1840s – John MacKay (JK)

NLS acc 9231. Untitled (c.1843–48). Deposited by the Piobaireachd Society, 1986.

Transcriptions of 62 pibrochs by John MacKay, brother to Angus MacKay. Angus added an index with this note:

May 21 – 1845. The Following collection of Ancient Piobaireachd was found in the Portmanteau of my late lamented Brother John after his decease, Oct 1848 – Being a collection of my fathers Tunes.

A MacKay

This manuscript has been greatly defaced: titles which were originally written in pencil have been erased and overwritten in ink and only a few of the beams and grace notes in the staff notation are original. The later additions are in an ink now indistinguishable from that of John MacKay; the ink was fresh in 1910, however, when the manuscript was studied by Archibald Campbell. His warning and detailed notes on the tampering are essential reading.

Barnaby Brown, 2016

MS cover
Angus MacKay’s note and index
Charles Bannatyne’s letter to Major J. P. Grant of Rothiemurchus (1920)
Archibald Campbell’s letter of warning (1949)
Archibald Campbell’s introduction and notes on the tampering (1950)
Roderick Cannon’s introduction (2008)
Roderick Cannon’s index with references to the Piobaireachd Society Books (P) and Thomason’s Ceol Mor (C)
Roderick Cannon’s revised readings of the Gaelic and English titles (2004)

Alphabetical (source titles and spellings)

A Chroacharach JK.19: 51, PS 311
A Ribbean Gorm JK.57: 156, PS 4
An Capagh Eocorach JK.43: 113, PS 3
Battle of the Pass of F…, The / Blar Ballach nan Broid JK.15: 39, PS 307
Battle of …rnish, The / Blar Bhaternis JK.49: 130, PS 221
Battle of Watter of Earn JK.29: 73, PS 27
Blar atholle JK.28: 71, PS 158
Bodach dubh na Shligain JK.13: 34, PS 225
Borst na Ludan JK.11: 103, PS 240
Cap Donald MacKenzies Lament JK.22: 57, PS 265
Cathrine’s Lament JK.51: [136], PS 185
Cha bol le mhac a fee he a nee a chen JK.36: 95, PS 94
Children’s Lament, The JK.40: 103, PS 239
Crossanachd an Doill JK.9: 21, PS 160
Cumha Alisteir Dhearg JK.50: [134], PS 100
Cumha Dhomhnull a Lagain JK.8: 19, PS 26
Cumha na Suipearach JK.4: 5, PS 273
Cumha an Aon Mhich JK.37: 98, PS 15
Cumha na h ithin…or Chumha Chhiabhers JK.14: 37, PS 190
Dastirim gun Seinim Piob JK.18: [46], PS 91
Desperate Battle (Birds), The / An Cath Gaelbheac JK.33: 87, PS 305
Donald Bain MacCruimen’s Lament / Cumha Dhomhnuill Bhan Mhic Cruimin JK.56: 150, PS 220
Duncan MacRae of Kentail’s Lament / Cumha Dhunochie Mhic Iain JK.2: [4], PS 271
Ewan Cauch JK.54: 145, PS 299
Finlay’s Lament JK.1: 1, PS 228
Fraser’s Lament, The JK.10: 24, PS 25
Gathering of Clan Chattan JK.41: 109, PS 76
Glen Shell Beg JK.17: 44, PS 291
Gogalleach nan Cearc JK.25: 63, PS 294
Gordon Doun McKenzie’s Lament / Cronan na Cailliach sa Bhein Bhreic JK.7: 21, PS 51
Great Spree, The / An Daorcah JK.46: 125, PS 178
ha chlan Dhonal Socharac JK.20: 51, PS 101
[Hector Roy MacLeans Lament] JK.14b: 38, PS 300
Heeyegev a sho sho shiv foll JK.45: 123, PS 162
[Indecipherable] JK.58: 160, PS 278
Iseberry JK.27: 67, PS 165
John garve of Coll’s Lament JK.60: 165, PS 78
Lament for the … / Cumha an Aon… JK.44 :116, PS 234
Laird of Coll’s Barge JK.53: 142, PS 11
Little Spree, The JK.47: 127, PS 230
Lord Kintail’s Lament / Cumha Challain Ruaidh JK.3: 5, PS 247
Lord MacDonald Lament JK.21: [54], PS 189
Mac N C’s Favorite JK.24: [60], PS 277
MacDonald of Kinlochmuidarts Lament JK.34: [88], PS 82
MacDuff or Duff’s Gathering JK.32: 84, PS 297
MacIntyre’s Salute JK.31: 80, PS 6
MacLeod of Tallisker’s Salute / Failte Ban-Thighearna Thalisger JK.16: 42, PS 301
Maol Duin JK.52: 138, PS 75
Masla Mhic Leoid JK.26: 64, PS 309
men is on the fuddle, The / An Daorach JK.55: 147, PS 241
Mrs MacLeod of Tallisker’s Salute JK.61: 168, PS 292
Old Swords Lament, The / Cumha’n t-Sean Claidheamh JK.38: 100, PS 150
Parading of the MacDonalds / Faicheachd Chlann Domhnuill JK.12: 30, PS 227
Praise of Morag JK.5: 10, PS 83
Pride of Barrah, The JK.30: 78, PS 8
Rout of the Engl., The JK.6: 14, PS 112
Sigart Screich JK.42: 110, PS 296
Sir James MacDonald of the Isleses Lament JK.39: 101, PS 306
Slan gun till Eonachan JK.62: [174], PS 145
Smaller Spree, The / Tha’n Daorach Mein JK.48: 129, PS 308
Togail Bho Thir JK.59: 162, PS 140

Numerical (by number and page)

JK.1: 1  PS 228 Finlay’s Lament
JK.2: [4] PS 271 Duncan MacRae of Kentail’s Lament / Cumha Dhunochie Mhic Iain
JK.3: 5  PS 247 Lord Kintail’s Lament / Cumha Challain Ruaidh
JK.4: 5  PS 273 Cumha na Suipearach
JK.5: 10  PS 83 Praise of Morag
JK.6: 14  PS 112 Rout of the Engl., The
JK.7: 21  PS 51 Gordon Doun McKenzie’s Lament / Cronan na Cailliach sa Bhein Bhreic
JK.8: 19  PS 26 Cumha Dhomhnull a Lagain
JK.9: 21  PS 160 Crossanachd an Doill
JK.10: 24  PS 25 Fraser’s Lament, The
JK.11: 103  PS 240 Borst na Ludan
JK.12: 30  PS 227 Parading of the MacDonalds / Faicheachd Chlann Domhnuill
JK.13: 34  PS 225 Bodach dubh na Shligain
JK.14: 37  PS 190 Cumha na h ithin…or Chumha Chhiabhers
JK.14b: 38  PS 300 [Hector Roy MacLeans Lament]
JK.15: 39  PS 307 Battle of the Pass of F…, The / Blar Ballach nan Broid
JK.16: 42  PS 301 MacLeod of Tallisker’s Salute / Failte Ban-Thighearna Thalisger
JK.17: 44  PS 291 Glen Shell Beg
JK.18: [46] PS 91 Dastirim gun Seinim Piob
JK.19: 51  PS 311 A Chroacharach
JK.20: 51  PS 101 ha chlan Dhonal Socharac
JK.21: [54]  PS 189 Lord MacDonald Lament
JK.22: 57  PS 265 Cap Donald MacKenzies Lament
JK.24: [60]  PS 277 Mac N C’s Favorite
JK.25: 63  PS 294 Gogalleach nan Cearc
JK.26: 64  PS 309 Masla Mhic Leoid
JK.27: 67  PS 165 Iseberry
JK.28: 71  PS 158 Blar atholle
JK.29: 73  PS 27 Battle of Watter of Earn
JK.30: 78  PS 8 Pride of Barrah, The
JK.31: 80  PS 6 MacIntyre’s Salute
JK.32: 84  PS 297 MacDuff or Duff’s Gathering
JK.33: 87  PS 305 Desperate Battle (Birds), The / An Cath Gaelbheac
JK.34: [88]  PS 82 MacDonald of Kinlochmuidarts Lament
JK.36: 95  PS 94 Cha bol le mhac a fee he a nee a chen
JK.37: 98  PS 15 Cumha an Aon Mhich
JK.38: 100  PS 150 Old Swords Lament, The / Cumha’n t-Sean Claidheamh
JK.39: 101  PS 306 Sir James MacDonald of the Isleses Lament
JK.40: 103  PS 239 Children’s Lament, The
JK.41: 109  PS 76 Gathering of Clan Chattan
JK.42: 110  PS 296 Sigart Screich
JK.43: 113  PS 3 An Capagh Eocorach
JK.44 :116  PS 234 Lament for the … / Cumha an Aon…
JK.45: 123  PS 162 Heeyegev a sho sho shiv foll
JK.46: 125  PS 178 Great Spree, The / An Daorcah
JK.47: 127  PS 230 Little Spree, The
JK.48: 129  PS 308 Smaller Spree, The / Tha’n Daorach Mein
JK.49: 130  PS 221 Battle of …rnish, The / Blar Bhaternis
JK.50: [134]  PS 100 Cumha Alisteir Dhearg
JK.51: [136]  PS 185 Cathrines Lament
JK.52: 138  PS 75 Maol Duin
JK.53: 142  PS 11 Laird of Coll’s Barge
JK.54: 145  PS 299 Ewan Cauch
JK.55: 147  PS 241 men is on the fuddle, The / An Daorach
JK.56: 150  PS 220 Donald Bain MacCruimen’s Lament / Cumha Dhomhnuill Bhan Mhic Cruimin
JK.57: 156  PS 4 A Ribbean Gorm
JK.58: 160  PS 278 [Indecipherable]
JK.59: 162  PS 140 Togail Bho Thir
JK.60: 165  PS 78 John garve of Coll’s Lament
JK.61: 168  PS 292 Mrs MacLeod of Tallisker’s Salute
JK.62: [174] PS 145 Slan gun till Eonachan

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