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MacDonalds are Simple, The

Title

Alternative Title

Tha Clann Domnuill Socharach

Artist

Patrick Molard (Campbell Canntaireachd version), Malcolm R MacPherson

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Information

Nothing is known of the origin of this tune which appears in the manuscripts of Angus MacKay Duncan Campbell and in the Campbell Canntaireachd. The name of the tune is considered to be a mistranslation due probably to incorrect Gaelic spelling. A better translation is thought to be "The MacDonalds are Special".

Judges Note 2013

The C/low A and B/low A even quavers in bars 1 and 2, and elsewhere, might be played 'cut and dotted' as an alternative, perhaps with a slight pause for emphasis on the notes preceding them. This is how it is represented in Binneas and is thought to be more consistent with the Gaelic song than playing them as written in PS 9.

Variation 2 might be played with heavy low As and low Gs before the taorluaths followed by three more or less even notes as an alternative to the timing in PS 9.

As the tune is quite short, and as the taorluath and crunluath variations don't have singlings, it seems an ideal candidate for a crunluath a mach. Binneas has a Taorluath a mach The setting in Colin Campbell's MS has taorluath and crunluath singlings and doublings.

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PS Book 9, Binneas

John MacKay Manuscript Nameless (The MacDonald's are Simple) 20
Kintarbert (Angus MacKay) Manuscript The MacDonalds are Simple 26
CC V2 17 Clanndoniel Sochaach
John MacDougall-Gillies Manuscript MacDonalds are Simple
Colin Cameron Manuscript 76 Tha Clann Domhnuill Socharach The McDonald’s are simple