The Music and Language of Outlander (and Scotland)

[chocolatetruffle]

And don't forget about The Walking Dead.  One would think that music wouldn't be that big a factor, but McCreary's soundtrack is subtle and yet emotionally powerful.  "The Mercy of the Living" is one of my all-time favorite pieces of music ever and really captures the spirit and emotional tone of that show.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxDGAojH9Jg

 

ETA: the link in case anyone would like to hear McCreary's masterpiece.

Edited April 17, 2015 by chocolatetruffle

[Keeta]

I have a music prediction for tonight's episode. I'll put it in spoiler tags, but only if you haven't read the first book.

 

It seems like The Devil's Mark is going to end with Jamie taking Claire back to the stones, but even if it's in the next episode, I wonder if the musical cue for that scene is going to be The Woman of Balnain. The Dance of the Druids was used when Claire and Frank are both running to the stones, so it might be weird to use that again when she's choosing between Frank and Jamie. The Claire & Jamie theme will probably pop up too, maybe once she's made her decision, but I think The Woman of Balnain could be used to great emotional effect.

[Keeta]

Just watched the new episode...

 

Och, I was wrong. Ah, weel. Reprising the Wedding version of the J&C theme works too. :)

[ulkis]

So I was watching/listening to this last night (a new song from the Quebecois folk band "Le vent du nord", if you like celtic/folk stuff check them out)

 

 

and they a Scottish singer Julie Fowlis singing with them in that song, which led me to spot this interview with her

 

 

and in it she talks about Gaelic (she seems to sing mostly in Gaelic) and a lot of other interesting language stuff in the interview

Edited April 19, 2015 by ulkis

[theschnauzers]

Bear's latest blog entry on the last two episodes,  "By the Pricking of My Thumbs" and "The Devil's Mark" together:

 

http://www.bearmccreary.com/#blog/blog/outlander-by-the-pricking-of-my-thumbs-the-devils-mark/

Edited April 24, 2015 by theschnauzers

[theschnauzers]

Bear McCreary's latest blog entry on "Lallybroch," "The Watch." and "The Search":

 

http://www.bearmccreary.com/#blog/blog/outlander-lallybroch-the-watch-the-search/

Edited May 13, 2015 by theschnauzers

[Starla]

Does anyone know the title or lyrics (including English translation) to the song Claire was singing in "The Search?" Apparently it's a real song but I don't know the name and can't find it online. All I could make out were "kent and keen" and Aberdeen."

[Athena]

Does anyone know the title or lyrics (including English translation) to the song Claire was singing in "The Search?" Apparently it's a real song but I don't know the name and can't find it online. All I could make out were "kent and keen" and Aberdeen."

 

Claire uses the tune from "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" a hit during the WWII, but she invents her own lyrics.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qafnJ6mRbgk

[Starla]

Claire uses the tune from "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" a hit during the WWII, but she invents her own lyrics.

 

Thanks Athena. It's fun seeing that video, it reminds me very much of my Grandma who was about Claire's age in the 1940s.

 

As for the song in the show, I read somewhere that the lyrics were from a real Scottish folk song, which has quite vulgar lyrics. That piqued my interest of course! Unfortunately I didn't get the name of it.

[WatchrTina]

Yes, it's a real Scottish Folk tune and the inimitable Karen Henry (@karenh3a on twitter and Outlander blogger extraordinaire) found it.

 

https://twitter.com/karenh3a/status/597409640305922048

Edited May 15, 2015 by WatchrTina

[Starla]

Ah wonderful, thanks! That's hilarious. And to think Dougal sang that to the kids.

[sinkwriter]

I'm a fan of a band called The Rogues. Years ago I sang with a women's madrigal group for 2 summers at a Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wisconsin, and The Rogues came to perform for a few weekends. They really stirred things up; it was so fun, really made us want to get up and dance around and twirl our skirts.  :D 

 

From "Live in Canada, eh?" album - I especially love "Hornpipes" and "Scotland the Brave"

From "RogueTrip" album - I especially like "Pressed for Time" and "Back to the Faire"

From "Off Kilter" album (heh, love the play on words with that title) - I especially like "Jolly George" and "Pipes in Space"

 

I just love the rhythms and the percussion so much. It's lively!  (And made me wish I could learn to play the bodhran.)

[rhiamon]

This might fit in the Media thread as well, but felt better here.

Gillebride MacMillan sings at the launch of the upgraded LearnGaelic.scot website:

http://www.scotlandnow.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/watch-outlander-actor-gillebride-macmillan-5947725

[theschnauzers]

Bear has finally posted his blog entry on the last two episodes of the first season, "Wentworth Prision" and "To Ransom A Man's Soul."

http://www.bearmccreary.com/#blog/blog/outlander-wentworth-prison-to-ransom-a-mans-soul/

[Nidratime]

Very amusing.

 

Nobody lIkes Bagpipes:

[sinkwriter]

LOL. I'm so glad Bear has finally found his niche.  (That was really funny.)

[bearcatfan]

It was funny but that combo of bagpipes and Amazing Grace had me in tears. Both make me think of funerals so the combo is deadly.

[areca]

Waulking songs!  I was so happy with that bit of genius casting!  And music!  

[cailinoBAC]

Oh, they are some lovely pieces!

 

(Also...I was hiking around Cuchulainn's old stomping ground today near Dundalk. We were brought up on his stories...apparently Michael Fassbender was developing a movie about him, but haven't heard anything about that lately.)

[Nidratime]

Preview of a song off the Outlander soundtrack courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. Very lovely -- especially second half.

 

Stream a song from the Outlander soundtrack before its official release — exclusive

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/22/outlander-soundtrack-charge-highland-cattle-stream-listen?12121&hootPostID=e24fc515816037cdd840cce495614f0c

[mizkat]

Very amusing.

Nobody lIkes Bagpipes:

 

I loved that! We had a piper at my parents 50th wedding anniversary this past summer. My grandfather was in the Highland Infantry and there was a piper at his 50th wedding anniversary, so we continued the tradition. It was wonderful, however, bagpipes are freaking LOUD. Let's just say there were a few people there that didn't like bagpipes for that very reason. 

 

The extended version of "Skye Boat Song" from Vol.2 is one of the most gorgeous things I've heard recently.

 

Agreed. I really love all the pieces, though. Normally I don't buy soundtracks but I had to get both of these. 

[WatchrTina]

Here's a little something to tide you over through #DroughtlanderDeaux.  Beautiful piano & cello music, beautiful Scottish scenery, and a pipe & drum corp.  Enjoy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOO5qRjVFLw

[DittyDotDot]

Very amusing.

 

Nobody lIkes Bagpipes:

 

OMG, I was skimming the thread looking for a post about waulking songs and I somehow missed this. That's absolutely hilarious!

[Nidratime]

Somebody on Reddit posted a link to this performance of The Skye Boat song by the University College of Dublin choral scholars. Very nice.

 

[Nidratime]

LOL! Maybe we should tell Bear McCreary about this!

 

Dave Mustaine ‏@DaveMustaine 3h3 hours ago

#PoisonousShadows was actually inspired by a tremendous performance by my friend @SamHeughan in @Outlander_Starz at the end of last season.

 

Here's a link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASGg-nbwnJ8

 

And he briefly mentions it here at about the 3:30 mark:

[sinkwriter]

MegaDeth is not usually my speed; that style's a little too hardcore for me unless I'm in a specific edgy mood (like the singer Dave Mustaine talks about in that second clip, when he says he'll listen to certain things when he's in a "snotty" mood, LOL).

 

However, I have to say that I like that song. The acoustic opening, the piano ending and the instrumentals throughout are excellent, and the lyrics are CHILLING if you think about them in context of Jamie and Jack Black. *shudders*  I'd say he did a great job translating those dark final episodes into a song.

[Nidratime]

Interview with composer, Bear McCreary, with a cool detail:

 

http://www.outlandertvnews.com/2016/03/composer-bear-mccreary-discusses-outlander-season-two-with-collider/

 

"....I intensely researched the music of the time period. In fact one of the characters in the book who makes an appearance is the Count of St. Germain, and when he made his appearance I looked him up on Wikipedia because I thought, ‘This feels like a real guy,’ and he is a historical figure who actually, among his many skills, was a composer and wrote music! And I actually had my music historian pull up some old music of his and I found a piece that I liked, so he wrote his own theme. The guy, when he’s on camera the music that’s being played is his theme that his character actually wrote in real life.”

 

[sinkwriter]

Apparently today is International Bagpipe Day! I feel a sudden need to listen to Bear's Outlander music.  *GRIN*

[WatchrTina]

Good article about Outlander's composer, Bear McCreary.  

 

https://www.inverse.com/article/12338-bear-mccreary-composes-for-pirates-scottish-time-travelers-and-zombies

[ulkis]

Did anyone see the little "binge on season 1" promo? The music for it was really great . . . I'm wondering if anyone recognizes the music and if it was in last season, or if it wasn't composed for Outlander? It sounds like Bear McCreary but I suppose it might not be I guess.

[ulkis]

Was anyone able to make out any of the French lyrics to the theme song last night?

[Lion]

Someone provided this link in another thread, but I thought this was interesting and pretty cool:

 

 

 

In looking for an authentic sound, Outlander composer Bear McCreary discovered the historical figure Comte de St. Germain, which the character is based upon. Among his many skills, the real St. Germain was also a composer and wrote music.  "I actually had my music historian pull up some old music of his and I found a piece that I liked, so he wrote his own theme. The guy, when he's on camera, the music that’s being played is his theme that his character actually wrote in real life." –Bear McCreary.

[DittyDotDot]

Reminds me of how Bear McCreary composed musical palindromes for DaVinci's Demons because DaVinci used to write in palindromes. Pretty cool indeed!

Edited April 12, 2016 by DittyDotDot

[Nidratime]

I saw someone in the non-bookreaders thread wondering about the Gaelic Jamie was speaking to the baby in The Fox's Lair. On another message board, someone got a translation of the scripted words, and here is what they reported it was. (Sam may have added something here or there during the performance.)

 

Quote

…we have a role to play. Yer role, wee lass, is to grow strong and happy. Ne’er forget…

…yer family is all around ye, all the time, even when ye canna see us. Yer grandsire and grandmother, Uncle Willie, me, Aunt Claire. We’re in the wood and the stone, and the sounds and smells of this place…

[theschnauzers]

Since the link hasn't made it to this thread yet, here is Bear's blog entry on the Paris episodes, and he goes into more detail about the special opening credits Skye Boat Song, and the Cte. St. Germain's music:

 

Outlander: In Paris

[ulkis]

This singer who's done a couple of covers/original songs for Game of Thrones, has now done some for Outlander 

 

 

[Haleth]

I binged watched season 1 of Black Sails this week and was shocked to hear the theme for Outlander being played in the background during one scene. I didn't know Bear did the fabulous music for that show too.

[theschnauzers]

The original of the Skye Boat song is a traditional Scots tune so hearing an instrumental on Black Sails wouldn't surprise me, as the Nassau colony had a lot of Scots colonials even in the time of the Black Sails atory, which would be soon after the Rising of '15 (1715)

I'm hoping we get a blog soon from Bear covering the second half of the season. He and Diana mentioned during the Live Tweet for the finale tonight that Diana wrote the lyrics from the books, but the actor who plays Roger made up the tune himself.

[ulkis]

5 hours ago, Haleth said:

I binged watched season 1 of Black Sails this week and was shocked to hear the theme for Outlander being played in the background during one scene. I didn't know Bear did the fabulous music for that show too.

Do you remember what scene and/or episode? I'd like to check it out. Thanks!

[Haleth]

Oh dear.  Like I said, I binge watched.  It was prob in the 3rd or 4th episode.  If I have time I'll try to find it.

[ulkis]

10 hours ago, Haleth said:

Oh dear.  Like I said, I binge watched.  It was prob in the 3rd or 4th episode.  If I have time I'll try to find it.

No no, no problem, that's a good enough starting point for me, I can find it from there probably. Thanks!

[Bort]

12 hours ago, ulkis said:

No no, no problem, that's a good enough starting point for me, I can find it from there probably. Thanks!

You'll have missed it. It was in episode two.

[ulkis]

Thanks!

[ulkis]

No Outlander season 2 track till late October?? Drat. Seriously, what's up with that. 

[ulkis]

Does anyone know the song in the latter half of the promo?

ETA: found it, it's this song:

Edited July 19, 2016 by ulkis

[theschnauzers]

Bear has just tweeted out that his blog entry about the second half of season 2 is now up!

 

Bear's Blog -- Return to Scotland

[ulkis]

Stumbled upon this song on youtube. I brought it over because the lyrics mention Frasers. Here's the description from the page:

A battle took place on 30 April, 1690, in which a Jacobite force was routed on the low ground (haughs) at Cromdale in Morayshire by government forces. James Hogg, the Ettrick shepherd, later wrote a song about the defeat which became very popular. But then an unknown bard, unhappy with the story of a lost battle, added an exaggerated description of Montrose's victory over the Covenanters at Auldearn in 1645. Despite the muddled history and the fact that Montrose had been dead for 40 years before the conflict at Cromdale, the ballad remained popular. Many a Highland regiment has marched to the tune of this song.

Edited August 13, 2016 by ulkis

[Archery]

Skye Boat Song was just used for a team dance on Dancing With The Stars! It was a beautiful Viennese Waltz. So unexpected!

[Nidratime]

I'll look forward to the video.

[WatchrTina]

Here you go.  http://www.ew.com/article/2016/10/24/dwts-outlander-theme-song