Monday 25 July 2011
Tune of the Day: MacPherson's Lament
Traditional Scottish tune
Though there is no proof, this melody is popularly thought to have been composed by one of Scotland's first so called fiddle composers, the legendary James Macpherson, on the eve of his execution in November 1700. Sir Walter Scott says that MacPherson played the tune under the gallows, and, after playing it, he then offered his fiddle to anyone in his clan who would play it at his wake. When no one came forward to take the fiddle, he broke it — either across his knee or over the executioner's head — and then threw it into the crowd with the remark, “No one else shall play Jamie MacPherson's fiddle”.