Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 4, 1896

208
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
OUR MUSICAL PAGE.
HORO MHAIRI DHUBH.
^/^ MONG the numerous Gaelic airs pub-
(^^X lished by various collectors, there is a
J^^ very great number to which there are
vporthless words, only a verse or two, or no
words at all. In Albi/n's Anthnlof///, to which
reference has been previously made in this
magazine, there are some fine airs so circum-
stanced, conspicuous among which is '■ Horo
Mhairi Dhubh." The music, says the Editor,
was takea down from the siagiag of Misses
Annie and Janet MacLeod of Gesto, Skye.
The words were composed, it is affirmed, to
Mrs. Macpherson of Ostaig, by a maniac. One
of the verses is given, and it is as follows: —
Cha deau rai car feum ma threigeas mo leannan mi,
Horo Mtiairi dhubh, tioiindadh rium !
A bhean a' chid dualaich 's nan cuachagan camlag-
acli ;
Horo, etc.
'S a Mhairi ua'n tigeadh tu, tliaitneadh tu rium,
'S a Mhairi na'a tigeadh tu, thaitneadh tu rium,
'S a Mhkiri na'n tigeadh tu, b'e d> bheith' againn
thu,
Horo, etc.
The Editor of Alh/u's Anthnhig'i was evidently
oa good terms with some of the leading lights
of literatui-e in the Scottish capital in his day,
and he requisitions their services to some of
the tunes published by him In this case he
was indebted to John Wilson (known in litera
ture as Gbristopher North), whose song "The
Seamew.' given below, was written to the air.
I have endeavoured with, I am afraid, indifferent
success, to render a similar service in Gaelic.
,.,,,,„,.,ii„ Malcolm Mac Farlane.
SEONAID NIC AOIDH-JESSIE MACKAY.
Key F.
Air
The
1, : d
feasgar
stars are
cuim
all
d :
Ce'iteiii
burn
. d
n : -. r
'tournadii
cheer
iiy
d I n : -. f
t-sle'ibhe,
cheeri-
Hug
ly,
eutrom
Mhai -
dhu,
cheuin
turn
au-
to
lar ;
nie !
Tha
The
1, : d : s, I
'ghrian anns na
sea - mew is
'.d
speuran
mourn
de^rrsadh
drear • i
d I n : -. f
gu ceutach,
ly, drear - i-
'Us
ly,
eunlaidh
Ho
-.f
geugan
Mhai ■
dhu,
seiiui
turn
d I
: PI
Tha 'n
High
s : -.1 : t I d' : -.t
t-allt 'ruith do 'n abhainn
up is his home, on
s : 1 : f
caitlireamach,
clitt's nak - ed
ceiilmhor,
breast.
: s I s : -. 1 : t I d' : -. t
Na craoblian fo 'u diiiUoach,
But warm is hrr plumage
s na
that
s : ri : d
lusan 'fas
blesseth his
I r
bi'iidheach,
nest.
: f I s : -. 1 : t I d' : -. t
Na beanntan 's na gleanntan
The ice-winds ne'er blow there,
nam
and
maise
soft falls
the
oirdheirc,
snow there,