Annotation:Mòrag

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MÒRAG. AKA and see "Marion." Scottish, "Very Slow" Air. D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB. "A very old Gaelic air (Gow)." The melody was used by poet Robert Burns for his songs "Young Highland Rover" and "Oh wat is ye wha lo'es me." "It is much to be regretted that, in framing words to this beautiful and admired melody, it appears to have been imperfectly communicated to Burns, or else his muse could not attain to the usual perfection of her efforts; at least the set given by Mr. G. Thomson does not sing with effect to the original Gaelic words, for which reason the editor gives the edition of his progenitor and Culduthel, who are known to be among the first who spread its fame, from their style of singing it" (Fraser).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 549. Dow (A Collection of Ancient Scots Music), 1778, p. 46. Gow (Fourth Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 2nd ed., originally 1800 p. 33. Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1816; No. 119, p. 47.

Recorded sources:

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