This tune came to my attention by a viewer – “Hey Tuttie Tatie” a title that imitates the sounds of drums. It is probably more famously known as “Scots Wha Hae”, after the lyrics that were put to it in 1793 by Robert Burns. Its origins are shrouded in mystery, but according to tradition, it is supposed to have been played at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, as well as by musicians in the Scottish troops that assisted the French during the Hundred Years War in the 14th Century. While that is hard to confirm, it is clear that the melody is probably much older than this version, which comes from a tunebook from 1746. It is also interesting to know that in France, this tune has been played since at least the 18th Century, there known as “Marche des Soldats de Robert Bruce”. In this arrangement, I have taken the 1746 melody more or less straight off, but I have added lower parts to the fifes as well as drums.

The image shows Scottish mercenaries in the Thirty Years War, wearing their traditional garbs, whom the Germans thought were quite odd and wondrous. It was engraved around 1630 by the German engraver Georg Cöler.

Enjoy!