Designed & produced by Eric Maclewis
© ericdentinger.com
2008-2025
Read also:
1. Scottish lullabies (Christina Stewart)
2. A synthesis on the origins of the song
Dream Angus is a very nice lullaby from Scottish tradition: I have tried to follow the singers (like The Corries) when writing the score for bagpipe.
Thus, I've added several fermata on this score.
By the way, the two “A's” ending bars 8 and 16 are supposed to be rather long and The Corries also add extra beats to bars 6 and 14 that I did not write for the bagpipe.
That being said, tempo and interpretation depend both on the piper sensibility.
Finally, I've lightened the grace notes: even if played with a bagpipe, it still remains a lullaby...
NB: Angus is a figure of Irish mythology, also very present in Scottish culture; often considered as God of Love and Beauty, he is also a deity of dreams…
Dream Angus
Dream Angus
- The Corries version -
Can ye no hush your weepin'
All the wee lambs are sleepin'
Birdies are nestlin' nestlin' thegither
Dream Angus is hirplin' o’er the heather
Dreams to sell, fine dreams to sell
Angus is coming wi' dreams to sell
Hush now my bairnie, sleep without fear
Dream Angus will bring you a dream my dear
List' to the curlew cryin'
Faint are the echoes dyin'
Even the birds and beasties are sleepin'
But my bonnie bairn lies greetin' greetin'
Dreams to sell, fine dreams to sell
Angus is coming wi' dreams to sell
Hush now my bairnie, sleep without fear
Dream Angus will bring you a dream my dear
- score written by Eric Maclewis with CelticPipes
PRACTICE CHANTER:
1- as with all slow tunes, do not be surprised by the tempo that you may tend to anticipate...
2- the main difficulty is the good execution of the grip from A to B which occurs in bars 7, 9 and 15. If necessary, do not hesitate to work these passages in isolation by making sure that this grip is not "brutal" and, regarding bar 9, be careful to give its full value to the quarter note that's before the grip.
2bis- also take care of your birl bar 10
3- Rhythmic placement (let's not make it an obsession anyway because it is not a march...):
- we will make sure to place the grace notes, doublings, strikes well on the beat (unless of course they are inside a figure of notes or of the beat itself).
- for the D Throws we will tend to place them on the beat as well.
- the first note of the grip of bar 7 and 15 on the other hand will be played a little ahead of time.
- as for the birl of bar 10, its first note must be placed on the beat.
Finally, remember that it is basically a lullaby so make sure that your embellishments stay"light".
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