=============================================================================
=               Scales and Modes in Scottish Traditional Music              =
=                                  Jack Campin                              =
=============================================================================


Misleading Final Notes
======================

In most European art music, the final note of a tune is its tonal centre.
In many Scottish tunes, it isn't; this is very often the case with dance
tunes intended to be repeated indefinitely in a circular pattern, but it
often occurs with songs as well.  Probably the commonest type are those
ending on the third:

X:0
T:The Campbells are Comin'
G:song or jig
S:222 Popular Scottish Songs with Music (1868)
N:this tune has probably the most complicated history and the most
N:alternate titles of anything in Scottish musical tradition
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=120
K:D
D|FAB  AFD |F2F  F2E|FAB AFD |E2E E2D|
  FAB  AFD |F>GF def|dBd AFD |F2F F2||
A|d2d  d>ef|A2A  AFD|d2d d>ef|B2B B2A|
  A>Bc d>cB|A>Bc def|dBd AFD |F2F F2|]

X:0
T:The Shepherd's Dochter
S:Kinsley, The Oxford Book of Ballads
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:D
 A   |d>e f(e/f/) af          e(d/B/)|d>e  f(e/f/)   a3
 z/A/|d>e f(e/f/) ae          e(f/e/)|dB  (B/c/d/e/) f3||
 z/e/|dB  Bd     (e/d/)(e/f/) e(f/e/)|dB  (B/c/d/e/) f2
fe   |dB  Bd     (e/d/)(e/f/) e(f/e/)|dB  (B/c/d/e/) f3|]

It's sometimes said that you don't want to end a lullaby on the tonal
centre because the finality of that might wake the baby up:

X:0
T:The Highland Balou
B:Ewan MacColl, Personal Choice
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:D
F>D F>D F>D F<A|G>F G>A B>A B<d|
D>E DF  G>A F2 |G>G AA  E>G F2|]

The fifth is also common.  This tune is in mixolydian/major hexatonic
ending on the fifth above the tonal centre:

X:0
T:The Deil's Awa wi th' Exciseman
G:song or jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=120
K:G
G|G2d d>ed|c2B A2c|d2G G2A|B3 d2:|
d|B2B G2B |A2A D2B|d2G G2A|B3 d2:|

This is mixolydian/dorian hexatonic but ends on the fifth:

X:0
T:Besuthian
G:New Year guising song from Banff
S:Katherine Campbell, The Fiddle in Scottish Culture, 2007
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=92
K:EDor
c|d2c BBA|Bcd F2
F|E3  D2E|F3  A2
A|A2d F2E|D2E FF
A|E2E FEA|B3- B2|]

This tune is in mixolydian/major hexatonic but ends on the fourth
below the tonal centre:

X:0
T:Mairi's Wedding
G:dance song
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=120
K:G
D>DDE GAB2|AGEG BAB2 |
D>DDE GAB2|AGEC D2D2||
d>dde dcB2|AGEG BAB2 |
d>dde dcB2|AGEC D2D2|]

This ancient Shetland ballad tune is mixolydian/minor/dorian hexatonic
and ends on the fifth:

X:0
T:King Orfeo
G:ballad air
S:Kinsley, Oxford Book of Ballads
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:DDor
G2|AG Ac d<e d2   |cA GE D3
 C|CC cA AG  A/GE/|DC DE G A3|]

This Shetland fiddle march is really in D major, but ends on A:

X:0
T:Da Mill
G:march, sort of
S:Tom Anderson, Haand me Doon Da Fiddle
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=112
K:AMix
ABcd e2f2|d2d>d d2fe|dcBA   ABcA  |B2E>E E2ec|
dcBA ABcA|d2d>d d2fe|dcBA (3Bcd cB|A2A<B A4 :|
ecAc ecAc|fdBd  fdBd|AFDF   AFDF  |BGEG  BGE2|
ecAB ecef|d2dd  d2fe|dcBA (3Bcd cB|A2A<B A4 :|

And this Shetland wedding march song tune is minor/dorian hexatonic
ending on the fifth:

X:0
T:Noo Mun I Lave Faither an Mither
G:Shetland wedding march
S:Katherine Campbell, The Fiddle in Scottish Culture, 2007
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=80
K:GMin
  G2A B2B|BcB AG
F|G2A B2B|BcB BA
z|G2A B2B|c2c d2
B|BAG GFD|F2F D3|]

From the other end of Scotland, this hexatonic Border tune ends on
the fifth:

X:0
T:Braw, Braw Lads o Galla Water
G:song
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=124
K:D
% lydian/major hexatonic
F2 E>D D3F|A3  B A<FE>D|F2 E2  E2 F>A|B>Ad>c B2 AA |
A2 Bc  d3e|f>edB d3   F|F2 E>F E2 F>A|d3   c B2 A2|]

This major/mixolydian hexatonic song ends on the fifth below:

X:0
T:Macpherson's Rant
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:F
CD|F3C F2 A2|GF GA G2 CD|F3A BA GF|D6
CD|F3C F2 GF|A2 G2 G2 CD|F3A GF D2|C6||
AB|c3A BA GF|A2 G2 G2 AB|c3c BA GF|D6
d2|c3A BA GF|A2 G2 G2 CD|F3A GF D2|C6|]

This ballad tune (one of the oldest known) is centred on D at the
start of each line and through most of the central part, but ends
with a bar in A major.  It's hexatonic, and the missing G adds to
the ambiguity.

X:0
T:Greysteil
S:Straloch lute MS, 1627; probably as sung to James IV in 1497
B:Robert Chambers, Book of Days, volume 1, for April 17
M:C
L:1/4
Q:1/4=120
K:D
F>F F d    |c>B A F|E>E E d    |c B A2 |
F>F F d    |c>B A F|E>E E d    |c B A2 |
d D A(B/c/)|d c B A|d D A(B/c/)|d c B A|
f>f f f    |f f f f|e>e e d    |c B A2 |
d D A B/c/ |d c B A|d D A(B/c/)|d c B A|
F>F F d    |c>B A F|E>E E d    |c B A2 |
F>F F d    |c>B A F|E>E E d    |c B A2|]

This tune is in the minor mode with tonal centre D but ends on A:

X:0
T:Bat' an Aisig
T:The Ferry Boat
G:rowing song
S:Angus Fraser Collection
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=150
K:DMin
A2 G|   A<D z|F2 G|A2  A/z/ |\
A f2|   e2  c|d2 e|f<A z    |
A2 G|   A<D z|F2 G|A2  A/z/||\
A2 A|   A2  G|A2 c|d2  c/z/ |
B2 A|{A}G2  F|F2 A|G<B z    |\
A2 G|   A<D z|F2 G|A2  A/z/ |
A f2|   e2  c|d2 e|f<A z    |\
A2 G|   A<D z|F2 G|A2  A/z/|]

Another minor-mode tune from the Western Isles with a phrygian final:
 
X:0
T:Lament for Macleod
G:song
S:Frances Tolmie: 105 Songs of Occupation from the Western Isles of Scotland
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:EMin
 gf |e2 (ed)     B2  Be|(ed) (3(BAG)  G2  GA|B2 (AB) E2 E2|    B,6||
(dc)|B2 (AG) ({G}F2) GE|(ED)    B,A,  B,2 Bd|e2 (ed) B2 A2|({A}B6)|]

This ballad was probably based on a real incident from the Scottish
Lowlands, but is now best known in English versions, including this
one, which Vaughan Williams thought was Phrygian.  I can't imagine
why.  It's really in C minor with a dominant ending.

X:0
T:The Trees They Grow So High
S:Penguin Book of English Folk Songs
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=60
K:CMin
 c   | B2G  E2G|(B2c) c2 c|(FG)A (GF)E|C3  z2
 E   | E2E  E2F| G2G (GF)E| F2 G (FE)D|C3  z2
 c/c/|(B2G) E2G| B2c  c2 c|(FG)A (GF)E|C3  z
CD   | E2F  E2D| C3   C2 C| C3    G3- |G3- G2|]

This unusual tune from the Western Isles (a song with words from a
poetic tradition common to Gaelic Scotland and Ireland) seems to be
centred on F, but never really cadences on it and ends on the dominant
as if in C phrygian:

X:0
T:Deirdre's Farewell to Scotland
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=100
K:FMin
(e> c) B|A2 A|B2 A|G A> z|(F> G) B|c2 c| c2   B|c2 z|
(F A)  d|f2 f|e2 c|B A> z|(f e)  c|B2 A|(B A) B|c3 |]

The Highland sword dance tune is in A mixolydian, but ends on E:

X:0
T:Ghillie Callum
G:set dance
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/4=120
K:AMix
A<Ac>A d2B<G|A<Ac>A e2 c<A|e2c<A  d2 B<G|A<Ac>A d<Be2:|
A<Ac>A g2B<G|A<Ac>e a>ba>f|g>ag>e d<gB<G|A<Ac>A d<Be2 |
A<Ac>A g2B<G|A<Ac>e a>ba>f|g<be<g d<gB<G|A<ag>e d<Be2|]

This Lowland ballad tune (in an over-complicated 19th century transcription)
does the same:

X:0
T:Sir Patrick Spens
S:Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:AMix
(E>F)|     G2  G2      G2   (GA/B/)|    (AF) (FE/F/) ({F}A2)\
 A>F |({G} F2) E2      E2   (EF)   |(({F}A3)   F)        E2
(E>F)|({EF}G2) G>A     B2   (G/A/B)|     AF  (FE/F/) ({F}A2)\
 A>F |({G} F2) E2      E2   (cB)   |    (A3    F)        F2||
zc |   c2      c2      d3     c    |     B2 B>c      ({c}e3)\
 d |  (dc)    (BA) ({F}E3)    F    |(({F}A3    F))       E2
zc |   c2      c2      d2    dc    |     d2  (de/f/) ({f}e3)\
 d |  (dc)    (BA) ({F}E2)  (cB)   |    (A3    F)        E2|]

This basically hexatonic pipe tune ends on E but is really A-final:

X:0
T:Jock Wilson's Ball
G:reel
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/2=100
K:AMix
% mixolydian/dorian hexatonic, A-final G-gap (one inconspicuous g)
B|d2c2 B2f2 |Bcde  f>BB>c|d2 c2  B2f2 |A2e>A c<AA :|
B|d2a2 f2e<f|d2f>e f>BB>c|d2 a2  f2e<f|A2e>A c<AA>B|
  d2a2 f2e<f|d2f>e f>BB>c|d>ef>g a2a>f|e2e>d c<ee |]

An E-final dorian mode pipe march ending on B:

X:0
T:Duntroon
S:Scots Guards pipe tune book
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/2=92
% slower than many people play it, but the tune gets lost at high speed
K:EDor
e2c<e  f2 d<f|e2 c<e A<Ac2|e2 c<e f2 c<e|d2 G<d B<GB2 |
e2c<e  f2 d<f|f>ec<e A<Ac2|d>ef>d c2 e>c|B>cd>B G<GB2||
e>Ae>c A>Bc>d|e>fe>c A<Ac2|e>Ae>c A>Bc>A|B>cd>B G<GB2 |
e>Ae>c A>Bc>d|e<ae>c A<Ac2|d>ef>d c2 e>c|B>cd>B G<GB2||
A<Ac<A c<Ac<A|A<Ac<A c<Ac2|A<Ac<A c<Ac<A|B<GG<G B<GB2 |
A<Ac<A c<Ac<A|A<Ac<e e>Ac2|d>ef>d c2 e>c|B>cd>B G<GB2||
e<ag<a e>Ac<A|e<ag<a e>Ac2|e<ag<a e>AB<A|B<GG<G B<GB2 |
e<ag<a e>Ac<A|e<ag>f e>Ac2|d>ef>d c2 e>c|B>cd>B G<GB2|]

One of the most-sung tunes of the early 18th century, a Baroque-influenced
drinking song in G dorian but ending on A as if it were in D minor:

X:0
T:A health to Beattie
S:NLS MS.5778
M:6/4 % "3|" in original
L:1/4
K:G Dor
G|G(AG) F2D|B2B A2F|Bcd   cdB | f3   d2
f|fd2   B2B|cA2 F2F|G(AG) F>ED|(B2c) A2|]

The most disconcerting of all would appear from the final note to be in the
Locrian mode, but is obviously in G major:

X:0
T:Souters of Selkirk
G:jig
M:9/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=132
K:G
A|Bde dBg  dBG|Bde dBg  f2
A|Bde dBg  dBG|cde dBg  f2:|
A|GBd g>fe dcB|GBd g>fe f2
A|GBd g>fe dcB|cde dBg  f2:|

This Shetland tune appears to be centred on G, but begins with the tonal
centre on E and ends on the dominant:

X:0
T:Da Shaalds o Foula
G:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=120
K:GMix
% lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic
D|E2G G2e|edB BAG|G2B A2B|G2A GED|
  E2G G2e|edB BAG|G2B A2B|d3  D2:|
D|edB ABd|edB ABd|g2B A2B|G2A GED|
  edB ABd|edB ABd|g2B A2B|d3  D2:|

Pibroch can have a greater degree of ambiguity.  While the pipes always
provide an A on the drones, this is not always the tonal centre of the
melody played over them, and this piece seems to have no tonal centre at
all, floating from one to the next in a repetitive pattern like that of
English bellringing.  The "words" at the right are in canntaireachd, the
syllabic notation used to record and transmit pipe music until about 1800;
they describe the pitches and the gracenotes, but not the exact rhythm of
the piece.

X:0
T:Cha Till Mac Cruimein
T:Mac Crimmon Will Never Return
G:piobaireachd
C:attr. Donald Ban Mac Crimmon, 1745; certainly not by him
B:Logan's Bagpipe Tutor
M:6/8
L:1/16
Q:6/16=40
R:pibroch
K:AMix
% C-gap hexatonic pitch set
P:Ground
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eA3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheento,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % edreve hiode, trae  haento;
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiode, trae  haemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % edreve hiode, trae  haento;
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2|]  % edreve hiode, trae  haento.
P:Variation 1
e{AfA}e3a2    B4f2|  {g}e4a2    eA3{d}B2 |  % edreI  hiove, cheI  deento,
e{AfA}e3a2    B4f2|  {g}e4a2    eG3{d}B2 |  % edreI  hiove, cheI  deemto,
e{AfA}e3a2    B4e2|{Adc}d4a2    dA3{d}B2||  % edreI  hiode, traI  aento;
e{AfA}e3a2    B4f2|  {g}e4a2    eG3{d}B2 |  % edreI  hiove, cheI  deemto;
e{AfA}e3a2    B4e2|{Adc}d4a2    dG3{d}B2 |  % edreI  hiode, traI  aemto,
e{AfA}e3a2    B4e2|{Adc}d4a2    dA3{d}B2||  % edreI  hiode, traI  aento;
e{AfA}e3a2    B4f2|  {g}e4a2    eG3{d}B2 |  % edreI  hiove, cheI  deemto,
e{AfA}e3a2    B4e2|{Adc}d4a2    dA3{d}B2|]  % edreI  hiode, traI  aento.
P:Variation 2
{g}e4f2    {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eA3{d}B2 |  % cheve  hiove, cheve cheento,
{g}e4f2    {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % cheve  hiove, cheve cheemto,
{g}e4f2    {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % cheve  hiode, trae  haento;
{g}e4f2    {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % cheve  hiove, cheve cheemto,
{g}e4f2    {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dG3{d}B2 |  % cheve  hiode, trae  haemto,
{g}e4f2    {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % cheve  hiode, trae  haento;
{g}e4f2    {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % cheve  hiove, cheve cheemto,
{g}e4f2    {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2|]  % cheve  hiode, trae  haento.
P:Doubling of Var 2
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eA3{d}B2 |  % chea   cheo,  cheve cheento,
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % chea   cheo,  cheve cheemto,
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % chea   cheo,  trae  haento;
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|  {g}e4f2 {g}dG3{d}B2 |  % chea   cheo,  cheve cheemto,
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dG3{d}B2 |  % chea   cheo,  trae  haemto,
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % chea   cheo,  trae  haento;
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % chea   cheo,  cheve cheemto,
{g}e4d2    {g}e4B2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2|]  % chea   cheo,  trae  haento.
P:Ground
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eA3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheento,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % edreve hiode, trae  haento;
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiode, trae  haemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2||  % edreve hiode, trae  haento;
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4f2|  {g}e4f2 {g}eG3{d}B2 |  % edreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
e{AfA}e3f2 {g}B4e2|{Adc}d4e2 {g}dA3{d}B2|]  % edreve hiode, trae  haento.

An outlaw ballad from the Hungarian "Csango" minority in Romanian
Moldavia.  The centre on C (with G as a dominant) is set up in the
first three lines, then the last line ends on the third:

X:0
T:Elment a madarka
S:Csango Hungarian singers from Fundu Racaciuni, Romania
N:not the usual tune found elsewhere for this song
Z:Jack Campin
M:3/2
L:1/4
Q:1/2=80
K:CMix
C2 DE FG|DC2- C2z |
G2 AG BA|G2 G2 z2 |
c2 BA BA|GA E D2z |
A2 GF GF|E2 E2 z2||

A tune from ancient Greece, inscribed on a stone pillar in what is now
western Turkey about 100AD:

X:0
T:Scholion of Seikilos
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=44
K:AMix
Ae2 e3   |(cde)  d3  |c2d e(dc)|cA2 (BG2)  |
Ace d(cd)| cA2  (BG2)|AcB dec  |AA2  A(FE)|]

And here's what may be the oldest known example of a misleading final, in
a dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic tune from ancient China (the tonal
centre is obviously D):

X:0
T:Entrance Hymn for the Emperor
C:anon, Chinese, possibly 1000 BC
S:Davidson and Apel, Historical Anthology of Music
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/2=60
K:DDor
D D A C|D2  D C|A c d c|A4    |\
G F D C|A2  D C|A c d c|A4    |
G F D C|A2  D C|A c d c|A2 G F|\
D2  C A|C D C A|G4    |]

This Slovenian tune shows clearly how a misleading final can develop.
The last line has been cut off short (a common feature of Slovenian
songs) before it can descend to the B flat as it does in the second
line, leaving a tune which at first sight looks as if it's G phrygian:

X:0
T:Je bela cesta vglajena
S:Zbrala Dusica Kunaver, Slovenian Customs and Songs
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:3/4=60
K:BbMix
G|B2 B|(B A) G|F2 B|A2
B|d2 d|(d c) A|G2 c|B2
G|B2 B|(B A) G|F2 B|A2
B|d2 d|(d c) A|G2 |]

=============================================================================
==  (c) Jack Campin         http://www.campin.me.uk/          August 2013  ==
==        11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland     ==
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==              these pages: http://tinyurl.com/scottishmodes              ==
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