Birnam Wood

<abc float="left"> X:1 T:Birnam Wood M:C L:1/8 R:Slow Strathspey S:Gow - 3rd Repository (1806) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D A|(d/e/f/)e/ d>A {Bc}d>B A/G/F/E/|(D/F/)(A/B/) (d/e/f/)d/ {f}e>d Be| (d/e/f/)e/ d>A {B}d2 A>g|(g/f/)(e/d/) B/g/f/e/|fdd:| z|(A,/D/)(F/D/) (G/D/)(F/D/) (B/D/)(F/D/) (A/D/)(F/A/)| {e}d/>c/d/A/ (G/F/)(E/D/) B,EE D/B,/| (A,/D/)(F/D/) (G/D/)(F/D/) (B/D/)(F/D/) (A/D/)(F/A/)| d/f/B/d/ (F/A/)G/B,/ A,DD {E}E/C/4B,/4| (A,/D/)(F/D/) (G/D/)(F/D/) (B/D/)(F/D/) A/D/F/A/| {e} d/>c/d/A/ {A}G/>F/{F}E/>D/ BEE F/E/| D/A/F/d/ A/f/d/a/ f/d'/a/f/ g/e/c/A/|B/G/d/B/ c/A/g/e/ fdd||

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BIRNAM WOOD. Scottish, Slow Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by John Gow (1764-1826), who established a London publishing firm with his brother Andrew, and who distributed brother Nathaniel Gow's publications. Paul Stewart Cranford characterizes it as a "Marching Air". Birnam Wood was immortalized by Shakespeare in MacBeth, when the usurper believes he is safe until the very woods must march before he is defeated. The son of the King he assassinated, Malcolm, eventually gathers a force and stays a night in Birnam Wood on their march to battle with MacBeth. They gather bows in the morning and come to battle adorned with "the Wood". Perhaps more to the point of Gow's composition, the town of Birnam, Perthshire, sits on the River Tay, opposite the town of Dunkeld, home to Niel Gow and family.

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 11. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 304, p. 109. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; p. 6.

Recorded sources: Carl Mackenzie - "Welcome to Your Feet Again" (1977. Appear as unidentified "Scottish Air")

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