Colonel Robertson (1)
COLONEL ROBERTSON [1]. AKA and see "Massacre of Glencoe (2) (The)." Scottish, Canadian; March (6/8 time). D Major (Miller & Perron, Perlman, Sweet): G Major (Sweet). Standard tuning (fiddle). AA'B (Miller & Perron, 2nd Ed.): AABB' (Miller & Perron): AABB'CC (Perlman): AA'BB'CC' (Sweet). The march was composed by Pipe Major Farquhar Beaton originally as "Colonel D.M. Robertson", and was dedicated to a Colonel and commanding officer of the 48th Battalion (Highlanders), a unit raised in 1891 as part of the Canadian Militia, renamed The 48th Highlanders of Canada in 1930. Beaton was Pipe Major with the 48th from 1900-1913. The melody is still played by the unit when the commanding officer's march is called for.
The tune is commonly used for patterned couple dance called "The Roberts."
Source for notated version: Jimmy Halliday (b. 1924, Eldon, Queen's County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman].
Printed sources: Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 4, 1991; p. 13. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 3, No. 51. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 19. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 138. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; p. 40 (two versions in different keys).
Recorded source: Philo 1042, Boys of the Lough - "The Piper's Broken Finger" (1976).
X:1 T:Colonel Robertson [1] M:6/8 L:1/8 R:March K:D a | fed A2d | BGB A2a | fed A2d | c2e e2a | fed A2d | BGB A2d | BGd cAe | d3 z2 :|| f/g/ | afd f2a | fef def | gfg ecA |1 gfg efg | afd f2a | fef d2A | BGd cAe | d3 z2 :| |2 gfg e2A | dfA ece | faf d2A | BGd cAe | d3 z2 ||