The Donald MacDonald Manuscript
This manuscript was compiled by Donald MacDonald, who published the
first collection of
piobaireachd in 1820. The manuscript was his draft for a second
book that unfortunately never appeared. Roderick Cannon and I scanned
a copy of the manuscript, and here it is.
- Front matter, including index to the tunes
- pp 1-5: James William Grant's Salute / The Elchies Salute
- pp 6-10: Earl of Ross's March
- pp 11-12: Bodach ne Sligachin
- pp 13-19: Thanig mo righ sa air tir am Muideart (My king has landed in Moidart)
- pp 20-27: John Garve MacLeod of Rasay's lament
- pp 25-27: Alastair Charich's March
- pp 28-30: The MacLean's Gathering
- pp 31-35: Castle Menzies / Fraser's Salute
- pp 36-40: MacDonald of the Isles' Salute
- pp 41-45: Old Sword's Lament
- pp 46-52: The Bells of Perth
- pp 53-58: Lament for the Death of John MacLeod
- pp 59-63: Praise of Marion
- pp 64-72: Lament for Donald Ban MacCruimen
- pp 73-75: Gathering of the MacDonalds of Clanranald
- pp 76-82: MacIntosh's Lament
- pp 83-87: Lament for MacSuain of Roaig
- pp 88-93: Lament for Finlay
- pp 94-97: Lament for MacDonald of Glengary
- pp 98-102: MacDonald's Warning
- pp 103-108: Cheerful Scotland
- pp 109-113: The Only Son's Lament
- pp 114-118: Lament for MacLean
- pp 119-124: Massacre of Glencoe
- pp 125-131: Salute to the Chief of Menzies
- pp 132-138: The Sutherlands' March
- pp 139-143: An Daorach Mheanach (The Middling Spree)
- pp 144-149: An Daorach Mhor (The Big Spree)
- pp 150-156: MacLeod's Rowing Piobaireachd (Salute)
- pp 157-160: Mackenzies' Gathering
- pp 161-167: The Blue Ribbon
- pp 168-174: Angus MacDonald's Attack on the MacDougalls
- pp 175-183: Young George's Salute
- pp 184-189: MacNiel of Barray's March
- pp 190-198: The Union
- pp 201-206: The White Flag
- pp 207-215: Lament for the Tree of Hundreds
- pp 216-222: Chisholm's Salute
- pp 223-228: An Intended Lament
- pp 229-235: Lament for Great John MacLean
- pp 236-239: A MacDonald's March
- pp 240-244: Cogath na Sith (War or Peace)
- pp 245-248: Duke of Argyll's Salute
- pp 249-253: Away to Your Tribe Ewen
- pp 254-257: The Battle of Maulroy / You of the Long Kail Down the Brae with You
- pp 258-261: An t arm breachd derg, Se'n t'arm mharbh me
- pp 262-267: The Blue Ribbon (The Grants')
- pp 268-270: Nameless (The Park Piobaireachd no 2)
- pp 271-276: The Children's Lament
- pp 277-282: Cumhadh Cleibhair / Lament for the Death of General Cleaver
Roderick, and Keith Sanger, have now produced a new edition of
his published book for the Society, and their website should soon have a
scan of the first edition (it already has the Hannay-MacAuslan
Manuscript which appears to have been one of MacDonald's sources.)
Roderick is now working on a printed edition of this manuscript. In
each case the online scan gives you a raw facsimile of the original
document, while the printed edition contains a complete reference with
historical background material, analysis, and a modern performing
edition of the music.
For more on piobaireachd, see the Wikipedia entry,
pibroch.net and the Piobaireachd Society. For
sound samples, listen to John MacDonald of Inverness playing the Lament for
Patrick Og MacCrimmon and the Lament for
the Children (recorded in 1927 and 1929 respectively).
Return to my music page.
Ross Anderson