A suite of music was specially commissioned for the year’s Harp Village, in Cromarty on the Black Isle, called The Cromarty Suite and has now been published by the Cromarty Arts Trust.
The music was inspired by Cromarty itself, the Emigration Stone, Hugh Miller and Sir Thomas Urquhart and has been written by Mary Macmaster, Patsy Seddon and Corrina Hewat.
The Cromarty Suite was taught to all the students taking part over the Harp Village weekend and was performed at a concert on the Sunday afternoon of the Harp Village weekend in the Stables, Cromarty
The entire Cromarty Suite which has 6 different tunes has been laid out in the book for 4 different ability levels: recent beginners, elementary, intermediate and advanced so whatever level of harp player you are, you will be able to play the entire piece.
The Cromarty Suite costs £10 plus Postage and Packing.
P&P to UK is £1.50, EU it’s £3.70 and USA it’s £4.75
About the music:
The Cromba Air (Cromba is the Gaelic word for Cromarty meaning crooked bay) is a beautiful and spacious tune and serves as a welcome to the whole piece. Mary has written 2 tunes, one is inspired by the works and writings of Sir Thomas Urquhart, first Laird of Cromarty and is called ‘Translating Rabelais’ The second tune is a slow air with the sorrowful title of ‘Remembering the Cromarty Firth from a London jail’ which formed a part of Sir Thomas’ life story.
Patsy’s tune is inspired by Hugh Miller, and is simply called Hugh Miller. It has the sub title of ‘breaking open the stones on the Cromarty beach to reveal the fossil inside’. The sound of chipping can be heard in this cheery slow reel. But it has a reminder that the very last stone that Hugh Miller cut in Cromarty was a gravestone for his very young daughter, Eliza.
Corrina’s tune is a dance in 3/4 called ’39 Ships Long Since Gone’ and is inspired initially by the Emigration Stone in Cromarty which has the name of all the ships that left Cromarty for the New World. Corrina said, ‘I was thinking about Cromarty Bay being the last place the emigrants would have seen before leaving for their new lives in Canada or Australia.’
The whole suite is then finished off with the Cromba March echoing back to the first piece and one which all 3 musicians wrote together. It is uplifting and is a
For more information please contact:
cromarty arts trust
caroline@cromartyartstrust.org.uk
19 bank street
cromarty
the black isle
IV7 8LL
01381 600354
http://www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk