Annotation:Gladsmuir

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GLADSMUIR. Scottish, Air (whole time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A martial ode to the victory of Prince Charles Edward and the Jacobite forces over Sir John Cope and the Hanoverian army at the Battle of Gladsmuir (September, 1745). The battle is usually known as the Battle of Prestonpans, although Gladsmuir is the name of the parish in the county of Haddington, in the vicinity. Stenhouse records that the words, written by William Hamilton of Bangour, are really a poem and not a song, and were set to music by Scottish composer William McGibbon [1] (1690-1756).

As over Gladsmuir's blood stain'd field,
Scotia, Imperial Goddess flew;
Her lifted spear and radiant shield
Conspicuous blazing to the view.
Her visage lately clouded with despair,
Now reafum'd its spirit majestic air.

John Glen (Early Scottish Melodies, 1900) could not find "Gladsmuir" in McGibbon's published works, but acknowledged the note by Stenhouse that the piece was published for private distribution (as might be surmised so close to the date of the battle, as feelings still ran high). See also note for "annotation:Johnny Cope (1)" for more.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Johnson (Scots Musical Museum, vol. 3), 1790; Song 202, pp. 210-211. Manson (Hamilton’s Universal Tune Book, vol. 2), 1846; p. 35.

Recorded sources:

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