Annotation:Highland Plaid (1)
Tune properties and standard notation
HIGHLAND PLAID. AKA and see "Lord Seaforth Reel." Scottish, Canadian; Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest printing of the reel "Highland Plaid" in Alexander M'Glashan's 1780 collection (p. 30), and traced the strathspey setting, called "Lord Seaforth," to one of the Cumming collections (c. 1780's). A strathspey setting of the melody is in later Scottish collections as "Lord Seaforth." Cape Breton (where the tune is very popular) versions are traditionally reel settings.
Source for notated version: Duncan MacQuarrie (Cape Breton) [Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay & Reich].
Printed sources: Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton), 1996; p. 100. Dunlay and Reich (Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; p. 60 (appears as "Lord Seaforth Reel"). Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Dance Music), vol. 1, 1891; p. 8. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 67, p. 18. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; p. 30.
Recorded sources: Unity Gain CU-1002, Dave MacIsaac - "Celtic Guitar" (1986. Appears as "Myster Reel"). Paddledoo PAD 105, Buddy MacMaster - "Scottish Fiddle Rally, Concert Highlights 1985-1995"(1996. Appears as "Traditional Reel"). Oak/Heritage Music RHF9, Johnny Wilmot - "Red Hot Fiddle" (appears as untitled last reel in "Inverness Reel Medley"). Rounder 7003, John Campbell - "Cape Breton Violin Music" (1976. Appears as first of "Two Mabou Reels").
See also listing at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings Index [1]