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Rout of Glenfruin
Title
Rout of Glenfruin
Alternative Title
Ruaig Ghlinn Fraoin
Artist
Bruce Gandy, R U Brown (D MacDonald version), Malcolm R MacPherson
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Information
A more correct translation might be "The Glen of Mourning". In 1603 the MacGregors aided by some MacIans and Camerons raided Luss and massacred a great number of Colquhouns. This event caused King James VI to abolish the name MacGregor, to forbid any who had attended the Rout to carry arms and to pronounce death on any person formerly called MacGregor who should presume to assemble in greater numbers than four.
This setting is based on the teaching of Alexander Cameron and John MacDougall Gillies
Judges Note 2013
The setting in PS 8 is given as that taught by Alexander Cameron and John MacDougall Gillies. Angus MacKay's MS differs from the PS in the following respects:-
• The omission of cadential Es in the thumb variation and its doubling.
• In the leumluath, taorluath and crunluath doublings, an E is introduced in place of B in the second bar of the second phrase.
• No a mach variation.
The Campbell Canntaireachd follows a similar path through the tune as MacKay, omitting the leumluath, but introduces a further E instead of a C into the ‘A’ phrase of each of the middle variations. However errors are present in the editorial notes in PS 8 which cannot be taken as an accurate copy of the original. Anyone playing this would have to produce their own transcript for the judges and vouch for its accuracy.
The setting in Donald MacDonald's published book is interesting and attractive in its own right and deviations are enumerated accurately in the editorial notes. Not withstanding the change in note timing in the ground, an E cadence figure at the end of each phrase is uniformly to a C followed by a low A with an intervening low G grace note. The cadential Es in the thumb variations are dropped apart from an introductory one and a dithis is substituted for the leumluath. There are singling, doubling and trebling variations in this dithis, and the taorluath contains an a mach movement. In the singlings of these variations the most striking difference is a C grip on C as the last figure in the B phrase where in MacKay this appears simply as a cadence played to C. A recording of Bob Brown playing this setting can be heard in the sound clips section
.
The setting in PS 8 does beg one question and that is where these cadences in the thumb variations come from as they do not appear in the earlier sources. Competitors may wish to drop the cadences in the doubling, provided that they warn the judges that they intend doing so.
This tune was printed in the first series of PS 5 where it appears in a similar style as in the second series, except that the time signature is 6/8 rather than common time.
A crunluath a mach would generally be considered appropriate in this tune.
Available in:
PS Book 8, Kilberry, Binneas
More
Donald MacDonald Volume 1 Rout of Glen Fruin
Hannay-MacAuslin Manuscript Ruaig Ghlinne Freoir, The pursuit of Glenfroo(in) The Rout of Glenfruin
Angus MacKay Manuscript V2 The Rout of Glenfruin
CC V1 11 Ruag Glen Froin (MacGregor’s March)
David Glen's Book Rout of Glenfruin
Ballindalloch MS The Rout of Glenfruin