The Starry Nights Of Shetland (2024)

X: 1
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmaj
G2|e4 c2|G2 A2 G2|F6|B4 A2|G4 B2|d4 G2|e6-|e4 G2|
e4 c2|G2 A2 G2|F6|B4 A2|G3 B de|f2 A2 B2|c6-|c2||
d2 e2|f2 A2 f2|f2 A2 f2|e2 G2 e2|e2 G2 e2|e2 c2 e2|g2 f2 e2|d6-|d4 G2|
e4 c2|G2 A2 G2|F6|B4 A2|G2 B2 de|f3 A B2|c6-|c4||

X: 2
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
Ad|:f4 d2|A4 F2|G6|B6|
D4 c2|e4 g2|f6|d4 Ad|
f4 d2|A4 F2|G6|B6|
A4 c2|e4 f2|d6|d4 ef|
g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|
e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2|=d2 c2 B2|A2 d2 f2|
g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|
e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2|=d6|d4:|

X: 3
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A2|f4 d2|A3 B A2|G4 B2|c4 B2|A4 c2|e4 A2|f6-|f2 d2 e2|
f4 d2|A2 (3BcB A2|G4 B2|c4 B2|A3 c ef|g2 (3BcB c2|d3 e d2|d4||
ef|g3 B g2|g2 B2 g2|f3 A f2|f2 A2 f2|f2 de fd|(3aba (3gag f2|e3 f e^d|e4 A2|
f4 d2|A2 B2 (3ABA|G4 B2|c4- cB|A2 Ac ef|g2 B2 c2|d2 de dc|d4||

X: 4
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|f2 d|A B A|G2 G|c2 B|A2 c|e2 A|f3|f2 A|
f2 d|A B A|G2 G|c2 B|A c e/f/|g B c|d3|d2:|
|:e/f/|g B g|g B g|f A f|f A f|f d f|a g f|e3|e d e|
f2 d|A B A|G2 G|c2 B|A c e/f/|g B c|d3|d2:|
|:A|A2 A|f g f|B2 B|e2 d|c2 B|A2 G|F2 A|A2 A|
A2 A|f g f|B2 B|e2 d|c A c|B A G|F3|F2:|
|:=c|B2 B|B2 B|A2 A|A2 A|A B A|f e d|c3|c B A|
A2 A|f g f|B2 B|e2 d|c A c|B A G|F3|F2:|

X: 5
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A2|f4d2|A2(B2A2)|G4G2|c4B2|A4c2|e4A2|(f6|f4)A2|
f4d2|A2(B2A2)|G4G2|c4B2|A2c2ef|g2(B2c2)|d6|d4:|
ef|g2B2g2|g2B2g2|f2A2f2|f2A2f2|f2d2f2|a2g2f2|(e6|e4)A2|
f4d2|A2(B2A2)|G4G2|c4B2|A2c2ef|g2(B2c2)|d6|d4:|

X: 6
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:Ad|f4 d2|A4 F2|G6|B6|A4 c2|e4 g2|f6|d4 Ad|
f4 d2|A4 F2|G6|B6|A4 c2|e4 f2|d6-|d4:|
|:ef|g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2|d2 c2 B2|A2 d2 f2|
g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2|d6-|d4:|

X: 7
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A2|f4 d2|A2 B2 A2|G4 G2|c4 B2|A4 c2|e4 A2|f6|f4 A2|
f4 d2|A2 B2 A2|G4 G2|c4 B2|A2 c2 ef|g2 B2 c2|d6|d4:|
|:ef|g2 B2 g2|g2 B2 g2|f2 A2 f2|f2 A2 f2|f2 d2 f2|a2 g2 f2|e6|e2 d2 e2|
f4 d2|A2 B2 A2|G4 G2|c4 B2|A2 c2 ef|g2 B2 c2|d6|d4:|

X: 8
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A2|f4 d2|A3 B A^G|G4 B2|c4 B2|
A4 c2|1 e4 A2|f3 g f^e|f4:|2 g2 B2- Bc|d3 e e/d/c|d4||
d/e/f|g2 B2- Bg|g2 B2 g2|f2 A2- Af|f2 A2 f2|
f3 A d/e/f|a3 g f2|e2 c2- cB|A3 A de|
f4 d2|A2 B2 A2|G3 D G/A/B|c4 B2|
A3 c d/e/f|g2 B2- Bc|d2 A2 F2|D4||

X: 9
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A2|"D"f4d2|A2(B2A2)|"Em"G4G2|c4B2|"A"A4c2|e4A2|"D" (f6|f4)A2|
"D"f4d2|A2(B2A2)|"Em"G4G2|c4B2|"A"A2c2ef|"A7"g2(B2c2)|"D"d6|d4:|
ef|"G"g2B2g2|g2B2g2|"D"f2A2f2|f2A2f2|"D"f2d2f2|"Bm"a2g2f2|"Em"(e6|"A"e4)A2|
"D"f4d2|"D/F#"A2(B2A2)|"G"G4G2|"C#7/G#"c4B2|"A"A2c2ef|"A7"g2(B2c2)|"D"d6|d4:|

X: 10
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
"Harmony"F2|D4F2|F2G2F2|E4E2|G2A2G2|C2D2E2|A,2B,2C2|D2C2D2|A,2B,2C2|
D4F2|F2G2F2|E4E2|G2A2G2|C2E2G2|A2D2E2|F6|F4:|
D2|D4G2|B2G2B,C|D4F2|A2F2D2|D4C2|B,4A,2|G,2B,2G,2|A,2B,2C2|
D6|=C6|B,6|^G,6|A,2G2F2|E2D2A2|F6|F4:|

X: 11
T: The Starry Nights Of Shetland
R: waltz

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
[M:6/8]A|:f2d ABA|GFG c2B|ABc ecA|f^ef =ecA|
f2d ABA|GFG c2B|Aef gBc|1 dfe d2A:|2 dfe def||
|:gBg gBg|fAf fAf|fdf agf|ecB A2A|
f2d ABA|GFG c2B|Aef gBc|1 dfe def:|2 dfe d2||
[M:4/4]A2|:f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|ABcd e^deA|f^efg =ecBA|
f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|(3ABc (3def (3gec (3ABc|1 d2f2 d2A2:|2 d2f2 d2ef||
|:gBdg Bdge|fAdf Adfg|f^efg agfd|(3efe (3dcB A2A2|
f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|(3ABc (3def (3gec (3ABc|1 d2f2 d2ef:|2 d2f2 d2||
[L: 1/16][M:2/4]A|:f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2c2 e2A2|fgfe f2A2|
f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2ef g2c2|1 d4 d2A2:|2 d4 d2ef||
|:g2B2 g2de|f2A2 f3g|f2df a2gf|e4 e2A2|
f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2ef g2c2|1 d4 d2ef:|2 d4 d2||
[L: 1/8][M:4/4]A|f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2c>B|A<AA>c e>dc<A|A<ff>g e2e>A|
f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2c>B|A>ce<f g>eB<c|d4 d2 e>f|
g2B>g g<Bg2|f2A>f f<Af>g|f2d>f a>gf<d|e>d c/d/e/f/ e/d/c/B/ A>A|
f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2c>B|A>ce<f g>eB<c|d4 d2||
[M:C||A2|:fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|ABcd eAce|fedB A3A|
fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|Acef geBc|1 dfec d2A2:|2 dfec d2ef||
|:gdBd (3gag eg|fdAd (3fgf eg|fdfg agfd|edcB ABcA|
fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|Acef geBc|1 dfec d2ef:|2 dfec d2||

“Ronas Voe”
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on June 11th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7336

“Sunset Over Foula”
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on June 13th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7348

Dots ~

Eric Foxley’s Music Database
http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~ef/music/index.htm
Nottingham Folk Music Database ~ Waltzes
http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~ef/music/tunes/waltzes.htm
“Starry Nights of Shetland”
http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~ef/music/tunes/waltzes.pdf/starry.nights.pdf

Riddell Fiddles: Traditional fiddle teaching for the young and old
http://www.riddellfiddles.co.uk/
~ teaching ~ Tune Sets ~
Music Scores: “The Starry Nights of Shetland” ~ .pdf

Paul Hardy’s Session Tunebook
“The Starry Nights of Shetland”
http://www.hardy.34sp.com/music/tunebooks/pgh_session_tunebook_paged.pdf

ABCs ~

“Sunset Over Foula” / “Isles of Glentness” / “Starry Nights of Shetland” ~ medley
“Ali Bain & Phil Cunningham: The Ruby”
http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/MosheBraner/SunsetOverFoula.abc

I’ve also heard this called A Starry Night For A Ramble.

In Northumberland, a variation of this tune is called Breamish. The Breamish is the name given to the upper reaches of a river known further down as the Till, which eventually joins the River Tweed.

Here is my take on The Breamish:

T: The Breamish
M: C
L: 1/8
R: Waltz
K: D

Ad|:f4 d2|A4 F2|G6 |B6 |
|D4 c2|e4 g2|f6 |d4 Ad|
|f4 d2|A4 F2|G6 |B6 |
|A4 c2|e4 f2| d6|-d4 ef|
|g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|
|e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2|=d2 c2 B2|A2 d2 f2|
|g3 f g2|B2 d2 g2|f3 e f2|A2 d2 f2|
|e3 ^d ef|g2 B2 c2| =d6|-d4 :|

I’ve also seen transcriptions of this melody as AABB ~ but I’ll use nicholas’s transcription for the example, that damn D was bothering me. It can’t be right… 😉 ~

T:The Starry Nights Of Shetland
C: Ronnie Cooper
T: The Breamish
M: C
L: 1/8
R: Waltz
K: D Major
|: Ad |
f4 d2 | A4 F2 | G6 | B6 | A4 c2 | e4 g2 | f6 | d4 Ad |
f4 d2 | A4 F2 | G6 | B6 | A4 c2 | e4 f2 | d6 | -d4 :|
|: ef |
g3 f g2 | B2 d2 g2 | f3 e f2 | A2 d2 f2 | e3 ^d ef | g2 B2 c2 | d2 c2 B2 | A2 d2 f2 |
g3 f g2 | B2 d2 g2 | f3 e f2 | A2 d2 f2 | e3 ^d ef | g2 B2 c2 | d6 | -d4 :|

Ooh! Yes please!

… but only if I can play it simultaneously with the tune on fiddle …

Here goes (It’s played against a DMaj version - so I’ve put that up to though it’s close enough to the one above.
I wasn’t from a Folkworks book but handed out in a workshop. The sheet says Arr. Nick Hopkinson and Gerry Murphy.
This is a very bare bones version - and thus suitable for me as a flute novice 🙁

Main tune in D

C: Ronnie Cooper - arr. N Hopkinson and G Murphy
L: 1/4
M:3/4
R: Waltz
K: D Major
|: A | f2 d | A B A | G2 G | c2 B | A2 c | e2 A | f3 | -f2 A |
f2 d | A B A | G2 G | c2 B | A c e/f/ | g B c | d3 | -d2 :|
|: e/f/ | g B g | g B g | f A f | f A f | f d f | a g f | e3 | -e d e |
f2 d | A B A | G2 G | c2 B | A c e/f/ | g B c | d3 | -d2 :|

T:Starry Night in Shetland -Harmony Part
C: Ronnie Cooper - arr. N Hopkinson and G Murphy
M:3/4
L: 1/4
R: Waltz
K: D Major
|: A | A2 A | f g f | B2 B | e2 d | c2 B | A2 G | F2 A | A2 A |
A2 A | f g f | B2 B | e2 d | c A c | B A G | F3 | -F2 :|
|: =c | B2 B| B2 B | A2 A | A2 A | A B A | f e d | c3 | -c B A |
A2 A | f g f | B2 B | e2 d | c A c | B A G | F3 | -F2 :|

A question of distribution? ( I was getting to this but got distracted ~ 😉 ) One of the most circulated transcriptions for this tune comes from the following, a book and tape, that was also sold and distributed, including workshop handouts based on this transcriptions, via workshops, festivals and summer camps all over these Isles and North America and beyong:

“haand me doon da fiddle”
Put together by Tom Anderson, Shetland fiddler,
and Pam Swing, a fine and gifted fiddler from the USA
First published in 1979 by the Department of Continuing Education,
The University of Stirling
ISBN: 0-901636-25-8

Tune #21: “Starry Night in Shetland”

At the time they didn’t know the composer but that this melody “cam frae from da ’North Isles”… Further guidance on their transcription:

“If du keeps dye fingers doon ida second half as we shaw dee ida music it maks it far aisier ta play.” ~ Tom Anderson

Here’s that transcription, via handouts and the book, for comparison with the rest, minus finer points, like bowing ~

X: 1134
T: Starry Night in Shetland
S: Tom Anderson & Pam Swing
M: 3/4
L: 1/4
R: waltz
K: D Major
|: A2 |
f4 d2 | A2 B2 A2 | G4 G2 | c4 B2 | A4 c2 | e4 A2 | f6 | f4 A2 |
f4 d2 | A2 B2 A2 | G4 G2 | c4 B2 | A2 c2 ef | g2 B2 c2 | d6 | d4 :|
|: ef |
g2 B2 g2 | g2 B2 g2 | f2 A2 f2 | f2 A2 f2 | f2 d2 f2 | a2 g2 f2 | e6 | e2 d2 e2 |
f4 d2 | A2 B2 A2 | G4 G2 | c4 B2 | A2 c2 ef | g2 B2 c2 | d6 | d4 :|

A repeating tendency amongst most of us is to nudge things toward the norm, and that greater percentage, in tunes and dances, is 32 bars / measures, and for waltzes also 64 bars, or, more typically, a tune with repeats, in this case AABB. Surviving examples in print and recordings also show that Ronnie Cooper and others also played these tunes without the ‘usual’ repeats, or in some waltzes ‘once through’, which does fit that other norm of 32 bars. This, and others, works nicely both ways.

I first learned this tune in D as well, but have also played it in other keys, depending on the musicians I was with and willing compromises made… 😉

If you compare the book version to the previous two from spindizzy and DonaldK you’ll see that they are in the main by-the-book. There was also a second part in circulation, but I couldn’t find that here for comparison…

* spindizzy’s take is identical, note-for-note and in every detail.

* Donald’s only differs in the following places:
A-part, bar 13: |Acd/e/|
B-part, bars 8 & 13-14: |e2)A| & |Acd/e/|f(Bc)|

Interesting ~ the strength of influence/authority of notation or the preservation of a way with a tune over time?

Before looking at the tune again ~

1.) consider the dance and dancers, the music frames the dance and the changes in a dance and helps the dancers, speaks to them in phrases and changes…

2.) consider the other tunes if you’re playing it in a set. To mix in a 64 bar waltz amongst other 32 bar waltzes is to me clumsy and jarring, and if it were for dance and dancers, confusing…

Now, back to the melody itself. First, repetition already exists in the tune, classic for a regular 32 bar tune ~

1.) The A-part already repeats:
K: D Major
|: A2 |
f4 d2 | A3 B A2 | G4 B2 | c4 B2 |
A4 c2 |[1 e4 A2 | f6- | f4 :|[2 g2 B2 c2 | d3 e d2 | d4 ||

2.) The tune is in this instance AABA, the second half of the B-part repeating the second half of the A-part, ‘agreement’:

A-part, bars 9-16 ~
f4 d2 | A2 B2 A2 | G4 B2 | c4 B2 |
A2 c2 ef | g2 B2 c2 | d2 e3 c | d4 || ~ or ~ :|

B-part, bars 9-16 ~
f4 d2 | A2 B2 A2 | G4 B2 | c4 B2 |
A2 c2 ef | g2 B2 c2 | d2 e3 c | d4 || ~ or ~ :|

But, it has classic stretch as also found in many 64 bar waltzes, meaning, N = note:

| N2 N2 N2 | & | | N4 N2 | & | N6 | ~ etc., as opposed to say | NN NN NN | 😉

“Interesting ~ the strength of influence/authority of notation or the preservation of a way with a tune over time? ”

Perhaps because this tune has got onto the workshop/ tutor book circuit .. I learnt it from the dots, and I haven’t had a chance to play it with anyone who didn’t
a) go to the same workshop
b) learn it from us workshop attendees

It is starting to evolve slowly when we play it, a few twiddles here and there and some different feels on the harmony, but I went back to the original for the transciptions.

ps to the ABC experts - I looked for the least typing value when I chose L: 1/4, but I see a lot of L: 1/8 here - any rules around for choosing this? Searching and comparisons would obviously be easier if I’d done it at L: 1/8 (sorry 🙁 )

Chris

Other way round for starters, M first, L second ~

M:3/4
L: 1/8

The 1/8 is more usual because it allows the introduction of little variations, flutters & twiddles here and there more easily than 1/4 does, and minimizes the hated / & /4 for example…

Well, I’ve tried the harmony posted above. It’s possible to double-stop it. I can’t make it sound nice. Not because I can’t play it; it’s just too fussy. Seems to me like someone has tried overly hard to ‘harmonise’ every note, instead of seeing what fits nicest with the tune.

Just my opinion …

And mine…

I just somehow knew you’d give it a go… Good on yuh!

Now, how about something more amenable in the way of a harmony on this, but please, keep it to 32 bars… 😉

Well, of course, didn’t I mess up my abcs yet again.
So, ceolachan, my |Acd/e/|f should in fact have been |Ace/f/|g.
Just for my sins here’s a possible harmony (of sorts):

X: 1
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland - harmony
M: 3/4
L: 1/4
Q: 1/4=176
R: waltz
K: D
F|D2F|FGF|E2E|GAG|CDE|A,B,C|DCD|A,B,C|
D2F|FGF|E2E|GAG|CEG|ADE|F3|F2:|
D|D2G|BGB,/C/|D2F|AFD|D2C|B,2A,|G,B,G,|A,B,C|
D3|=C3|B,3|^G,3|A,GF|EDA|F3|F2:|

😉 Confession is good for the soul. I’m glad I’m not alone.

I’m worse this month mistake wise, here anyway, and today my eyes are almost fused shut with the hell of hay fever. But, for me this and asthma are only at most two months out of the year, others are worse off… Nah, that doesn’t make me feel any better… 😏

Check these out:

As a jig:

X: 1
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
Q: 3/8=126
K: D
A|:f2d ABA|GFG c2B|ABc ecA|f^ef =ecA|
f2d ABA|GFG c2B|Aef gBc|[1dfe d2A:|[2dfe def|
|:gBg gBg|fAf fAf|fdf agf|ecB A2A|
f2d ABA|GFG c2B|Aef gBc|[1dfe def:|[2dfe d2|]

As a hornpipe:

X: 2
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
Q: 1/4=160
K: D
A2|:f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|ABcd e^deA|f^efg =ecBA|
f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|(3ABc (3def (3gec (3ABc|[1d2f2 d2A2:|[2d2f2 d2ef|
|:gBdg Bdge|fAdf Adfg|f^efg agfd|(3efe (3dcB A2A2|
f2fd ABA_A|GFGB cdcB|(3ABc (3def (3gec (3ABc|[1d2f2 d2ef:|[2d2f2 d2|]

As a polka:

X: 3
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland
M: 2/4
L: 1/16
R: polka
Q: 1/4=144
K: D
A|:f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2c2 e2A2|fgfe f2A2|
f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2ef g2c2|[1d4 d2A2:|[2d4 d2ef|
|:g2B2 g2de|f2A2 f3g|f2df a2gf|e4 e2A2|
f3d A2BA|G2G2 c3B|A2ef g2c2|[1d4 d2ef:|[2d4 d2|]

As a strathspey:

X: 4
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: strathspey
Q: 1/4=160
K: D
A|f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2-c>B|A<AA>c e>dc<A|A<ff>g e2-e>A|
f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2-c>B|A>ce<f g>eB<c|d4 d2 e>f|
g2B>g g<Bg2|f2A>f f<Af>g|f2d>f a>gf<d|e>d c/d/e/f/ e/d/c/B/ A>A|
f<ff>d A2B>A|G<GG>B c2-c>B|A>ce<f g>eB<c|d4 d2|]

As a reel:

X: 5
T: The Starry Nights of Shetland
M: C|
L: 1/8
R: reel
Q: 1/2=112
K: D
A2|:fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|ABcd eAce|fedB A3A|
fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|Acef geBc|[1dfec d2A2:|[2dfec d2ef|
|:gdBd (3gag eg|fdAd (3fgf eg|fdfg agfd|edcB ABcA|
fedB A2BA|GABd cdcB|Acef geBc|[1dfec d2ef:|[2dfec d2|]