Annotation:Dargai

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 DARGAI. Scottish, Pibroch (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Hunter, Martin, Skinner). Composed by James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), first printed in his Scottish Violinist and Harp and Claymore collections. Skinner wrote to another famous Scots fiddler, James F. Dickie, regarding how to play the tune: "The pibroch is a sad and dowie strain--oianiste holds on drones--give the featrue or large notes due prominence as large branches and make the small grace notes like leaves fluttering in the wind--playing them as if they were almost absent. And ever repeating the one desolate thought that fills the heart" (Alburger, 1983). Hunter (1988) identifies the title as the name of the famous heights taken by the Gordon Highlanders in India in 1897, where Piper Findlater won his Victoria Cross (see note for "Cock of the North" ??). See also Skinner's manuscript version at the Univ. of Aberdeen website.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 27 (includes variations). Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; p. 31. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist, with variations), p. 42. Skinner (Harp and Claymore), 1904; p. 146 (includes a variation set).  Recorded sources: Green Linnet SIF 1058, Matt Molloy & Sean Keane - "Contentment is Wealth" (1985). Olympic 6151, Florence Burns - "Scottish Traditional Fiddle Music" (1978).

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