Day 62 (Hector [Macdonald] the Hero)

Fiddle Tune a Day is my ambitious project to post a new fiddle tune on the web every day for the next year, using both youtube and tumblr.

Day62:
Hector (MacDonald) the Hero:

This is a classic lament penned by Scottish composer and fiddler James Scott Skinner in 1903. It was written as a tribute to Major-General Hector MacDonald, a distinguished Scottish general around the turn of the century. MacDonald, a friend of Skinner's, had not long before committed suicide following accusations of homosexuality.

As it is a lament, it is played slowly and sadly, often using instruments such as the violin, piano, guitar or bagpipes. It has been covered by many artists since its release, and is still reasonably well known today.

Lyrics by Thomas McWilliam: Lament him, ye mountains of Ross-shire; Your tears be the dew and the rain; Ye forests and straths, let the sobbing winds Unburden your grief and pain. Lament him, ye warm-hearted clansmen, And mourn for a kinsman so true The pride of the Highlands, the valiant MacDonald Will never come back to you. O, wail for the mighty in battle, Loud lift ye the Coronach strain; For Hector, the Hero, of deathless fame, Will never come back again. Lament him, ye sons of old Scotia, Ye kinsmen on many a shore; A patriot-warrior, fearless of foe, Has fallen to rise no more. O cherish his triumph and glory On Omdurman's death-stricken plain, His glance like the eagle's, his heart like the lion's His laurels a nation's gain. O, wail for the mighty in battle, Loud lift ye the Coronach strain; For Hector, the Hero, of deathless fame, Will never come back again. O rest thee, brave heart, in thy slumber, Forgotten shall ne'er be thy name; The love and the mercy of Heaven be thine; Our love thou must ever claim. To us thou art Hector the Hero, The chivalrous, dauntless, and true; The hills and the glens, and the hearts of a nation, Re-echo the wail for you. O, wail for the mighty in battle, Loud lift ye the Coronach strain; For Hector, the Hero, of deathless fame, Will never come back again.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Hector
• hero
• lament
• slow
• air
• scottish
• scotland
• james
• scott
• skinner
• macdonald
• fiddle
• violin
• celtic
• folk

[jacks51387]

Very lovely :)

Do you know if there is anywhere that I can get sheet music to some of the tunes that you play on here? Although I'm sure I couldn't make it sound as grand as you did seeing as I just started learning 6mo ago lol

[sindarion1]

Very nicely played, I really enjoyed that.  The tune is very haunting.

[fiddle4u]

Yes, this is a lovely piece of music and very well loved here in County Antrim -

jim,,