Resources
Posted on 15th August, 2022 in For Readers, The Hidden Fires
In a New Light Music & Images
In a New Light is a tapestry of words, images and sound about the Cairngorms. The warp is Merryn’s book, The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd; the weft is Hamish’s music, weaving in and out through the narrative. Together, they are set against images of this landscape and its life, mostly taken by Merryn. The show title reflects how both artists explore the Cairngorms, always seeking fresh perspectives, surprising discoveries and more ways of seeing old ground in A New Light.
The show premiered at the inaugural Cairngorms Nature Festival in May 2023, with support from the Cairngorms National Park. It then toured to the Edinburgh International Book Festival 22nd Aug, the Badenoch Heritage Festival, 19th Sept, the Plenty? Festival in Banchory, 6th October and the Paisley Book Festival on 26th April 2024. We are always eager to find new audiences for this performance, so if you would like to invite us, please contact Merryn here.
You can watch a beautiful recording of the whole performance at EIBF by following this link.
See below for full information and credits for the music, field recordings and images from the show.
Music
The music through the show is all played live by award-winning folk musician, multi-instrumentalist and composer Hamish Napier. Some pieces are traditional tunes of the Cairngorms while others are his own compositions. All his music is available to buy in CD or download here.
Music, in the order played in In a New Light:
SLOW AIR: Meall a Bhuachaille [The Shepherd’s Hill] – Hamish Napier
A popular hill in Strathspey, looking towards the Cairngorm plateau. Listen here.
9/8 MARCH: St Finan’s of Kinlochmoidart – Hamish Napier
Composed on site in the church very recently. Watch here.
STRATHSPEY: South of the Grampians – James A Porteous (1762-1847)
Found in James Scott Skinner’s Harp & Claymore Collection. See the sheet music here.
STRATHSPEY: The Forest of Gaick – William Marshall (1748–1833)
The Forest of Ga-ick was a deer estate near Glen Feshie, owned by the Duke of Gordon. Marshall was Steward of the Household and an excellent shot. Learn more about the tune here.
SLOW THEME: The Wells of Dee – Hamish Napier
The Wells of Dee are the source of the River Dee on Braeriach in the high Cairngorms. Listen here.
WALTZ: The Dance – Hamish Napier
From his debut solo album The River. Listen here.
SLOW AIR: Farewell tae a Buchan Loon – Hamish Napier
Commissioned for Frances Argo in memory of her son Martin. Listen here.
REEL: Druimuachdar [Drumochter] – Trad
From The Simon Fraser Collection, also called Highland Road to Inverness. Learn more here.
SONG: Allt an Lochain Uaine [Burn of the Green Lochan] – Uilleam Ruigh ‘n Uidhe [William Gow/Smith]
Attributed to legendary 18th century Cairngorms deer stalker and Gaelic bard William Gow of Rynuie (Uilleam Ruigh ‘n Uidhe). To the north of Derry Lodge and Derry Dam, the Lochan Uaine is in a high corrie to the west. This is where Uilleam Ruigh ‘n Uidhe wrote a poem which later became the well-known song “Allt an Lochain Uaine”. The melody was used for the even more popular song Mo Chalian Dillias Donn [My Faithful Brown Haired Girl] by Hector MacKenzie from Loch Broom. Learn more here and see the Gaelic version with English translation here.
SLOW AIR: Before the Sun Comes – Hamish Napier
One of the finale tracks on Duncan Chisholm’s much acclaimed new album Black Cuillin. Listen here.
SLOW AIR: N Carn gorm [Cairngorm Mountain] – Trad
From The Simon Fraser Collection: The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles. Learn more here.
THEME: Craobh Phillidh [The Tree of the Return] – Hamish Napier
From The Woods, about the tree marking the upper limit of Rothiemurchus forest. Listen here.
THEME: The Tree of Blessings – Hamish Napier
From The Woods, about the juniper tree. ‘I run my hand through juniper… for the joy of the wet drops trickling over the palm.’ Nan Shepherd, The Living Mountain. Listen here.
FIELD RECORDINGS
Helen Needham & Hamish Napier – mainly recorded in the Cairngorms
IMAGES
All images and video in In a New Light are by Merryn Glover except for:
- Title image of Hamish and Merryn: Michael George for National Geographic
- Nan Shepherd in her 80s: Erlend Clouston
- Nan Shepherd and family: Nan Shepherd Estate, photographer unknown
- Nan Shepherd walking: Nan Shepherd Estate, photographer unknown
- Cairngorms from Loch Morlich: William Lamond Howie, 1902, Scottish Mountaineering Club Image Archive
- Merryn as a child with family: Warren Glover
- Blue tit: Duncan Macdonald
- Ptarmigan & crested tit: Mark Denman
- Swifts & golden plover: J Hope, Speyside Wildlife
- Lapwings, curlews, osprey & Slavonian grebe: Wendy Hamlet
- Other images of Merryn: Alistair Appleby
‘To know Being, this is the final grace accorded from the mountain.’
Nan Shepherd