Your favourite strathspeys and marches?

Subject: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Marion
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 04:51 PM

Hello. I have been playing fiddle about a year, and I'm into Irish and Scottish traditional music: I play reels, jigs, slipjigs, hornpipes, and songs and slow airs. I realized recently that I've been overlooking the strathspey and march categories. Can anyone tell me the titles of their favourite strathspeys and/or marches, or suggest good ones for me to start on?

From where I'm coming from, easier is better, and the keys of G, D, and A (or relative minors) are preferred.

Thanks,

Marion

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 04:58 PM

My favorite Scottish march is "Piobaireachd of Donuil Dubh" (Black Donald) under various spellings. A 6/8 march in four parts. == Johnny in OKC

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 05:42 PM

Ohh yeah! My Favorite strathspeys!

Whistle O'er The Lave O't
Bob Johnston
Lady Mary Ramsey
The Birks Of Inveray
The Kirrie Kebbuck
Scotch Mist
The Laird of Drumblair

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 06:15 PM

The Bonnie Lass of Headlake - it's recorded on an album called something like Fiddle Music From Nova Scotia, which was recorded at a Cork music festival, I think.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 06:43 PM

There's another one called Stirling Castle that is fun too.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 07:31 PM

42nd Highlander's Farewell, Celtic Quickstep, and a real EZ march is Scotland the Brave.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 08:27 PM

So many to choose from, and several different types of strathspeys and marches. Strathspeys range from the refined dance tunes of the East, played for ballet-like syncopated dances, to the older highland style now heard in Cape Breton, with their more aggressive straighter rhythm, more suitable for step dancing. My favorite sources for strathspeys are: The Fiddle Music of Scotland, edited by James Hunter, The Kerr's collection of Merrie Melodies (a lot of good tunes despite the corny title), and Traditional Fiddle Music of Cape Breton, edited by K.E. Dunlay and D.L. Reich. For marches, I usually listen to bagpipe recordings as well as fiddlers, and go to the pipe collections, my favorite being the two-volume Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music, and there is a very good collection of mostly pipe tunes, written out for fiddlers, called Ceol Na Fidhle: Highlnd Tunes for The Fiddle, edted by Christine Martin. It's a good source for marches. My favorite strathspeys from the highland/Cape Breton tradition are King George, and Bog An Lochan, and from the more "refined" dance traditions, John McAlpin. There are many strathspeys that cross over into both traditions - Miss Drummond of Perth and The Braes of Mar are favorites of mine. Favorite marches are Jean Mauchline, P/M Donald MacLean of Lewis, Portree Bay, Donald MacLean's Farewell To Oban, Cullen Bay, and I know I'll think of several others. Can't beat listening to the masters, though, so for picking up style and nuances, look for recordings of great Scottish and Cape Breton fiddlers. There are also many new tunes being composed and recorded, ones you won't find in the classic collections mentioned. You might want to listen to solo bagpipe recordings for marches, as well. Happy hunting, and feel free to PM me and I'll tell you what I know about recordings.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 08:43 PM

That might be more than you asked for in your asking for tune titles! Since you did mention that you're new to strathspeys and marches, though, I thought you'd want some more info on them.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 08:49 PM

Marion, looking at your list of what you play and what you have been neglecting, have you considered polkas and mazurkas too?

Jon

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Marion
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 04:51 PM

Thanks for the leads, all.

I guess my next question should be: what's the difference between a march and a strathspey? In Richard Robinson's Tunebook there's something called Sidlaw Hills which is listed as both a march and a strathspey.

I have a vague idea of what a polka is (Mairi's Wedding is a polka, isn't it?) but my fiddle teacher never talks about them, and as far as I know they're not standard repertoire here at Cape Breton dances, so I feel that my need to learn some is less pressing. I have no idea what a mazurka is. The word doesn't sound very Celtic. What's a mazurka? Actually when I played classical piano in childhood I think there was a piece called "Mazurka" in my book.

Well I'm off to look up those titles.

Thanks, Marion

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Mbo
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 05:02 PM

Marion, a mazurka is a Polish dance style and tune that has been absorbed into the Irish tradition. Just like waltzes & polkas, also which are not traditionally Irish.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Jon W.
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 06:44 PM

A stirring Irish march is "Lord Mayo".

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST,Phil Cooper
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 07:38 PM

Jesse Smith's Strathspey!

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 05:25 AM

The Laird of Drumblair is the only Strathspey I play, and I love it to bits. A march I love, but struggle to get all the notes in is the 79ths (might be 97ths!) Farewell to Gibraltar. There's a cracking bagpipe site, with MIDI files at:-

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/7562/MUSIC.htm

which is good for all the march stuff. Another one I love to play is Lucy Farr's coupled with the Centenary March (might be Centenial)

Skipjack

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST,Vincenzo Roma, Italia
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 08:29 AM

My best march and strathspey now are King George IV march and King George IV strathspey. We play the complete set with ....King George IV reel. Exist a King George IV jig too. You know some King George IV slow air, hornpipe or slide ? Ciao Vincenzo

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Ely
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 01:03 AM

I don't know any strathspeys at all. I've always liked "Scotland the Brave", unimaginative as that is. I also like "Down the Brae" and "Bonaparte Crossing the Alps" (or whatever that tune is called), and "Childgrove", all of which are very simple.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Marion
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 09:54 PM

I'm refreshing this thread to fit in with the latest trend.

In the meantime, I've collected a reasonable number of marches and strathspeys to play with, so there's no need to consider the "good ones for a beginner" slant to my original question - just tell us your favourites in any key or level of difficulty.

So far, I like Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside (march) and Sidlaw Hills (strathspey) the most at first blush...

Marion

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Turtle
Date: 26 Sep 00 - 02:12 PM

My favorite strathspey: A.A. Cameron's Strathspey as played down low by Johnny Cunningham . . . mmmm. It's on Silly Wizard's So Many Partings, and I think also on some compilation of theirs--could it be "The Best of Silly Wizard"?? Marion, I've been playing fiddle for just over a year now too. isn't it the best?

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: selby
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 01:22 PM

There is for me only one 79ths Farewell to Gibralta, but if pushed fot 2 Crossing the Minch would have to appear. Dont know why but havent attempted a strathspey yet so I will watch this thread with intrest

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 01:33 PM

Black Bear. its actually a hornpipe but used as a quick march. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: ichMael
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 12:11 AM

Strathspey B Reel - Lady Lyle, Liz Carroll's (O'brien)

I searched for the term 'strathspey' and came up with this thread. Been listening to a sampler disc called The Big Squeeze, Masters of the Celtic Accordion, and that cut is on it.

Didn't know what a strathspey was so I looked it up, found this on wikipedia: "A strathspey is a type of dance tune in 4/4 time. It is similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and contains many dot-cut 'snaps'."

All the music on the disc is first rate. Really nice, and the strathspey is hard to get out of your head.

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 05:33 AM

Strathspeys -
Rothiemurchus Rant - Craigellachie Bridge - Ewie Wi' The Crookit Horn - Caberfeidh - Susan McLeod - Arniston Castle - Caledonian Society Of London
2/4 Marches -
Captain Carswell - Colin Thompson - Atholl Highlanders March To Loch Katrine - Conon Bridge - Cowal Gathering
6/8 Marches -
Bonawe Highlanders - Rab's Wedding - My Love Is The Fair Lad - John D. Burgess - Cameron MacFadyen

Subject: RE: Your favourite strathspeys and marches?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 09:22 AM

I enjoy "Marching Down Broadway" from the Fiddler's Fake Book. I play it on the piano.

Ah, those straw hats, those ruffled dresses, the gleaming of the brass instruments, and the stripes down the trousers of the band!