canasg choral music publishing - An tàillear mhór

SG1509

An tàillear mhór

(The tall tailoress)

traditional Gaelic words and tune

arranged by Sheena Phillips
for soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus

SATB performance time approx 0m 50s (when sung twice through)

Arranger's note

This is a delightful piece of Gaelic puirt-a-beul ('poorsht-a-beel') or mouth music - the name for songs written to accompany dancing. The song describes a man's longing to go off with the dark tailoress. Unfortunately he is already married to Rory MacDuncan's surly daughter!

Traditionally, puirt-a-beul is sung unaccompanied and in unison but the tunes harmonise very well. Frequently they are sung in sequences of three or four, each song leading without a break into the next. This song works well as the third in the following set of four: Tha mi sgìth; Meal do bhrògan; An tàillear mhór; Gaol mo chridh-sa Màiri Bhàn (all published by Canasg).

Music

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Hear a MIDI file of the song

Words

An tàillear mhór (The tall tailoress)

Dh'fhalbhainn fhìn leis an tàilleir mhór,
Shiubhlainn fhìn leis an tàilleir mhór,
Dh'fhalbhainn fhìn leis an tàilleir mhór,
Rachainn fhìn a phòsadh na h-òig nighinn duinn.

Nighean Ruar' 'ac Dhonnchaidh bu chùl-chàineach tinn'
'S mór abha chràdh ann an cnàmhan do chinn,
Na faighinn dha'n ùir thu, 's do bhuig orra chinn,
Rachainn fhìn a phòsadh na h-òig nighinn duinn.

traditional Gaelic song

Translation

I would go with the big tailoress
I would travel with the big tailoress
I would go with the big tailoress
I would go off and marry the young brown-haired girl.

Daughter of Duncan's son Roderick, surly and sickly,
There was much pain in the bones of your head.
If I could get you in the grave
I would go off and marry the young brown-haired girl.

Canasg editors

Full pronunciation guide provided

Price

The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish. Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.

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Companion pieces

Browse the Scots and Gaelic section of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one. To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.

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