Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 01:22 PM

I don't think there's any connection to Grainger, but I'd like to share a recording I found of a man from Cape Breton singing a version of 'Mo Nighean Dubh' in Irish.

http://www.beatoninstitutemusic.ca/gaelic/mo-nighean-dubh.html

The pulse is just so different from how we English speakers tend to sing.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 05:11 AM

Much struck BTW to similarity of title to -

Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach -

which is the Gaelic title that appears on youTube for the Rankin Family's beautiful rendering of the Scottish song usually called in English 'Ho-Ro My Nut-Brown Maiden' ~ also a fine pipe tune, company march of the Scots Guards, and one of the "Tunes Of Glory" mentioned by Alec Guinness's Highland colonel in the film of that name as he plans his predecessor's military funeral.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKsrYkKGsoY

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 05:01 AM

For places where the tune is not ...
... Alan Gale? Um, sorry. I meant John Glen, Early Scottish Melodies, published by J&R Glen, 1900, whose list is a useful starting point for other historical sources where the tune may not be.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 03:42 AM

... Alexander Campbell ... (1764-1824) for Albyn's Anthology.
Publisher is an Archibald: Ramsden.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 08:07 AM

Here is the reference to Dr Park's Songs.

Songs, composed and in part written by the late Rev John Park DD St Andrews. With introductory notice by Principal Shairp LLD St Andrews.
London / Leeds: Archibald Ramsden; London: Arthur Allison, 1876. Reissued, London: Chappell & Co; Leeds, Archibald Ramsden, 1882.
A revision of some 20 songs by Sir Edward Elgar in 1920 excludes this particular song.

Music sized hardbak, 382 pages. Mi Nan Dhu begins on page 332.

John Park was composer, poet and musician, President of St Andrews Choral Society.


If you seek an earlier version, Ronald Stevenson's 1983 Edition Peters score introduction notes that the first published mention of the title is in Albyn's Anthology, by Archibald Campbell, published Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1816-1818, It is in volume II, 1818, pages 10-11, but with a different melody. The words are different too. The book refers to the Air as unlike another melody usually sung in the Highlands. But that's yet another version, not this one!

If you still seek the tune earlier elsewhere, but with a different title? - well, that needs searching for. A wee foray into the loch of early Scottish melodies for Nessie...
It is not in the Scots Musical Museum. Nor cited in Alan Gale's analysis 1900 with its useful long list of early Scottish songbooks and sources. The style is visible in Patrick McDonald's pioneering Highland Vocal Airs 1784, but not this melody nor the title. If one thinks of Lowlands - tune and Gaelic phrase or similar are not mentioned at all in Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border 1802.

Dr Park's is a 19th century convolution, with poetry in the manner of Thomas Moore, transcribed for the Victorian drawing room at a time of general interest in Scotland, its scenery and traditional songs romanticised in the arts and in literature.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Mo Nighean Dubh / My Dark-Haired Maiden
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 04:47 AM

The tune itself appears to be published for the first time in Dr Park's Songs, 1876, as MI NIAN DHU.
It is set down by Dr John Park (1804-65) for voice and piano.
Words by John Park.
A note below reads: The Gaelic Air to which the following words are set was given to me by the Rev: John Thompson of Duddingstone, and bears the name of "Mi Nian Dhu" ie My dark Girl.

The tune was arranged by Malcolm Lawson for four-part chorus, in volume I of Songs of the North (Field & Tuer, 1885), with the words by the late Rev Dr John Park of St Andrews.

Prcy Grainger was lent the volume in c1898-1900 and visiting Scotland in June 1900, arranged this song for SAATTBB chorus a cappella (or with piano as solo or as accompaniment) without putting in the words.
The manuscript is in the Grainger Museum Melbourne.

Over fifty years later in 1954 he arranged a shorter piano version from memory. His piano version was published for the first time in 1983 edited by Ronald Stevenson (Edition Peters) with a facsimile of the 1954 manuscript.

The Grainger choral version, first published 1982, superseded now by Bardic Edition, is now on several CD recordings. Mo Nighean Dubh. There are a few transcription changes from Grainger's manuscript.

There are several tunes titled Mi nian dhu, mo nighean dhu, etc, but they turn out to be entirely different melodies with different words.

Subject: Lyr Add: MO NIGHEAN DUBH / MY DARK-HAIRED MAIDEN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Dec 10 - 12:07 PM

I think it would be useful to have a copy of this song without all the inserted translation words. That way it can be more easily found with a search.

MO NIGHEAN DUBH (MY DARK-HAIRED MAID)
(Words, Dr. John Park. Music, Percy Grainger.)

Mo nighean dubh, the hills are bright,
And on this last and lovely night,
I'd fain frae auld Knockgowan's height
Look owre the glen wi' thee,
Never mair we'll tread its heather,
Never doun the lea
Liltin' will we shear thegither,
Fu' o' mirth and glee,
Fortune's blasts o' wintry weather
Drive us owre the sea,
But lang's we're blest wi' ane anither,
Fie! let fears gae flee.
Yet see, my dear, the hills are bright,
And on this last and lovely night
I'd fain frae auld Knockgowan's height
Look owre the glen wi' thee.

Mo nighean dubh, 'twas there we met,
And Oh! that hour is precious yet,
When first my honest vow could get
Love's tearfu' smile frae thee,
Hearts were pledged ere either knew it
What's to be maun be.
Mine was tint ere I could trow o't
Wi' that glancing e'e.
Dear Knockgowan and the view o't
Ne'er again we'll see,
O let me gang and tak adieu o't
Laoth ma chree wi' thee.
Mo nighean dubh, 'twas there we met,
And Oh! that hour is precious yet,
When first my honest vow could get
Love's tearfu' smile frae thee.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: My dark haired maiden. Anyone got t this
From: oldhippie
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 11:26 AM

This one? (Sorry, don't have the tune)

Mo Nighean Dubh (My Dark-haired Maiden) FROM SONGS OF THE NORTH
ARR. PERCY ALDRICH GRAINGER (1882-1961)
Mo nighean dubh (My dark-haired maiden), the hills are bright,
And on this last and lovely night,
I'd fain (gladly) frae (from) auld Knockgowan's height
Look owre the glen wi' thee,
Never mair (more) we'll tread its heather
Never doun the lea (meadow)
Liltin' (singing) will we shear (climb) thegither (together),
Fu' of mirth and glee,
Fortune's blasts o' wintry weather
Drive us owre the sea,
But lang's (as long as) we're blest wi' ane anither,
Fie! let fears gae flee.
Yet see, my dear, the hills are bright,
And on this last and lovely night,
I'd fain frae auld Knockgowan's height
Look owre the glen wi' thee.
Mo nighean dubh, 'twas there we met,
And o! that hour is precious yet,
When first my honest vow could get
Love's tearfu' smile frae thee,
Hearts were pledged ere either knew it,
What's to be maun (must) be,
Mine was tint (lost) ere I could trow (believe) o't
Wi' that glancing e'e.
Dear Knockgowan and the view o't
Ne'er again we'll see,
O let me gang and tak' adieu o't,
Laoth ma chree (a term of endearment) wi' thee,
Mo nighean dubh, 'twas there we met,
And o! that hour is precious yet,
When first my honest vow could get
Love's teafu' smile frae thee. - Dr. John Park (1805-1865)

Subject: Tune Req: My dark haired maiden. Anyone got t this
From: Plums
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 09:30 AM

I am trying to find the tune to an irish song called "My dark haired maiden" Anyone know it?