Annotation:Harris Dance

Find traditional instrumental music

Back to Harris Dance


X: 1 T:Harris Dance S:Patrick McDonald Collection, 1784 Z:Nigel Gatherer M:4/4 L:1/8 K:C c2 ge g2 a2 | g2 eg geed | c2 ge g2 a2 | gede AA A2 :| e2 dc A2 GG | e2 dc AAAG | e2 dc A GG | cdcA GG G2 :||



HARRIS DANCE. Scottish, Reel. C Major (Martin): A Major (Miller). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody was first pubished in Patrick McDonald's Collection of Highland Vocal Airs, Country Dances or Reels of the North Highlands and Western Isles (1784), in a section of six untitled reels, four of which are identified as "Skye Dance" and two (including the present tune) as "Harris Dance." The name "Skye Dance" that is occasionally applied to this tune probably stems from the proximity of the two western iles to each other, and their placement as untitled tunes in the same section of McDonald's volume.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - adapted from Patrick McDonald's A Collection of Highland Vocal Airs, with Country Dances (Edinburgh, 1784) [Miller].

Printed sources : - Martin (Ceol na Fidhle, vol. 4), 1991; p. 10. Miller (Fiddler's Throne), 2004; No. 167, p. 106.

Recorded sources: -



Back to Harris Dance