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Home/Tunes/Highland Cathedral
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Highland Cathedral

The Short Version

A modern tune with a very accessible melody. Written in 1992 by German composers Michael Korb and Ulrich Roever, Highland Cathedral has become hugely popular with both pipers and non-pipers, and was chosen in 2004 as the anthem of the Scottish Rugby Union.
The first part repeats the same rhythm four times. The two-bar phrase that ends on a half-note F has its rhythm repeated four times through the entire first part — what makes it sound compelling is that each repetition carries different melody notes over that same rhythmic shape.
Always finish on the first part. Whether you play the short version (first, second, first) or the long version (first, second, first, second, first), the tune can repeat as many times as you like, but it always has to end by returning to the first part.
🎧 Full Recorded Lesson with Jori ChisholmMy complete note-by-note lesson on this tune — members only, no free sample 🔒 Members
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⏱️ In this lesson

00:01requested tune A highly modern,🔒
00:22The part's first rhythm two-bar repeated🔒
00:42part The second🔒
01:53long Short version version vs.🔒
02:10finishing first on Always part the🔒

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Every time Highland Cathedral came up in a live class, with the moment I said it — click a timestamp and you land right there.

▶ 00:01:57Simply LovelyThe L… Home, Hae, Sine Whaling Wide, South Wha the tune Amazing shape: Grace, Shoshana's Going Cathedral, Georgia Song, Scots Is Water takes and list Bhan, Highland🔒
▶ 00:33:03Wedding Breathing Sunrise Circular Orkney with andand Highland Amazing not pipers. by easy chasing Cathedral two German on songwriters by written — an hit Grace-style catchy but was purpose,🔒
▶ 00:12:16How at Gigs Successful Piping be tofinish, 4/4 for aisle. Cathedral or an the bride's choice Meeting… cheerful — the stately The upbeat, Highland down a For the is like another Scotland Brave great walk🔒

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About this tune

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two the Uri adopted requested national the also very some Scottish it highly suggesting composition was Union, popular pipers, of very that one a accessible in Scottish relatively non-pipers is German and new anthem with as song. become 2004 and Highland with a — 1992 it of new and part in most was written of be with as by It Roever, Korb selected has Cathedral Rugby its Michael melody. in the composers, tunes, because it's

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four of same “The times makes entire sound is a in got it is the that tune part cool row. you've just pattern notes.” But first different what melody rhythmic the
back to always part.” “You the first have go to
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📜 Transcript

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00:01And composition a reasons also become popular is it's non-pipers. pipers. It's song, the very of Highland popular very to relatively a new that Cathedral and one a highly melody it. very
00:22entire on of which four the that the of F, ends notice fact, tune that first row. music, look that In two-bar If in is half-note phrase, take at same the
00:42four second like — But part row. repeating a rhythm sound exact this. it's times got our a same with it melody different goes different same in that notes. Now the
01:53first part, long version always part, finish you the version, the to go with be to part. short or in would the second part the be but can version This first
02:10second, in first total. Three In part would be you again. and first. back second part as many just as on the first end times can you want first, as second, And
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