Caber Feidh

Kind of Tune
reel
Pronunciation Guide
KAH-ber fay; sometimes KAY-ber fay, or (in Kings County) KAY-per fay
Place of Origin
Scottish
Explanatory Note
Title is in Gaelic and translates to "The Deer's Antlers."

Caber Feidh is one of the earliest known Scottish Reels; it's first documented appearance was in a collection known as the "Drummond Castle Manuscript" (A Collection of Countrey Dances written for His Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734). It was later published in a host of tunebooks, notably the Gow Collection (vol. 4, c. 1800) and the Skye Collection (1887). It may well have been the latter work that introduced the spelling now most common.

Almost all the versions of Caber Feidh that were collected on PEI came from Kings County, where the tune had probably been in circulation since the early days of Scottish settlement. A 1950s-era recording by Cape Breton fiddler Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald also contributed to the continued local circulation of the tune.

Of special interest: a three-part variant of the tune is sometimes played in Central Kings County (see versions by Allan MacDonald, Francis MacDonald, and Hector MacDonald). The third turn is essentially an octave-lower variation of the high-turn.

Notation for Allan MacDonald's version of this tune is available here.

Notation

As played by Allan MacDonald

Tune Selections

Caber Feidh Musician: Allan MacDonald, Recordist: Ken Perlman Accompanied by: Ward MacDonald, pno Northeast Kings info
Caber Feidh Musician: Gus Longaphie, Recordist: Ken Perlman Accompanied by: Ken Perlman, bjo Northeast Kings info
Arsenault, Delphine - Caber Feidh Musician: Delphine Arsenault Accompanied by: Zélie-Anne Arsenault Poirier pump organ Evangeline Coast / East Prince info
Caber Feidh (home recording) Musician: Hector MacDonald Accompanied by: Allan MacDonald, gtr Central Kings info
Caber Feidh Musician: Attwood O'Connor, Recordist: Ken Perlman Accompanied by: Stanley Bruce, gtr; Mac MacKinnon, mand South Kings info
Caber Feidh Musician: Francis MacDonald, Recordist: Ken Perlman Unaccompanied Northeast Kings info