Òran do Iain Breac Mac Leòid [‘a song for Iain Breac MacLeod’]
This event was recorded live online, 28 July 2021 for Scoil na gCláirseach–Festival of Early Irish Harp 2021
Title: Òran do Iain Breac Mac Leòid [‘a song for Iain Breac MacLeod’]
Presented by: James Ruff
For more information about Scoil na gCláirseach–Festival of Early Irish Harp, visit https://festival.irishharp.org/
'The blind harper', Ruairidh MacMhuirich / Roderick Morison (c1656–c1714) was one of the last clan harpers in Scotland, who composed this, his first song to John MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod, at Dunvegan castle on the Isle of Skye, in the 1680s. Its touching poetry and beautiful melody continue to enjoy life to this day in Scotland’s Gaelic song traditions. James, a fluent speaker and singer of Scottish Gaelic, will guide you into an idiomatic and confident performance of this song. We will speak through the Gaelic verses together, matching the play of stress of the lyrics with historical fingering and phrasing at the harp. Then, like a typical audience hearing this song in Scotland, you will learn the chorus of vocables so you can sing along!