MacPherson's Rant

Parts

(PDF) Cello

(PDF) Viola

(PDF) Violin

Audio

(MIDI) MacPherson's Rant

Source

(Sibelius) MacPherson's Rant - Scorch

(Sibelius) Rant - Scorch

Comments

This tune is also listed at The Session. It has diverged widely; see also James Scott Skinner's transcription, and these versions from 1959, 1984 and 1998.

The tune is attributed to James MacPherson. He was hanged on November 16th, 1700. Here is his sentence:

Forsaemeikle, as you James McPhersone and James Gordon, pannals [accused], are found guilty by ane verdict of ane assyse, to be knoun, holden and repute to by Egiptians [Gypsies] and wagabonds, and oppressors of his Majesties frie lieges in ane bangstrie [violent] manner, and going up and doune the country armed, and keeping mercats in ane hostile manner, and that you are thieves, and recepters of thieves, and that you are of pessimae famae, Therefor, the Shirreff-Deput of Banff, and I in his name, adjudges and decernes you the saids James McPhersone and James Gordon to be taken to the Cross of Banff, from the tolbooth thereof, where you now lye, and ther, upon ane gibbet to be erected, to be hanged by the neck to the death by the hand of the common executioner, upon Friday nixt, being the Sixteenth day of November instant, being a publick weeklie mercat day, betwixt the houres of two and three in the afternoon, and in the meantyme declairs their heall moveable goods and gear to be escheat, and inbrought to the Fiscall for his majesties interest, and recommends this sentence to be seen put in execution by the magistrates of Banff.

According to the song 'MacPherson's Farewell' (partially written by Robert Burns), James MacPherson played the rant just before he was hanged, then broke his fiddle - either to prevent others buying it, or because no one would acknowledge him and accept it. The Clan MacPherson museum has a broken fiddle which may be MacPherson's. For a more skeptical view of the story, see 'Fiddler's Farewell: The Legend of the Hanged Fiddler', Wilgus, D. K., 1965, Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae.