The Blue Bells Trilogy, being about musicians, references a lot of music.  Here are links to several--ok, lots-- of them on youtube.

 

Blue Bells of Scotland is the old folk song, later arranged as a show piece for trombone, after which the series is named. 

 

Lindber's comic Czardas by Monti This is the piece that Shawn plays at the medieval faire, surrounded by English soldiers.  Lindberg hams up this particular version, which I can easily imagine Shawn doing.  Enjoy.  Following is a more serious version.

 

A more serious Czardas

 

The Castle of Dromore on Harp One of the pieces Shawn learns on harp

 

Killiekrankie on bagpipes I wasn't able to find a good video of Killiekrankie (sometimes spelled Gilliekrankie) on harp, but here it is played by a kilted bagpiper in the midst of castle ruins.  Very stirring.

 

Sheebeg Sheemore  In the book, this is performed by orchestra with harp soloist.  This version is a solo guitar.  This version is titled in the Gaelic, Si Bheag Si Mhor.  Beag means little, and Mor means big.  So little, so big?

 

Jock O'Hazeldan This song does not appear by this name in the book, but I did use the melody to write the lyrics for the song about the traitor.  This version is played on what is called a clarsach.  The instrument she's playing is bigger than Niall's clarsach, but much smaller than Celine's concert harp, on which he plays it.  This is a piece I like to play on harp, and I prefer to take it much faster.

 

Caledonia the song sung by Shawn with the small group at the Blue Bell Inn during his party.

 

Flower of Scotland Scotland's National Anthem.  A very moving song commemorating the Battle of Bannockburn.  The "Proud Edward" referenced in the song is Edward II, the son of Edward Longshanks.  (Longshanks, for reference, was "The Hammer of the Scots.")  Whereas Longshanks was a powerful and cruel king, and able soldier, his son was (thankfully for the Scots) proud but weak and inept.  Under his reign, the Scots regained most of what Longshanks took from them.  It was he who fought at Bannockburn, and on the second day of battle, ran from the field.  In the book, Shawn plays this song on the eve of battle.  It has become one of my favorite pieces.

 

Scotland the Brave on harp and Scotland the Brave with Singer

 

Uillean Pipes Although this song is not in the book, uillean pipes are used in Shawn's arrangements for the orchestra.  This is what they sound like.  Very haunting.

 

Sumer is Icumen In is the song that Shawn sings at the faire with a group of men.  I think maybe most of us who majored in music learned about this piece, as it is one of the oldest surviving songs we know, dating from the late 1200's.  So it may have been fairly "new" to Niall and the Scottish Highlands.  This is a somewhat longer version, sung by a large group of men.  A shorter version with fewer singers, perhaps more exactly like what he'd have heard.

 

 

 

Just for fun some medieval music, played on period instruments in costume, to give a flavor of what Shawn might have heard at the faire or what Niall might have heard at court..

 

Still to come.... some of the original music chosen to go with certain scenes.