Annotation:Great Glen of Scotland (The)

Back to 

 GREAT GLEN OF SCOTLAND, THE (Gleann Mor na h-Albainn). Scottish, Slow Air (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "This air celebrates a part of the country more replete with interesting objects to the admirers of the works of nature or gigantic labour,--to the artist in point of grand scenery, and to the sportsman and angler, in their respective pursuits,--than any other part of the island. The picturesque views the editor could point out along the chain of lakes cannot be exceeded in sublimity. The contrast formed by the lakes and vales below with the more elevated sloping wooded skirts, broken with waterfalls, backed by the seemingly conic land-mark of Mealfuarvony, i.e., 'Cold Pinnacle', or the stupendous Ben Nevis unremittingly capped with snow,--and with a clear day giving a view of most of the western isles from its tip, form, perhaps, some of the grandest landscape subjects to be met with, and all within this great glen. The valleys and cascades formed by the various rivers are no less interesting, and particularly the falls of Foyers and Moriston, rivers which should be traced to their sources by sportsmen and anglers. These are the works of nature; but the words of Herculean labour in this quarter merit attention. Firstly, the ancient chain of vitrified forts; second, the parallel roads of Glenroy, communicating with an arm of this great glen. The castles of Inverness, Urquhart, Glengarry, and Inverlochy. The government forts, and the towns and harbours which terminate this valley at each sea,--Cromarty being one of the finest navy stations in Europe, which any other nation would be proud to possess, the military and parliamentary roads and bridges, and finally, the Caledonian Canal, rendering this part as likely to become interesting, in a commercial point of view, as it is in point of attractive scenery" (Fraser).  Source for notated version:   Printed sources: Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1874; No. 89, p. 34.  Recorded sources:

Back to