My repertory concentrates on the historical music of the Gaelic harp in Ireland and Scotland. I play pieces from the medieval period to the baroque, with excursions into related traditions and styles like Welsh harp music.
I enjoy tailoring my repertory for many different kinds of performance, selecting pieces that reference a particular location or theme.
I draw my material from manuscripts, old printed books, and oral and living musical traditions.
Many tunes originally for the harp have crossed over on to other instruments, so I can sometimes uncover the old harp repertoire from other musical traditions. A particular interest of mine is ceol mor, the old indigenous art music shared by the bagpipes, the fiddle and the Gaelic harp. I am also interested in the development of baroque style in Irish and Scottish music in the years around 1700.
Below is a list of repertory which I have performed. Sometimes the provenance of a piece is complicated: it may have been composed in medieval times and preserved in a seventeenth century manuscript; or it may have been composed by an Irish harper working in Scotland, and have entered the wider Gaelic tradition.
Medieval secular music
- Kaniad y Gwyn Bibydd, (song of the white piper), 13 variations from Robert ap Huw’s manuscript of medieval Welsh harp music, copied c. 1620.
- Gosteg yr Halen, (a fanfare for the salt). This ceremonial pieece from Robert ap Huw’s book was said to have been played as the salt cellar was ceremoniously brought to the Round Table for King Arthur and his knights.
- Lamento di Tristano, a lament for Tristan of Cornwall, from an Italian manuscript of c. 1400. Video
- Hei tuti teti, reputedly the battle march of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots (ruled 1306-1329).
- Lament for Isobel Countess of Buchan, my own composition on the medieval measure Alban Hyfaidd
- Branle l’Officiel, a dance tune published in France in 1589.
- Graysteil A medieval ballad tune, preserved in the Straloch lute book, c.1629
- Ex Te Lux Oritur, composed in 1281 to celebrate the wedding of Princess Margaret of Scotland and King Eric II of Norway. this is on my CD
- The Battle of Strathcarron, fought in Strathclyde in 642, from Llyfr Aneirin (Y Gododdin manuscript) video
- The Battle of Harlaw was fought in Aberdeenshire in 1411 - maybe the tune is that old... this is on my CD. More on the Harlaw 600th anniversary
- Piobaireachd Dhomhnuill Dhuibh, Black Donald Balloch's March to the Battle of Inverlochy, 1427. In the piping tradition this is not considered particularly old but I am listening to the Gaelic singers for my version, and I wonder if it also has medieval roots...
- Burns March, composed in the 13th century for the Burns, or Byrnes, near Newry, as collected from some of the last of the old Irish harpers in the 1790s. this is on my CD
Medieval sacred music
- Vir Perfecte, a two-part polyphonic responsory for the feast of St Andrew, adapted from the 13th century St Andrews Cathedral Music Book
this is on my CD
- Vir Iste, another St Andrews responsory this is on my CD
- Kyrie Virginitatus Amator, a polyphonic chant from the St Andrews Music Book. this is on my CD
- Salve Splendor chant in praise of St Columba, from the Inchcolm Antiphoner, c. 1340. this is on my CD
- Pater Columba also from Inchcolm Priory, on an island in the Firth of Forth. this is on my CD
- Virgo Sancta Brigida, 15th century chant for St Bride.
- Ibunt Sancti, an early medieval plainchant tune with Irish connections. video
- Caniad San Silin, 12 variations of this ‘song to Saint Silin’ from the Robert ap Huw manuscript of medieval Welsh harp music. video
- Kaingk Dafydd Broffwyd
Song for David the Prophet, a medieval Welsh harp tune, written in
tablature in the manuscript of Robert ap Huw, c. 1623. video
- Bone Iesu Dulcis Cunctis, a 15th century French funeral responsory, now better known as an advent hymn
- Nobilis Hominis Hymn for St Magnus of Orkney, from a 13th century Upsala manuscript. this is on my CD
Rennaisance Gaelic instrumental music
- Caoineadh Rioghail, ‘The Royal Lament’ composed by Iain Garbh Cholla (The 7th MacLean chief, c.1600-1680) on the execution of Charles I in 1649.
- Port Rorie Dall, from a Glasgow printed book of c.1800
- Cumh Peathar Ruari, Rory’s sister’s lament, attributed to Ruaidhri Dall Ó Catháin. video
- ’s Eagal Leam a mBas: ‘Terror of Death’ by Rory Dall.
- Lude’s Supper, composed for the Robertsons of Lude, Perthshire, by Ruaidhri Dall Ó Catháin. this is on my CD
- Irish Port, an enigmatic tune from from the Wemyss lute book, c.1640.
- Cumh Ioarla Wigton (Lament for the Earl of Wigtown), a grand 17th century Scottish lament with formal and complex ceol mor style variations.
- Port Preist, a late 16th or early 17th century clàrsach tune from central Scotland, elsewhere attributed to Ruaidhri Dall Ó Catháin. video
- Port Ballangowne also called Port Rorie Dall, and presumably attributed to Rory Dall O’Kane or Ó Cathain. From early 17th century lute settings
- Port Jean Lindsay, another port from the Straloch manuscript
- Féachain Gléis (tuning test), a formal introductory piece, which is a companion to...
- Cumh Caoine an Albannaich, ‘Scott’s Lamentation’, or lament for the Baron of Loughmore, composed by John Scott in 1599, as collected by Edward Bunting from the playing of Denis O’Hampsey in the 1790s.
- Da Mihi Manum (Tabhair Dom Do Lámh - Give me your hand) by Rúaidhrí Dall Ó Catháin (c. 1570 - 1650). Composed for Lady Eglinton in South-West Scotland. I play the oldest extant setting, from the Wemyss lute book, c.1640
this is on my CD
- Cath Eachroma The Battle of Aughrim, 1691. A frenetic set of martial variations.
- Easbuig Earra-ghàidheal
‘The Bishop of Argyll’ from Angus Fraser’s fiddle manuscript, mid 19th century, and another version of the same tune, Cumh Easbig Earraghaal
‘Bishop of Argyle’s Lament’, from Daniel Dow, ‘A Collection of Ancient Scots Music’ 1776. A formal ceol mor variation set.
-
Cumh Easpuic Earraghaoidheal Lament for the Bishop of Argyll, from the MacFarlane Young fiddle ms, c. 1740. Similar to, but different from the above. this is on my CD
- Untitled pìobaireachd (Chehotrao hodro) from the Campbell Canntaireachd manuscript, c. 1814, learned from the playing of Barnaby Brown.
- Port Lennox, from the repertory of John Robertson of Lude, as played by him on the Queen Mary harp and the Lamont harp. this is on my CD
- Port Athol, from the repertory of John Robertson of Lude, as played by him on the Queen Mary harp and the Lamont harp. this is on my CD
- Port Gordon, from the repertory of John Robertson of Lude, as played by him on the Queen Mary harp and the Lamont harp. this is on my CD
- King James March to Ireland,
supposedly originating as a tune by Myles O’Reilly from Cavan (b.1636), brought to Scotland by William Connellan at the end of the 17th century. The tune commemorates the Jacobite/Williamite wars in Ireland.
Allan Ramsay later used the tune for his song Lochaber no More. Also Lochaber &
The Wild Geese, or Ireland’s
Lamentation as collected in the 1790s by Edward Bunting from Patrick Quin, taken from Bunting’s field notebooks.
video
Baroque Irish
- The Lady of the Desert composed by Cornelius Lyons (c. 1680 - c. 1750), with elaborate baroque variations, based on the old Irish love-song
The Coolin or An Chúilfhionn
- The Fairy Queen by Turlough Carolan (1670 - 1738)
- Loftus Jones by Carolan. video
- Planxty Connor by Carolan, as played by Thady Eliott during Christmas Day Mass at Navan.
- Captain Sudley a song composed by Carolan for his daughter Siobhán’s wedding.
- Síle Bheag Ní Chonalláin
A song by Thomas Connellan (c. 1640 - post 1717)
- Killiekrankie by Connellan, from the Pádraig Ó Néill manuscripts.
- Táim i mo Chodladh, I am asleep and don’t waken me, from the repertory of Denis O’Hampsey.
- Aileen Aroon, an old Irish song air popular in 18th century Scotland.
- A Chailini, an bhfaca sibh Seoirse or Conchubhar Mhac Coiréibhe, (Girls have you seen George, or Conor Macareavey), a traditional air with variations by Cornelius Lyons. video
- The Irish Cry, & Jigg to the Irish Cry An example of keening or funeral music, incongurously set with a jigg variation in Burk Thumoth’s “12 Scotch and 12 Irish Airs” of c.1742
- Mrs Power, by Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738). More commonly known as Carolan’s Concerto. video
- Seabhac na hÉirne,
a song by Carolan in praise of Katherine O’More, also known as "The
Hawk of Ballyshannon". The tune that Carolan used was not composed by him, but is "Port Atholl" by Ruaidhrí
Dall Ó Catháin (c. 1570 - 1650)
- Elevation by Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738), bass and treble from the 18th century printed collection.
- Miss Hamilton, a sweet little tune credited to Cornelius Lyons (c. 1680 - c. 1750). Appears in 18th century Scottish sources as "The blossom of the raspberry".
- Ye Clarges Lamentation
From the oldest Irish music book, printed by Neale in Dublin in 1724
- A Stáraí a ghoid mo chlú-sa uaim (you roughe who stole my heart away), also called the Golden Star, or The Jointure, by Thomas Connellan (c. 1640 - post 1717).
Traditional and curious
- The Highland Battle from James Oswald’s "Caledonian Pocket Companion", a description in music of a battle, with spoken subtitles.
- Da Day Dawis a Shetland fiddle tune. video
- Cro Chinn t-Sàile, A Gaelic song about returning home to Kintail.
- Rory Dalls Port, attributed to one of the two Rory Dalls, but may actually have been composed by James Oswald. The tune was later used by Robert Burns for "Ae Fond Kiss". this is on my CD
- The Battle of Sheriff Moor, an 18th century Gaelic song of defeat in battle, from the repertory of John Robertson of Lude, as played by him on the Queen Mary harp and the Lamont harp. this is on my CD
- Oran do Iain Breac MacLeod, a Song to Iain MacLeod of Dunvegan by Ruaidhri Dall Mac Mhuirich aka Rory Dall Morrison (c.1656 - c.1714). video
- A’ Ghlas Mheur or the Finger lock, a piobaireachd attributed to Raghnall MacAilein Òig aka Ronald MacDonald of Morar (1662 - 1741)
- Grant of Sheuglie’s contest betwixt his Violin, Pipe and Harp A traditional song air, which was aparrently used for this lost song by Alexander Grant of Shewglie (c. 1675 - 1746)
- Brian Boru’s March
- Harrow’s March, a pìobaireachd tune from the Campbell Canntaireachd manuscript.
Fenian lays and related music
Please contact me for more information or ideas.
