Annotation:Dovecote Park

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 DOVECOAT PARK. AKA - "Dovecote Park." Scottish, Jig or March (6/8 time). D Major. Standard. ABCD (Sweet): AABBCCDD' (Martin). A very popular march composed by James Braidwood. The tune appears in many collections for Highland bagpipes. The "Dovecote" spelling appears more often, and derives from the words "dove cot," meaning an aviary or birdhouse (large or small) for keeping doves or pigeons. Pipe Major William Ross moved to Edinburgh around the year 1920 and stayed with James Braidwood while his lodgings were being prepared at Edingburgh Castle. Braidwood composed a tune in his honor, which he titled "Pipe Major William Ross's Welcome to Dovecote Park." Ross enjoyed the tune and included it in his collection, but modestly deleted references to himself in the title, which he published only as "Dovecote Park." The tune is sometimes called "MacDonald of Sleat" after a dance of the same name. See also Braidwood's compositions "Dorrator Bridge" and "Looking for a Partner."  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 2, 1988; p. 7. Pipe Major W. Ross's Collection of Highland Bagpipe Music. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964; p. 34.  Recorded sources: Tradition 2118, Jim MacLeod & His Band - "Scottish Dances: Jigs, Waltzes and Reels" (1979).

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