Your browser cannot display the PDF inline. Click here to open or download the sheet music.
Notes
“Big John McNeil” is one of the most celebrated reels in the traditional fiddle repertoire, serving as a cornerstone for Scottish, Canadian, and New England folk music. Composed by the prolific Scottish fiddler and composer Peter Milne (1824–1908), the tune was written in honor of a famous dancer and athlete of the time.
The reel is admired for its bright, major-key melody and its driving, rhythmic vitality. It features a characteristic “lift” that makes it a perennial favorite at dances and kitchen sessions alike. While its roots are firmly planted in the Highland tradition, it has traveled extensively, becoming a standard in the French Canadian (Québécois) and Acadian traditions, where it is often performed with vigorous foot-tapping. It is also frequently paired in medleys with other classics like “St. Anne’s Reel.”
Whether played with the precision of a Scottish strathspey-and-reel set or the energetic swing of a Down East session, “Big John McNeil” remains a testament to the enduring cross-cultural appeal of traditional fiddle music.