ISLE OF SKYE recorded by Excelcia Music PublishingISLE OF SKYE published by Excelcia Music Publishing
Skye Isle is located in the Inner Hebrides archipelago on Scotland’s west coast where it is both the largest and northernmost island. Known for its picturesque landscapes, castles, and wildlife, it is frequently visited by tourists from all over the world. This piece is a setting of the Skye Boat Song, a beautiful Scottish folk tune in triple meter. The lyrics recount events after the British Army defeated the Jacobites at the battle of Culloden when Prince Charles Edward Stuart is said to have retreated by boat to the Isle of Skye.
The Storr on the Trotternish peninsula in Skye
Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing Onward the sailors cry. Carry the lad that’s born to be king Over the sea to Skye
Loud the wind howls Loud the waves roar
Thunderclaps rend the air Baffled our foes Stand by the shore Follow they will not dare
Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing Onward the sailors cry. Carry the lad that’s born to be king Over the sea to Skye
Many’s the lad fought on that day Well the claymore did wield When the night came Silently lain Dead on Colloden field
Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing Onward the sailors cry. Carry the lad that’s born to be king Over the sea to Skye
I discovered this tune when my wife introduced my to “Outlander,” a series on Starz. The show follows protagonist, Clare as she slips through time into 18th century Scotland during the time of the Jacobite uprising and falls in love with James Fraser. Disclaimer: parental discretion advised for the series.
“Outlander” Season 1 opening title
Mostly pentatonic, the melody is in rounded binary form (A-B-A) where the A theme rises and falls to and from the dominant scale degree while tonicizing an Ionian mode, and the B theme leads downward over the relative Aeolian mode.
Skye Boat Song scored for bagpipes
My arrangement begins with an eight measure introduction consisting of cascading intervals pitched in the E-flat major pentatonic scale. Supported by metallic mallet instruments, the opening line moves from the high woodwinds down through the mid voices and into the lows before arriving on a half cadence with the third omitted. This is followed by a six measure slow march feel in triple time utilizing some chromatic neighbor chords sounding the tonic.
The first utterance of the A theme is heard in the trumpets and is supported by the low winds and percussion. Extended harmonies are used to portray a tone of power and poise like that of the Jacobite Army. The B theme is then played by high winds and mallet percussion before a phrase extension and ritardando swell into a full ensemble restatement of the A theme. Here, the trumpets again play the melody with various counterpoint based on both the A and B themes passed throughout the rest of the ensemble. This climaxes after a stately ritard on a deceptive cadence in G-flat major before a solo trumpet settles back into a recapitulation of the opening materials in E-flat major. The final cadence, from B-flat dominant seven to E-flat major is the only perfect authentic cadence in the entire piece, and gives the final measures a sense of completion and restfulness.
Michael J. Miller is a composer, conductor, and educator living in Horse Cave, KY.
His many works for concert band, orchestra, and chamber ensembles are available from Alfred Music, Carl Fischer Music, F.J.H. Music, Excelcia Music, Murphy Music, and R.W.S. Music. They regularly receive critical acclaim including J.W. Pepper and Son's Editors' Choice, Bandworld's Top 100 New Works for Band, and Highly Recommended status by the National Band Association's magazine, The Instrumentalist. Michael's music is performed nationally and abroad, including recent performances at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensemble’s summer conference, and the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble’s composer initiative.
Before dedicating himself to composition full time, Michael was a public-school band director. From 2013-2018 he served as the Director of Bands at Joe E. Newsome High School in Lithia, FL. Under his leadership, Newsome earned the Florida Bandmasters Association’s Otto Kraushaar award, was named B.O.A. Regional Grand Champions, qualified for W.G.I. World Championships Finals, and performed in theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Before his appointment at Newsome, he was Assistant Director of Bands at Robert Vela High School in Edinburg, TX, and the Director of Bands at Weeki Wachee High School in Weeki Wachee, FL. While at W.W.H.S., he was awarded the School Board of Hernando County’s Hernando H.E.R.O.E.S. Award, and the Superintendent’s Excellence Award. Additionally, he received the National Band Association's Certificate of Merit for outstanding contributions to marching bands.
Michael adjudicates and designs for pageantry ensembles across the United States. He currently serves as an adjudicator for Bands of America, is the brass arranger for the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps, and music arranger for Virtual Arts, Inc. His music for college marching band has been performed during halftime at Superbowl XLVIII, as well as during numerous B.C.S. Bowl games. Prior to joining Colts’ educational staff, Michael was a visual technician for the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle corps, a conducting drum major and trumpeter for the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, and played mellophone for the Syracuse Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps.
Michael holds a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Syracuse University. As a graduate teaching assistant for the University of Florida bands he guest conducted the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band, taught undergraduate conducting lessons, and was a staff member and music designer for Florida's Marching Band.
Michael is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the National Band Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is happily married to his wife and best friend, Vivian. When he isn’t writing music or working with a musical ensemble, he enjoys traveling the world and experiencing the food culture wherever he goes.
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Michael J. Miller, Composer 