Record

Copy of the tune 'Balmoral Highlanders'

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by Angus Mackay

Postcard of Copy of the tune 'Balmoral Highlanders'.
000-000-579-537-C
© National Museums Scotland

Copy of the tune 'Balmoral Highlanders'

Manuscript copy of the tune, 'Balmoral Highlanders', composed for the Great Highland Bagpipe by Angus Mackay (1813-1859), probably submitted to David Glen of Edinburgh for publication in his Edinburgh collection of 1903-1905.

The composition and performance of 2/4 March tunes with two, or more characteristically four parts became a familiar part of the Highland bagpipe repertoire in the 19th century. They commonly commemorate patron, personality or event and, becoming increasingly complex in their gracenoting, they were favoured as competition tunes and as tests of skill and dexterity.

The music for the Great Highland Bagpipe began to be recorded in written form in the 18th century, initially in song and fiddle collections. The first known book on Highland pipe music and 'pibroch' was written by Joseph MacDonald about 1760 but, since he died in India in 1763, his manuscript remained relatively unknown until recently. The first collection of tunes in full bagpipe notation was by the bagpipe maker, Donald MacDonald, who published his Collection of Ancient Martial Music of Caledonia called Piobaireachd about 1820. Further collections followed, notably Angus Mackay's Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd or Highland Pipe Music published in Edinburgh in 1838, and increasingly books of 'light music' such as David Glen's Collection of Highland Bagpipe Music in 17 parts between 1876 and 1911. The number of pipers in Scotland was increasing and players were becoming musically literate. The art of playing the Great Highland Bagpipe passed from an oral tradition into printed books.


Record details

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Online ID: 000-000-579-537-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0869: The Bagpipe Collection
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  Bagpipe Archive 1.10
Date: 1903 - 1905 (probable publication date)
Material:
Dimensions:
What:
Subject:
Who: Angus Mackay (author)
David Glen (probable publisher)
Where: Scotland, Edinburgh (probable place of publication)
Event:
Description: Copy of the tune 'Balmoral Highlander'.
References:
Translations:
Related Records:
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