Annotation:Thief of Lochaber
X:1 T:Thief of Lochaber, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig or March B:David Glen Collection, Tutor Book, No. 51, p. 28 N:No date. Glen’s 18 volumes were published 1876 to 1911. F: https://ceolsean.net/content/DGlen/Book18/Book18%2044.pdf Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D e|d>BA A>AA |A>ag f2e|d>BB B2e|d>BB B2G|d>BA A>AA| A>ag f2e|f>dd d2e|f>dd d2::e|f>dd a>dd|f>dd a>dd|e>AA f>AA| a>AA g2e|f>dd a>dd|f>dd a>dd|g>ag f2e|f>dd d2::e|A>dd f>dd|a>dd f>dd| ABc e>cc|a>cc e>cc|A>dd f>dd|a>dd f>dd|A>ag f2e|f>dd d2:|
THIEF OF LOCHABER (Meurlach Lochaber, Meurlach Loch Abair). Scottish, Pipe March (6/8 time). D Major (Glen): G Major (Gatherer, Martin). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB' (Gatherer): AABBCCDD’ (Martin). The melody can be found in Donald MacLeod's 3rd collection of bagpipe music and owes its third and fourth parts to him. It was originally published as a two-part march in David Glen's bagpipe tutor (no date, but Glen published his 18 volumes from 1877-1911). Martin (2002) maintains the melody is based on an old drove route march, suggesting the title refers to cattle raiding. Gatherer (1987) notes this tune was adapted from O'Neill's "Thief of Lough Erne (The)," although the reverse is also possible. The tune was played as “Thief of Lochaber” by both Sandy Coghill and the Battlefield Band.
