This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A chieftain to the Highlands bound
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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A chieftain to the Highlands bound by Robert Lucas Pearsall — Lyrics
A chieftain, to the Highlands bound,
Cries, "Boatman, do not tarry!
And I'll give thee a silver pound,
To row us o'er the ferry."
"Now, who be ye would cross Lochgyle
This dark and stormy water?"
"O I'm the chief of Ulva's isle,
And this Lord Ullin's daughter."
"And fast before her father's men
Three days we've fled together,
For should he find us in the glen,
My blood would stain the heather.
His horsemen hard behind us ride;
Should they our steps discover,
Then who will cheer my bonny bride
When they have slain her lover?"
Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,
"I'll go, my chief, I'm ready:
It is not for your silver bright,
But for your winsome lady.
And by my word! the bonny bird
In danger shall not tarry;
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About A chieftain to the Highlands bound
Robert Lucas Pearsall's A chieftain to the Highlands bound is a secular SATB partsong setting of a dramatic Scottish ballad. The text paints a vivid scene of a desperate flight across a stormy loch, with a chieftain and his beloved pursued by her father's men. The chieftain's plea to the boatman for safe passage, and the boatman's noble reply, underscore the urgency and danger of their situation. Pearsall captures the narrative tension and romantic spirit of the poem with rich vocal harmonies, suitable for unaccompanied performance. This piece offers a compelling blend of storytelling and choral artistry, exploring themes of love, loyalty, and peril in a Highland setting.
