MacFarlane manuscript

National Library of Scotland ms.2084 & 2085

A set of three handsome volumes written for Walter McFarlan by David Young c.1740, containing both Lowland and Highland Scottish music set for fiddle and written as a single melody line. Vol. 1 is missing. Volume 3 contains a number of Gaelic harp tunes. Some of them have variation sets though it is not clear if these were composed by Young, or are fiddle sets, or may even be versions of the older Gaelic harp variation style.

A facsimile of vol. 3 pp. 20-21, Cumh Easpuic Earra-ghaeidheal (Lament for the Bishop of Argyll) is given in Sanger & Kinnaird, Tree of Strings, Kinmor 1992, pp187-8. Digital settings of the tune are available from Jack Campin's website. You can hear a recording of it on my CD: Simon Chadwick, Clàrsach na Bànrighe

Simon Chadwick