The Montgomeries' Rant (3-Couple Version)
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Montgomeries' Rant (3-Couple Version)Castle Menzies Mss Adapted from RSCDS Book 10
Reel 3 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 3 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-4 1s cross by the right and cast;
5-8 1s cross by the left and cast (1L up, 1M down);
9-16 1L2s 1M3s reels of 3 across, 1s finishing, with nearer hands joined, facing 2L;
17-18 1s set to 2L and turn about, individually, to face 3M;
19-20 taking nearer hands, 1s set to 3M and turn (1M moving backwards, 1L forwards) to face 3L;
21-22 1s set to 3L and turn about, individually, to face 2M;
23-24 taking nearer hands, 1s set to 2M, releasing hold to finish 1M facing up, 1L down;
25-30 1L2M3M, 1M2L3L reels of 3 on opposite sides (giving right shoulder to second corners to start);
31-32 1s cross down by the left to 3rd place WHILE 3s cast up to 2nd place, finishing 2s3s1s.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
3-4 2s step up.
17-18 1s turn about toward each other.
21-22 1s turn about toward each other.
25-30 Normal 6 bar reels but 3s finish facing out, ready to cast up.
31-32 This is the extra progression to interchange 1s and 3s; it flows well from the reels.
Dance Information
Also see the original dance The Montgomeries' Rant from Castle Menzies, which includes a Keith Rose crib diagram and a link to Dance Instruction Videos which are equally applicable to bars 1-30 of this adaptation.The Montgomeries' Rant appeared on a programme for a dance at Castle Menzies (pronounced "ming-iss") as shown in The Menzies Manuscript (1749) from the Atholl Collection of the Sandeman Library, Perth; a photocopy reproduced in the RSCDS Archives can be seen here. The dance appears in the manuscript as n° 4, entitled "The Montgomerie's Rant a Strathspey Reele" and so was initially named after the laird of the Montgomerie clan; the apostrophe moved over time and we now write it as The Montgomeries' Rant.
The Montgomerie in question was Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton (10 February 1723 - 25 October 1769), Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1750-51, and friend of James Boswell (biographer of Samuel Johnson). Boswell's plan to write the Earl's biography never came to fruition.
In 1769 the Earl planned and founded the village of Eaglesham (pronounced "eagle-sam" as if the 'h' was not there) in Renfrewshire, Scotland, which is now a conservation area.
Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, Scotland - Information Video
Looking Down Montgomery Street Towards The Spire Of Eaglesham Parish Church In The Snow
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Stewart MacFarlane under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Additional search terms: Montgomery's, Montgomerie's.