On Friday 25 October, a captivating chapter of Gaelic heritage will be revived with the release of newly reinterpreted laoidhean. Entitled The Heroic Ballads, this EP release will showcase the laoidhean or lays that were central to Gaelic culture during the late Middle Ages.
This ambitious project is the result of a unique collaboration between renowned South Uist traditional Gaelic singer Màiri Macmillan, the critically acclaimed Edinburgh Quartet, known for championing contemporary music, and the highly versatile composer Ned Bigham, whose works span classical to electronica.
These ancient Gaelic lays, steeped in folklore and epic narratives, have been given fresh life in a series of recordings made at Castlesound Studios in Pencaitland. The reinterpretations build on a pioneering performance held at the National Library of Scotland as part of the Sgeul exhibition. The scores have been added to the Library’s collections, further embedding these rare works into Scotland’s rich cultural archive.
The Heroic Ballads recount legendary tales of fallen heroes, monstrous foes, and grand scale battles, alongside tragic love stories and mythical creatures, including five-headed giants. In the 18th century, these Gaelic ballads inspired James Macpherson’s Ossianic epics, which in turn ignited the Romantic movement across Europe. Despite their historical significance, the tradition of sung laoidhean has dwindled over time, making this new project vital to their preservation.
Composer Ned Bigham reflected on the project: “A few years ago, Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart and Abigail Burnyeat from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig introduced me to the fascinating history of these heroic ballads, which originated in Ireland in the 12th century. As part of the Gaelic high art tradition, they have become rare, possibly due to their perceived complexity. In reimagining them for today’s audience, I set them to string quartet— a first, as far as I know. Combining Màiri Macmillan’s extraordinary voice with the Edinburgh Quartet’s talent, alongside the ballads’ beautiful melodies and captivating narratives, has provided an opportunity to create something unique. The rhapsodies I’ve composed blend the essence of the original with a modern aesthetic and it is a moment of great pride to have them released as an EP.”
The ballads draw from one of the most important collections of laoidhean texts compiled by 19th-century folklorist and polymath John Francis Campbell. His vast research, preserved in the National Library of Scotland, includes fieldwork from the Highlands and Islands, manuscripts, and printed works, all offering invaluable insights into these ballads. The texts were instrumental in shaping the newly recorded interpretations, which also mark the beginning of an exciting partnership between the National Library of Scotland and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.
Abigail Burnyeat of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (University of the Highlands and Islands) explained the cultural resonance of laoidhean: “Whether in a chief’s hall or in the ceilidh house, the characters of these laoidhean were known and what happens to them was both familiar and deeply-felt. The performance of these tales was part of an intimate conversation between storytellers and singers and their audiences. It’s not theatre or opera: the song is there to carry the words, and the words are what’s important. The ballads were high art; but their stories belonged to everybody and will resonate with people just as much today as in the past.”
National Librarian Amina Shah said: “The Heroic Ballads recordings are the culmination of research, musical collaboration and performance that truly bring our collections to life. They also mark the beginning of an exciting new partnership between the National Library of Scotland and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. We look forward to seeing more wonderful creative responses to the world-class Gaelic collections of the National Library and Sabhal Mòr in the future.”The Heroic Ballads (Laoidhean nan Gaisgeach) will be released on EP to download and stream on Friday 25 October
