Annotation:Black Bear (The)

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BLACK BEAR, THE. Scottish, English; Hornpipe, March. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABA. Also set as a pipe march and is a core tune of the repertoire. Traditionally it has been the march played by Highland regiments when returning to barracks after a route march, or by a single piper when a company returned after a march of ten miles or more. It is usually the last tune played at the Edinburgh Tattoo. An old comic film called Tunes of Glory, starring Alex Guinness as a rather neurotic commanding officer used the march as its theme music.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: English Folk Dance and Song Society. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle, vol. 3), 1988; p. 5. Scots Guards vol.1, No. 12, p.8. William Ross (Ross's Collection of Pipe Music), 1869; No. 77, p. 88.

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