Annotation:Lament of Flora MacDonald
X:1 T:Lament of Flora MacDonald M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Air Q:"Slow with Expression" N:"This beautiful Jacobite Air is published separately as a Song, N:words by the Errick Shepherd." (i.e. James Hogg) B:Gow - Sixth Collection of Strathspey Reels (1822) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:A E|A>GA (FG)A|(Bd)(c/B/) AGE|c>BA (E<d)c|(c/B/)A~G A2E| {G}A>GA (FGA)|(Bd)(c/B/) AGE|c:BA (E<d)c|(c/B/)A~G A2||E| A>(Bc/d/) (ec).A|.E(Ec) (dB)G|(Ac)e ~e>dc|B<cd (dc)B| e>fe (dc)B|e>cA (GF)E|A>GF (Edc)|(c/B/)AG A>(Bc/d/)| ~e>fe (dcB)|e>cA (GF)E|A>GF (Ed).c|(c/B/)A~G A2||
LAMENT FOR/OF FLORA MACDONALD, THE. AKA and see "Flora MacDonald's Lament." Scottish, Slow Air (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Hunter (1988) says that it was stated in the Gow collections that it was written by Nathaniel Gow's first son, Niel Gow, Jr. (who became a physician as well as a keen amateur musician, but who died at the age of 28), however it may have been an old (Skye) air which he improved. However, in the Gow's Sixth Collection (Edinburgh, 1822) there is no composer attribution with the tune, and it is identified as a "beautiful Jacobite Air." The air was set with words by the Ettrick Shepherd, poet James Hogg. "Neil Gow, the famous violin player" sent Hogg some "rude verses translated from the Gaelic," which inspired the song (MacQuoid, Jacobite Songs and Ballads, 1888). George Farquhar Graham (Popular Songs of Scotland, 1887) attributes the tune to Neil Gow, Jr.
