul of the same name. The second part was composed by Dr. Angus MacDonald.

From celticlyricscorner.net

Gaidhlig:
Leis a’ bhriogas uallaich, horo-o hì
Leis a’ bhriogais uallaich, ho ri ho rò
Briogais an duin’ uasail, horo-o hì
’S iomadh duine chual i nach robh na còir

Siod a’ bhriogais fhasanta, horo-o hì
Bhriogais a bha agamsa, ho ri ho rò
Bha i muthas fada dhomh, horo-o hì
’S gad a chanainn farsaing air a h-uile dòigh

’S chaidh mi chun an tàillier, horo-o hì
’S gun gearradh e pàirt dhi, ho ri ho rò
Thuirt e airson pàigheadh, horo-o hì
Gun deanadh e dhà air na bh’ innte chlò

Cha robh innt ach diùbhaidh, horo-o hì
B‘ fharsuing anns a’ chùl i, ho ri ho rò
Gad a rachadh triùir innt’, horo-o hì
Ghabhadh i co dhiùbh ’ad, gu brith an còrr

Saoil nach robh i cunnartach, horo-o hì
Nuair a chuir mi umam i, ho ri ho rò
Shaoil iad nach robh duin’ innte, horo-o hì
Gus an cual ’ad bruidhinn agus thuirt iad “ò”

Beurla:
With the fantastic breeks, horo-o hi
With the fantastic breeks, ho ri ho ro
The gentleman’s breeks, horo-o hi
Many a person heard of them that was not near them

These were the trendy breeks, horo-o hì
The breeks that I had, ho ri ho rò
They were rather long, horo-o hì
And I would say wide in every way

I went to the tailor, horo-o hì
That he would cut some of it, ho ri ho rò
He said that for payment, horo-o hì
He would make two from the amount of cloth

They were worthless, horo-o hì
They were wide in the back, ho ri ho rò
Though three people would go in them, horo-o hì
They would take them and more

Don’t you think they were dangerous, horo-o hì?
When I put them on, ho ri ho rò
People thought there was no one in them, horo-o hì
’Til they heard talking and said, “Aw”

… is what you need for the beats to work out in your transcription.

not note length. To get the right time signature I’d have to post it as a 3-2 but the tune is usually played among reels so I posted it as a reel.

It’s phrased so that rhythm matches the lyrics.

So it should be:

X:1
T:A Bhriogais Uallach
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:Amix
|:AAAB A2AB AGd2|deee c2Bc dcB2|deee A2AB AGd2|[M:C] eAA2 (G2G)A BA(A2A4):|
[M:3/2]|:aeee edde eeg2|gaaa f2ef gfe2|deAB GAAA Bde2|[M:C]gAA2 (G2G)A Bd(A2A4):|

the ABCs as originally posted ended up with twice as many beats as a measure of 4/4 should have. Changing L:1/16 was a fix for that. Now the measures have been split in two, so that works out, too--at least as far as the math is concerned. I’m not quite sure that squeezing a 3/2 tune into 4/4 serves the piece all that well.

I’ve changed it to a 3/2. The ABCs were the same from initial posting up until I changed them to 3/2.

The extra beats in bars 4 and 8 I have posted above are as Dr. Angus MacDonald phrased it. I guess common time isn’t quite right there. 4/2 then?

I’m playing it as Dr Angus does on “A’ Sireadh Spors”, a great tune that has been running round my head for the best past month or so…..

Here’s the Batties with an arrangement of “A’ Bhriogais Uallach” a commercial job by the looks of it and quite good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj5Q_I6YAFU

play video

I love this! Thanks for posting. I’m always on the look-out for more puirt-à-beul, and it’s great to see Ewen Henderson from Mànran making an appearance!

Have you ever seen Kim Carnie (the newest addition to Mànran) singing it alongside Henderson and the rest of the band? I think she d0es an exceptional job, though I somehow get the feeling some of you would find it rubbish and not “traditional” enough, haha. Oh, well—to each his own.

https://youtu.be/eDxxsNk1ClI

play video

Saludos,
~ A.N. Parker

from the Brighde Chaimbeul version. She plays it in Cdor. I finger it in Edor on Bb whistle to play along.