This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Highland war song
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Highland war song by Walter Cecil Macfarren — Lyrics
Pibroch of Donuil Dhu,
Pibroch of Donuil,
Wake thy wild voice anew,
Summon Clan Conuil.
Come away, come away,
Hark to the summons!
Come in your war array,
Gentles and commons.
Come from deep glen and
From mountain so rocky,
The warpipe and pennon
Are at Inverlochy.
Come every hill plaid and
True heart that wears one,
Come every steel blade, and
Strong hand that bears one.
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About Highland war song
Walter Cecil Macfarren set this rousing English text to music for TTBB male voices. The poem itself is a powerful evocation of a Highland clan gathering for battle, with vivid imagery of nature and a growing sense of urgent momentum. Macfarren’s composition, a secular part-song, captures this martial spirit, building excitement through its dynamic vocal writing. The music is designed to convey the wildness and ferocity of the call to arms, making it a dramatic and compelling choice for a male choir. It stands as a fine example of the tradition of setting stirring nationalistic or historical texts for unaccompanied voices.
