“Grainger composed the little tune on which this piece is based as a whistling accompaniment to his tramping feet while on a three days’ walk in Western Argyleshire (Scottish Highlands) in the summer of 1900. At that time Grainger had just turned 18. He was deeply in love with thoughts of the Celtic world, having already made settings of several Scottish, Irish, and Welsh folk songs. He was delighted to find that most of the older folk in the glens of Western Argyle spoke only or mainly Gaelic, though most of the children spoke both Gaelic and English. It was in this pro-Celtic mood that he worked up his walking tune into the Walking Tune for wind five-some in 1904.” – Walking Tune (arr. Daehn) – Wind Repertory Project
