Rannoch Moor — A New Song Inspired by an Ancient Landscape
Stag at the edge of the Rannoch Moor
Dear members and supporters,
I thought you might be interested to know that I have recently been working with New Zealand based composer/songwriter Alan Wagstaff on a song based on a poem I wrote many years ago in an attempt to write about a place in Scotland that nobody else had written about—the wild and dramatic Highland landscape of the Rannoch Moor. It was triggered by my memory of being on the Moor at night, catching sight of a steam train chugging up a steep incline on the West Highland Line—smoke, steam and sparks flying up into the misty air.
Working with Alan has been truly fascinating. For the past few years he has been creating wonderfully evocative music videos based on the traditional songs of Scotland, England and Ireland, which he regularly posts on his YouTube channel—now boasting over six thousand followers.
In describing the new song, Alan writes:
"Rannoch Moor has long occupied a special place in the Scottish imagination. Stretching across miles of peatland, lochans and heather beneath vast Highland skies, it is a landscape that seems to exist beyond ordinary time. Its quiet beauty has inspired countless travellers, artists and writers, and now it has inspired a new song.
"The lyric for this piece was written by David Hunter, who captures not only the grandeur of the moor but also the deep sense of belonging and loyalty that this remarkable place evokes. My role was to compose a melody that would allow those words to breathe naturally and speak with an authentic Scottish voice.
"To achieve that, I chose to write the tune in the Mixolydian mode—a scale heard in many traditional Scottish and Irish melodies. Its gentle, wistful character sits somewhere between celebration and remembrance, lending the song a quiet warmth that feels entirely at home among the hills and open skies of Rannoch Moor. Rather than striving for drama, the melody aims for affection, reflection and enduring attachment.
"The arrangement is intentionally understated. Uilleann pipes, acoustic guitar, accordion, cello and whistle weave together to create a sound world that is both intimate and expansive. Each instrument contributes its own colour while leaving space for the lyric to remain at the heart of the performance.
"The accompanying montage follows the same philosophy. Rather than telling a dramatic story, it offers a visual journey through the moor itself—its changing light, wildlife, history and timeless atmosphere. Together, the music and images seek to honour a landscape that has shaped generations of lives and memories.
"If this performance encourages you to pause for a few minutes and experience something of Rannoch Moor's enduring spirit, then David's words and my music will have achieved exactly what we hoped."
I do hope you enjoy the video which you can access via the link below. (You may see an advert before it starts.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU7DxKEKOWg
Note that it would be a help to Alan if you could leave a comment on his site.
With best wishes and, as always, thanks for your support and encouragement.
David Hunter
President, Scottish Studies Foundation