Annotation:Paps of Glencoe

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PAPS OF GLENCOE, THE. Scottish (originally), Irish; Pipe March (4/4 time). Ireland, County Donegal. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA’BB’ (Feldman & O’Doherty): AA’BBCCDD’ (Cranford). ‘Paps’ is an obsolete English word meaning breasts, but is sometimes used to describe rounded hills. In fact, the Pap of Glencoe is a prominence near the village of Glencoe, in the area of Loch Leven. The tune, composed in the 20th century by the Scot William Lawrie, was popularized among Northern Irish fiddlers by the playing of John Doherty.

Source for notated version: Donegal fiddler John Doherty [Feldman & O’Doherty], though Donegal fiddle music specialist Caoimhin Mac Aoidh suspects Doherty learned the tune from his father, Mickey; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford].

Printed sources: Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 57, p. 24. Feldman & O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 87.

Recorded sources: Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald--"House Parties and 78's."

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