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March Donald Gruamach’s

Title

Alternative Title

Spaidsearachd Dhomhnuill Ghruamaich

Artist

Andrew Wright, WM MacDonald (ground and variation 1), Malcolm R MacPherson, R B Nicol (ground and V1)

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Information

This tune is said to have been composed by Donald Gruamach on the death of his brother. Gruamach was one of the Sleat family, and it has been said that it was from him that the Sleat family had the patronymic MacDonald of the Isles to distinguish them from the other branches of the clan. He is said to have died in 1534. Bridget MacKenzie estimates however that this Donald Gruamach was a later one who was killed when he led a force into MacLeod's Lands.

Malcolm R MacPherson was a grandson of Calum Piobaire MacPherson, and son of Angus MacPherson. He was a renowned contemporary of John MacDonald of Inverness. The recordings were made in his later life when circumstances were not ideal. They reflect the style of playing indicated in the collection Binneas is Boreraig, which was compiled from Malcolm MacPherson's playing by Dr Roddy Ross.

Judges Note 2014

There are various ways of timing the ground. Examples of recordings include Andrew Wright (PS website), Donald MacPherson (CD: 'A Living Legend'), Kenneth MacDonald (CD: 'The Sound of Kintail'). All play the Alexander Cameron version of the ground i.e. without the crunluaths, as in Kilberry; all time it slightly differently.

The Angus Mackay setting with the crunluaths in the ground, as in the main score in PS2, is also popular. Brown and Nicol taught the tune with the crunluaths, but they had other slight differences from that shown in PS2, namely: in line 3 bar 5 of the ground they had a three- note cadence instead of a G grace note, and the final two bars were played the same as the final two in line 2.

The Thumb variation might be effective played fairly openly, i.e. not cutting the 'cut' notes too aggressively. Brown and Nicol taught that the opening 4 bars were the same as the following 4 bars but ending with a B, not C, cadence. The siubhal may be played 'up' or 'down'. A crunluath a mach would normally be expected, even although the tune is a long one.

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Available in:

PS Book 2, Kilberry, Binneas

Donald MacDonald V1 Donald Gruamach's March
Donald Gruamach's March - Understanding Piobaireachd
Hannay-MacAuslin Manuscript Spaidseirachd Dhomhnuil Ghruamaic[h] Donald Gruamach's Marc
Angus MacKay Manuscript Grim Donald's March
CC V2 18 Leanan Mhic Donnil Gromich
Neil MacLeod Gesto Canntaireachd 9 Donald Groumach
David Glen's Book Lament, Donald Gruamach of Slate’s
John MacDougall-Gillies Manuscript March Donald Gruamach's
Angus MacKay Specimens of Canntaireachd Spatcharach dolgruamach
John Smith MS Grim Donald's March