Wetootwaag's Bagpipe and History Podcast

Tunes:

Pretty incomplete tune list:

Tunes:

Cuddy’s Wedding from Vickers, Auld Lang Syne from Appomattox, Hoopers and Girders (Pete Stewart’s Setting from David Young),

Over the Hills and Far Away, Mill Mill O, Oyster Wive’s Rant, Gravel Walks, Brenda Stubberts, Mason’s Apron, Miss McLeod of Raasay, Atholl Highlanders, and many more.

Càirdeas is pretty booked up for this year actually, but be sure to get on their mailing list here:

https://www.cairdeas.org/

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!

Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!

Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:

https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag

You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/

You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1

You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!

Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support

Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

All songs in this episode are poems by Robert Louis Stevenson set to traditional tunes:

“A Song of the Road” with Over the Hills and Far Away

“The Spaewife” with unnamed tune collected by George St. J. Bremner

“Wandering Willie” with Here Awa’ There Awa’ and Bonnie Dundee

“Over the Sea to Skye” with the Skye Boat Song

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Thanks to J.F.M. Russell, who has made his research into the music of Robert Louis Stevenson available on his website, https://sites.google.com/a/music-of-robert-louis-stevenson.org/introduction/home

You can find many tantalizing tidbits about RLS’ music manuscripts and stories about his writings. The index on his site will guide you to more information about the poems and songs I selected.

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Thanks to Jeremy Kingsbury for inviting me to guest host this episode, and for the many words of advice and encouragement in the process of recording and editing it.

Thanks to my son Ethan for his assistance and expert advice on mixing and mastering this episode.

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A Song of the Road

You can hear much more about the Over the Hills and Far Away tune in Wetootwaag’s Bagpipe and History Podcast, Season 7 Episode 10:

https://www.wetootwaag.com/s7e10

I didn’t mention it in the episode, but one of my favorite sung settings of this song is arranged by Sean Dagher on La Nef’s Sea Songs & Shanties album: (a great collection of sea shanty arrangements!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd69tvWD0xI&list=RDvd69tvWD0xI&start_radio=1

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The Spaewife

Bremner’s (unnamed) tune from a note with transcription by Fannie, Robert’s wife, in her preface to Underwoods, A Child's Garden of Verses & Underwoods, Ballads, which is from the Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Vailima Edition Volume VIII

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Wandering Willie

Original tune that Burns used for his Here Awa’ There Awa’, from a book RLS had in his library, The Songs of Scotland Without Words:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_songs_of_Scotland_without_words_for/pGhBAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA19&printsec=frontcover&dq=wandering

From (another book RLS had in his library) Gems of Scottish Song: (this is an adaptation of the tune that Burns used for his Bonnie Dundee)

Page 1 and Page 2

RLS sketched a tune for Wandering Willie in his manuscripts, and based it on this Bonnie Dundee version, and likely altered it further in the second part.

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Over the Sea to Skye

Please see Mr. Russell’s page about this song, which includes two examples of the song notated in Stevenson’s hand.

https://sites.google.com/a/music-of-robert-louis-stevenson.org/over-the-sea-to-skye/

And this note with transcription by Fannie, Robert’s wife, in her preface to Underwoods,

which is again from the Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Vailima Edition Volume VIII

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Works_of_Robert_Louis_Stevenson/t2Q4AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=spae%20wife%20brenmer&pg=PA89&printsec=frontcover

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The Peter Pauper Press music journal is what I have been using for a few years to write down tunes as I’m learning them, or compose new ones, along with descriptions and other thoughts:

https://www.peterpauper.com/products/music-journal

My bellows-blown scottish smallpipes were made by Nate Banton

https://natebanton.com/

My C chanter was made by Robert Felsburg

https://www.thequietpiper.com/

My low D whistle and C whistle were made by Rob Gandara

https://carbony.com/

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FIN

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!

Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!

Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:

https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag

You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/

You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1

You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!

Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support

Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

Robert Bremner: Duke of Perth’s Reel, Capt. Ross’s Reel, Short Apron, Hoptoun House, Lady Hariot Hope’s Reel, The Highlandman Kiss’d His Mother, Miss Murray’s Reel, Drummore’s Rant, He Hirpl’d till her, Had the Lass till I winn at her, Cadgers of the Cannongate,

Jeremy Kingsbury Sets: Colonel MacBain’s Fancy, Brenda Stubbert’s Reel, The Gravel Walk, Highlandman Kissed His Mother & Jenny Sutton From Bannocks of Barley Meal. Paddy Cary, Jigg Poltage, Ryan’s Rant from Pay the Pipemaker. Dark-eyed one of the Night, Lady Seaforth, Dark Girl of the White Feet, Lady Mary Mackay, Mary Gray, Sweet Molly From Rowly Powly.

J. Johnson: The Lads of Boot,

William Ross: Miss Victoria Ross

Iain MacInnes: Miss Victoria Ross, Lady Doll Sinclair, A’Chubhag (The Cuckoo), McFarlane’s from Album Tryst

Anselm Lingnau: (Traditional Tune Archive) Lady Susan Stewart’s Reel

John Walsh: Susan Stewart’s Reel,

Big thank you to Iain MacInnes for his blessing to include his track from Tryst.

Tryst was published by Greentrax Label:

https://greentrax.com/product/iain-macinnes-tryst-cd/

But is available on most streaming platforms as well.

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Cover Art is a Receipt from Robert Bremner’s Shop in London courtesy of the British Museum:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/image/1544287001

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I played tracks from Pay the Pipemaker:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/pay-the-pipemaker

Bannocks of Barley Meal:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/bannocks-of-barley-meal

and Rowly Powly:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/rowly-powly

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Nearly all of the tunes this week come from Robert Bremner's 1757(ish) publication: A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105002262

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1750: Lads of Boot From J Johnson's Country Dances (Via Traditional Tune Archive)

https://tunearch.org/wiki/Lads_of_Boot

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1869: Miss Victoria Ross: from William Ross's Collection of Pipe Music:

https://ceolsean.net/content/WRoss/WRoss_TOC.html

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Susan Stewart's Reel From Traditional Tune Archive:

https://tunearch.org/wiki/Lady_Susan_Stewart%27s_Reel

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1758 (I've also seen 1760): Lady Susan Stewart's Reel from John Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances Vol 2 part IV

https://archive.org/details/walsh4caledonian/

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For may Hihland Man Kissed His Mother Episode Listen here:

https://www.wetootwaag.com/s5e28

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FIN

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!

Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!

Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:

https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag

You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/

You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1

You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!

Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support

Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

Tunes:

Robert Bremner: Ratha Fair, Lady Doll Sinclair's Reel, The Milkmaids of Blantyre, Miss Polly Skinner's Reel, Miss Ramsey's Reel, The Parks of Kilburnie, Kiss me Sweetly, Cameron Has Got his Wife Again, Mr. Robert Kenney's Reel, Miss Blair's Reel, I'll gae nae mair to your Town, The Fyket, Isle of Sky, Jacky Stewart's Reel, Capt. Ross's Reel, Duke Of Perth's Reel,

Wililam Vickers: Lanox Love,

Sutherland: Clean Peas Straw,

Donald MacDonald: Pease Straw,

Thomas Glen: Pease Strae,

Abraham MacIntosh: Miss Parker's Reel,

James Aird: The Fyket,

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If you like the sound of my new whistles, check out Verdant Whistles here:

https://www.irishflutestore.com/products/verdant-whistles?variant=46855357432034

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If you want to hear Robert Bremner's Treatise on music you can listen to my reading of it here:

https://www.wetootwaag.com/s8e2

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The Articles I found about the Possible "Lady Doll Sinclair"

https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Lady_Doll_Sinclair

https://threadinburgh.scot/2023/01/04/the-thread-about-the-ninth-day-of-christmas-the-lady-behind-lady-fifes-house-well-and-brae-and-what-she-has-to-do-with-primrose/

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CzNLUYjcC/

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Nearly all of the tunes this week come from Robert Bremner's 1757(ish) publication: A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105002262

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I'm hoping ot update the notes soon, but shoot me an email if you're looking for any of the other sources I didn't link yet.

FIN

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!

Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!

Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:

https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag

You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/

You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1

You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!

Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support

Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

Tunes:

David Young: The Drunken Wives in Pearson's Closs,

Robert Bremner: Oyater Wives Rant, Lady Doll Sinclair's Reel,

James Aird: The Oyster Wive's Rant, Mullindough or the Black Laddie,

Angus Cumming: Haugh's of Cromdale,

John Peacock: Oyster Wifes Rant

Donald MacDonald: A Mulinn Dubh, The Whimsical, Jingling Johnie, The Miller's Fair Daughter, Morag is Domhnull (or Marion & Donald), The Jolly Old Gardner,

John Rook: The Black Laddie,

Thomas Glen: Mulinn Dubh (The Black Mill),

William Gunn: Am Muilen Dubh (The black Mill)

William Ross: The Black Mill

LBPS Blue Book: The Oyster Wife's Rant,

Jeremy Kingsbury: Oyster Wife's Rant,

Be sure to Post your performance to your own instagram account and tag it #LBPS or #LBPSTOTM

or post your rendition straight to the Lowland and Border Pipers' Group (Formerly LBPS Forum)

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FZMPP8vUm/

You should also explore the growing resources at the LBPS Tune of the Month Website:

https://lbps.net/j3site/index.php/repertoire/tune-of-the-month/1297-may-2026-oyster-wifes-rant

SOURCES

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1740: The Drunken Wives in Pearson’s Closs from David Young’s A Collection of the Newest Country Dances Perform’d in Scotland at Edinburgh by Da. Young WM

Image Courtesy Pete Stewart

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1760s: The Oyster Wive’s Rant From Robert Bremner’s A Collection of Scots Reels or Contry Dances

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105003175

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1780: The Oyster Wive’s rant from James Aird’s A selection of Scotch, English, Irish, and foreign airs : adapted to the fife, violin or German-flute

https://archive.org/details/selectionofscotc00ingl/page/2/mode/2up

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1800(ish): Oyster Wifes Rant from John Peacock’s A Favourite Collection of Tunes with Variations Adapted for the Northumberland Small Pipes, Violin or Flute

http://www.farnearchive.com/farneimages/jpgs/K0101300.jpg

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1828: A Mulinn Dubh from Donald MacDonald’s A Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, Reels & Jigs Arranged for the Highland Bagpipe https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682759

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1840: The Black Laddie from John Rook’s Manuscript Multum in parvo or a Collection of old English, Scotch, Irish & Welsh Tunes.

https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/archive/rja14/musicfiles/manuscripts/rook/rook_pages/059.htm

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1843: Mulinn Dubh From A New and Complete Tutor for the Great Highland Bagpipe by Thomas Glen

https://ceolsean.net/content/TGlen/TGlen_TOC.html

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1848: An Muilen Dubh (The black Mill) from William Gunn’s The Caledonian Repository of Music adaptes for the Bagpipes

https://ceolsean.net/content/Gunn/Gunn_TOC.html

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1869: The Black Mill From Ross’s Collection of Pipe Music by William Ross https://ceolsean.net/content/WRoss/WRoss_TOC.html

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Black Mill Set from Cold and Raw:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/album/cold-and-raw

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1828: The Whimsical (Fall of Foyers) from Donald MacDonald’s Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, reels and Jigs

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682660

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1828: Jingling Johnie (Kate Dalrymple) from Donald MacDonald’s Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, reels and Jigs

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682737

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1828: The Miller’s Fair Daughter from Donald MacDonald’s Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, reels and Jigs

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682605

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1828: Morag is Domhnull (or Marion & Donald) from Donald MacDonald’s Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, Reels and Jigs

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682682

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1828: The Jolly old Gardener from Donald MacDonald’s Collection of Quicksteps, Strathspeys, reels and Jigs

https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/105682627

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The Oyster Wife’s Rant from Lowland and Border Pipers’ Society The Blue Book; Committee Sessions Repertoire

https://j3site.lbps.net/index.php/repertoire/miscellaneous-collections/379-the-blue-book-committee-sessions-repertoire

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Link to the Discussion of “Playing Reels to Oyster women”

https://lbps.net/j3site/index.php/common-stock/archive-issues/130-june-2012/690-playing-reels-to-oyster-women

Here are some ways you can support the show:

You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag

You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes!

Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast!

Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag:

https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag

You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp:

https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/

You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1

You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going!

Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support

Thanks!

Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA