Ye Banks and Braes (arr. Strommen)
James Miller or Charles Miller (arr. Carl Strommen)
General Info
Year: c. mid-18th century / 2012
Duration: c. 2:55
Difficulty: II (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Folk song
Publisher: Alfred Music Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $57.00; (digital) - $57.00 | Score Only (print) - $9.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bells
- Crash Cymbals
- Suspended Cymbal
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The melody of Ye Banks and Braes, written in 1788, is attributed to Charles Miller. The lyrics were added in 1792 by Scottish poet Robert Burns. The melancholy character of the melody matches the pastoral images and feelings of unrequited love as set by Burns. The word "brae" indicates a hill or hillside along a river.
- Program Note from publisher
The Caledonian Hunt's Delight or Ye Banks and Braes was credited to "Mr. Miller of Edinburgh" by Niel Gow in Second Collection of Niel Gow's Reels (1788). The antiquarian William Chappell wrote an article in 1867 on the subject of the air, entitled The Caledonian Hunt's Delight, 'Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon', and Robert Burns, in which he states that Mr. Miller was said to have been an excellent singer. "Mr. Miller" was James Miller, a writer who served for many years as clerk in the Teind Office, Edinburgh.
The collector John Glen (1891) relates a delightful story of the tune's origins involving the famous Scots poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), who wrote to publisher George Thomson in 1794:
Do you known the history of the air? It is curious enough. A good many years ago, Mr. James Miller, writer in your good own (Edinburgh), a gentleman whom, possibly, you know, was in company with our good friend Clarke; and taling of Scottish music, Miller expressed an ardent ambition to be able to compose a Scots air. Mr. Clarke, partly by way of a joke, told him to keep to the black keys of the harpsichord, and preserve some kind of rhythm, and he would infallibly compose a Scots air. Certain it is, that, in a few days, Mr. Miller produced the rudiments of an air which Mr. Clarke, with some touches and corrections, fashioned into the tune in question. Ritson, you know, has the same story of the black keys; but this account which I have just given you, Mr. Clarke informed me of several years ago.
- Program Note from Traditional Tune Archive
N.B. There is uncertainty about the original composer of the melody. The publisher of this arrangement attributes it to "Charles Miller", in 1788. Other sources (IMSLP, Traditional Tune Archive) attribute the work to James Miller. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music attributes the work to a Charles Miller born in 1899.
Media
State Ratings
- California: I
- Indiana: ISSMA JH/MS/ELEM BAND GROUP II
- Louisiana: II
- Michigan: Junior High B
- Michigan: Senior High D
- North Carolina: III
- Texas: II. Complete
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Owen County High School (Owenton, Ky.) Band (Michael Pinskton, conductor) - 23 April 2022
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Sundance (Flex instrumentation) (2012/2014)
All Wind Works
- Aerius (2018)
- Broken Bow (2010)
- Canterbury Walk (1998)
- Chisholm Trail (2012)
- Chroma (2013)
- Communion (2007)
- Cross Creek
- Cumberland Cross (1995)
- Daybreak (2015)
- Dawnwood Overture (1993)
- Edgemont Festival Overture (1996/2021)
- Fanfare and Patrol
- Festive Tribute (2011)
- Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
- Fuego del Alma (2011)
- Gigue Française (2001)
- Glengarry Way (2005)
- Here Comes Christmas (as arranger) (2000)
- Home for the Holidays (as arranger) (1954/2015)
- Innisfree (2013)
- Irish Lullaby (as arranger) (1931/2018)
- Kivgik (2015)
- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (as arranger) (1877/2013)
- Like an Eagle (ed. Andraschek)
- Nordanvind (2017)
- Platte River Hoedown (2014)
- Prairiesong (2004)
- Ravensgate (1996)
- Reflections on an English Hymn (1916/2009)
- Salute to the Cinema (2009)
- Shivaree (1998)
- Silversword (2014)
- Sleighing Song
- Storm Mountain Jubilee (2004)
- Sundance (2010)
- Sundance (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2014)
- Tir Na Nog (2004)
- Tum Balalaika (2018)
- Variations on a Sailing Song (2006)
- Waterdance (1995)
- Ye Banks and Braes (as arranger) (2012)
Resources
- "The Caledonian Hunt's Delight." Traditional Tune Archive. Web. Accessed 6 July 2021
- Carl Strommen website Accessed 6 July 2021
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Charles Miller." Accessed 6 July 2021
- Perusal score
- "Ye Banks and Braes." Traditional Tune Archive. Web. Accessed 6 July 2021
- "Ye Banks and Braes (Miller, James)." IMSLP. Web. Accessed 6 July 2021
- Ye Banks o' Doon, Wikipedia Accessed 27 April 2018