1. The Duke of Fife's Welcome to 4. Loch Ruthven 6. The Cold Nights of Winter 8. Ae Fond Kiss Deeside Simon Fraser Collection Traditional Shetland by Robert Burns by James Scott Skinner According to the notes at the end of the I first heard this tune on an album by Robert Burns set his poem "Ae Fond A happy Scottish march. Simon Fraser Collection, Loch Ruthven is American folk musicians Jay Ungar and Kiss" to two different melodies. This is a good fishing lake in Inverness-shire, Molly Mason. The quiet harmonics at the the later (and better-known) of the two. /Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle Scotland. Or it least it was, in the 1800s. beginning of my arrangement are meant to Traditional Scottish invoke the crispness of the air on a dark Had we never lov'd sae kindly, Another march: we do not know to which /The Feet Washing winter evening. Had we never lov'd sae blindly, Campbell the title refers. Simon Fraser Collection Never met—or never parted— A Scottish pipe reel. Simon Fraser /Sleep Sound in the Morning We had ne'er been broken-hearted. 2. Planxty Drew indicates that this tune could be a challenge Traditional Shetland by Turlough O'Carolan to play for both pipers and fiddlers, and I Since this tune is a rousing reel rather than /Rory Dall's Port The famous Irish harper Turlough will add that it is also challenging on the a lullaby, I imagine that the title refers to by Rory Dall O'Carolan wrote many tunes for patrons, of harp. When I first arranged the tune, I how well merrymakers sleep after having Robert Burns initially set the words of which this is one. What is a planxty? Most removed many of the repeated notes, but stayed up all night dancing. "Ae Fond Kiss" to the tune of "Rory likely a tune written in honor of someone, over time some have crept back in. The Dall's Port," probably composed by the but also sometimes defined as a tune in 6/8 tradition of feet-washing involved a bride's 7. Small is my Inclination to Sleep Irish harper Rory Dall O'Cahan, rather played rather slowly. friends coming over on the eve of her Simon Fraser Collection than the Scottish harper Roderick wedding to ceremonially wash her feet - an The seven-bar phrases in this tune give it a Morrison, who was also known as Rory /Miss Noble occasion for merriment. slightly unsettled feeling, reminiscent of Dall. by Turlough O'Carolan the way one's mind wanders when trying to The tune has survived, but information 5. Skye Air fall asleep. 9. Lord Huntley's Cave about Miss Noble hasn't. Patrick McDonald Collection by James Scott Skinner Having mentioned Skye in the album title, /The Old Favorite The first of two marches in this 3. The Star of the County Down I wanted to also include a tune related to it. Traditional Irish March/Strathspey/Reel set. The "MSR" Traditional Irish This is my favorite of the Skye airs in the A jig from County Clare and one of my is a common competition set for A melody that elicits smiles. For many Patrick McDonald Collection. new favorites. bagpipers, fiddle players and harpers. years this has been my go-to piece when people ask me to "play something" on the The spaciousness of the melody transports /The Greenwood Side harp. me to a high coastline, overlooking sea and Traditional Scottish rocks and moor. I love the shift from the D major of "Lord Huntley's Cave" to the B minor in "The Greenwood Side."

The Road Home From Skye | Celtic Harp ©2019 Stephanie Claussen /The Forest Where the Deer Resort /Jacky Tar 13. Wiggert's Polska 15. Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes Simon Fraser Collection Traditional Scottish Traditional Swedish Traditional Scottish The evocative title initially attracted me to Also published as "The Cuckoo's Nest" in I went in search of some Scandinavian "Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes" translates this tune: I picture a few deer lounging in a O'Neill's Music of Ireland. This is one of tunes on the occasion of my (at the time) as "Call the sheep to the hills." This glade, wearing sunglasses and drinking those tunes claimed by the Scottish, the future harp student's birthday party and melody reminds me of the sheep pasture fruity beverages. Irish, and the English. discovered this delightful, carefree melody (Glen Lichd) pictured on the cover of this by shoemaker Wigers of Hälsingland. album, where we stopped to take a walk /The Ale is Dear /Far From Home on the way home after visiting the Isle of Traditional Scottish Traditional Scottish 14. Cam Ye O'er Frae France Skye. A lively pipe reel. The title should be I learned this tune from the pages of the Traditional Scottish understood to mean the ale is expensive, Folk Harp Journal and enjoyed making it A biting Jacobite song, written in mockery /Morpeth Lasses rather than well-loved. my own. of King George 1 of England. Despite its Traditional Scottish rude words, I love the 3/2 rhythm of this A variation on the very popular Scottish 10. This Gloom on my Soul 12. Are Ye Sleepin' Maggie? tune: it makes me want to stomp my feet! tune "Marry Me Now." I wanted to do Simon Fraser Collection by Robert Tannahill something a bit different and ended up Another descriptive title. I choose to This song's vivid words describe a young /To Daunton Me adding three against two rhythms in the imagine that the gloom is of a "light and man visiting his sweetheart in the midst of Traditional Scottish last repetition. momentary" sort that will be lifted. the thunderstorm. He waits outside her "Daunton," according to the Scottish window and whispers to her, hoping to National Dictionary, means to frighten, 16. The Parting Glass 11. Brose and Butter avoid waking her father. subdue, or discourage. This tune was Traditional Irish Traditional Scottish published multiple times in the 18th and A tune I fell in love with after listening to Beware this catchy slip jig. I went on an Mirk and rainy is the night; early 19th centuries, with various lyrics. folk musicians Curtis and Loretta's all-day hike in Nerstrand Big Woods State No' a starn in a' the carie; My favorite version starts: album Sit Down Beside Me. In my own Park when preparing this tune for the Lightnings gleam athwart the lift, rendition I tried to craft a musical National Scottish Harp Championship and And winds drive on wi' winter's fury. To daunton me, and me sae young, interlude that reflects both the sadness of could not keep any other melody in my And guid king James's auldest son! leaving friends and the joy of having head. I came up with a whole new set of I translate these lines as "Dark and rainy is O, that's the thing that ne'er can be; spent time with them. words describing the autumn wildlife, the the night; there's not a star in all the sky. For the man is unborn that'll daunton me! numerous puddles that spotted the trail, Lightning gleams across the sky and the and the wood elves my imagination winds drive on with winter's fury." The jig version of this tune follows the 4/4 stationed behind every tree. version of "To Daunton Me" in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, Book 1 and is most likely the work of the publisher, James Oswald.

The Road Home From Skye | Celtic Harp ©2019 Stephanie Claussen