MacPherson’s Lament

$35.00 CAD

By Elisa Sereno-Janz

One of the best known Scottish Airs, composed by James MacPherson himself on the eve of his hanging. Born in 1675, he was the illegitimate son of a laird and a gypsy woman. A true Robin Hood figure, he stole from the rich to give to the gypsies. Eventually he was caught, betrayed by a woman. A very fine fiddler, MacPherson played this lament on his fiddle, smashed it on a stone and jumped to his death. His broken fiddle now lies in a folk museum near Newtonmore, Scotland.

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INTERMEDIATE, STRING QUARTET

One of the best known Scottish Airs, composed by James MacPherson himself on the eve of his hanging. Born in 1675, he was the illegitimate son of a laird and a gypsy woman. A true Robin Hood figure, he stole from the rich to give to the gypsies. Eventually he was caught, betrayed by a woman. A very fine fiddler, MacPherson played this lament on his fiddle, smashed it on a stone and jumped to his death. His broken fiddle now lies in a folk museum near Newtonmore, Scotland.

Notes: cello solo tremolo, pizz.,
1st Violin, 3rd position, 4th position
Key: D major
Level II-III

Thank you to the Alberta Foundation of the Arts for a grant which helped with the recording of this arrangement.