Annotation:Rothiemurchus Rant

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X:1 T:Rothymurchews Strathspey C:Variations by Robert Mackintosh M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey Q:"Slow" B:Robert Mackintosh – “A Fourth Collection of New Strathspey Reels, also some Famous old Reels” (1804, p. 11) N:Dedicated to the Dutchess [sic] of Manchester N:Robert “Red Rob” Mackintosh (c. 1745-1808) was a Scottish violinist and N:composer active in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century. Originally from N:Tullymet, near Pitlochry, Perthshire. He moved to London in the last decade N:of his life. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C G2|T(E3DEC3) E2G2 G2AB|cG3TA3G cG3Ac3|T(E3DE)C3 E(G3Gc3)|A3cGc3 TED3D2:| f2|e4 (d3e) d3edA3|(cBcd) {c}e3d cA3cG3|A2AA TA3g {f}e4 d3c|A3cGc3 ~ED3D2:| |:gf|(eg3g3a) g3agf3|e3(aa3b) a3bag3|eg3de3 ~c3dec3|A(aTg3f) ed3d2:| |:g2|{f}e4 Td3c d2e2 {gab}a4|g3fe3e cA3A3c|G3Ac3d (c/d/e3) d3c Ac3Gc3 TED3D2:| P:Variations GF|EFDE (CB,CD) (EEGF) G2AB|T(cBcG) (ABAG) (cGEG) (AGAc)|(EDEC) G,CEG (CE)(Gc) (EG)(ce)|(Ac) (d/c/B/c/) (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) ~ED3D2:| |:f2|(egfe) (dBcd) (dfed) (edcA)|(cBcd) (efed) (cA)(Gc) (Ec)(Gc)|(AFEF) (Ac)(ag) (fe)(ag) (fe)(dc)|(Ac) (d/c/B/c/) (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) TED3D2:| |:gf|(eg)(c'g) (ge)(ef) (gfga) (gagf)|.e(Ace) .a(Ace) (ae)(ag) (abag)|(egfg) (ef)(de) (cBcd) (fe)(dc)|(Ac)(fa) (ga)(fg) {f}ED3D2:| |:gf|(eg)(c'g) (ec)(ef) (gfga) (gagf)|.e(Ace) .a(Ace) (ae)(ag) (abag)|(egfg) (ef)(de) (cBcd) (fe)(dc)|(Ac)(fa) (ga)(fg) {f}ed3d2:| |:g2|c'(c/e/g/) (fe)(dc) T(d^cde) T(fefa) |(g<a)(f<g) (e<f)(d<e) c2A2A2c2|T(G^FGA) T(cBc)d (.c.g.a.g .f.e.d.c)|(Ac) d/c/B/c/ (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) ED3D2:|]



ROTHIEMURC(H)US RANT. AKA - "Rothe(r)murchies Rant," "Rothermurcus Rant," "Rothymurchews Strathspey." AKA and see "Maid in Danger (The)," “Grant's Strathspey.” Scottish, Canadian; Strathspey Rant. Canada, Cape Breton, P.E.I. C Major (most versions): D Major (Skinner). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Alburger): AABBCD (Kerr): AABBCC (O’Farrell): AABBCCD (Athole, Gow, Lowe): AA’BB’CC’D (Perlman): AABBCCDD (Bremner, Emmerson, Glen, Skinner, Skye). The tune was composed and first printed by Robert Bremner (c. 1713-89), who published the earliest collection of specifically Scottish dance music (1757-61) {Alburger}. The melody retains the same characteristics as a rant with the dotted strathspey rhythm. It was a great favorite of the Scots national poet, Robert Burns, who wrote:

Many of our Strathspeys ancient and modern give me exquisite enjoyment...For instance, I am just now making verses to Rothiemurche's Rant, an air which puts me into raptures; and in fact, unless I be pleased with the tune, I never can make verses to it...

The song he wrote to the melody is called "Lassie wi' the lint-white locks." Gow (1799) noted “This tune may be played very slow.” Scots fiddle-composer J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927) set the tune in the key of ‘D’, “chosen as the key that seems best to suit the character of the tune.” See also Elgin fiddler-composer Donald Grant's "Rothiemurchus," a closely related version (with enough differences to warrant a separate entry) that Grant purported was the "Original Set."

The Irish reel “Graf Spee (The)” is closely related to this tune, although “Rothiemurchus Rant” itself may have been known for many years in Ireland, judging from its inclusion in O’Farrell’s and James Goodman's 19th century collections.

The strathspey has been popular among Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, musicians, and frequently recorded.


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Peter Chaisson, Jr. (b. 1942, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; “as played by P(eter) Milne” [Skinner].

Printed sources : - Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 29, p. 54. Bremner (Scots Reels), c. 1757; p. 42. Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; No. 48, pp. 139-140. Glen (Glen Collection of Scottish Music, vol. 1), 1891; p. 10. Gow (Complete Repository, Part 1), 1799; p. 18. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; Set 17, No. 1, p. 11. Laybourn (Köhler’s Violin Repository vol. 3), 1885; p. 236. Joseph Lowe (Lowe's Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Jigs, book 4), 1844–1845; p. 18. Robert Mackintosh (A Fourth Collection of New Strathspey Reels, also some Famous old Reels), 1804; p. 11. James Manson (Hamilton's Universal Tune Book vol. 1), 1844, p. 63. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; p. 17. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 105. O’Farrell (National Irish Music for the Union Pipes), 1804; p. 41. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 200. Skinner (Harp and Claymore Collection), 1904; p. 21. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 70. Jean White (100 Popular Hornpipes, Reels, Jigs and Country Dances), Boston, 1880; p. 25.

Recorded sources : - Shanachie 14001, "The Early Recordings of Angus Chisholm" (Cape Breton) {appears as "Rothermurchies Rant," originally recorded for a Decca 78 in 1934}.

See also listing at :
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear Angus Chisholm's 1930's recording at the Internet Archive [3]] (paired with "Braes of Auchtertyre (1)"/"Argyle's Bowling Green", aka "Braes of Glencoe").



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