Sheet Music: Lochiel's March

TitleLochiel's March
Alternate titlesBlack Donald the Piper
Cameron Gathering
Domnall Dub an Piobaire
The Pibroch of Donald Dhu
Lochail's March
ComposerTraditional Scottish
InstrumentationFlute duet
KeyG major
RangeD4–E6
Time signature6/8
Tempo72 BPM
Performance time2:40
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (72 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (1.3 MB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (1.4 MB)
Date added2017-07-19
Last updated2017-07-19
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 0.5 (below average)
Categories
Celtic Music, Marches, Military music, Traditional/Folk

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Wednesday 19 July 2017

Tune of the Day: Lochiel's March

Traditional Scottish march

An article entitled “The Martial Music of the Clans”, published in a 1902 issue of The Celtic Monthly, has quite some information about this tune:

The March, or Spaidsearachd, of the [Cameron] Clan is “Piobaireachd Dhòmhnuill Duibh,” or Lochiel's March. This tune is also said to have been played at the battle of Inverlochy, and is the march of the 79th or Cameron Highlanders. I am aware that this tune is also associated with the MacDonalds, who call it “Black Donald Balloch of the Isles' March,” but there are several good tunes that are claimed by more than one clan. It is fair to the MacDonalds to state that this tune is found on paper in Oswald's Caledonian Pocket Companion, published in 1764, where it is called “Piobaireachd Mhic Dhònuil.” The Piobaireacdh setting is to be found in Albyn's Anthology (1816)—where the editor states he transcribed it from a MS. belonging to Captain MacLeod of Gesto. It is quite possible that this pibroch has been used as a Lament, as it possesses all the characteristics of that class of pipe music.

The present arrangement for two flutes, dedicated “to the Cadets at West Point”, is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in 1833.