Your browser cannot display the PDF inline. Click here to open or download the sheet music.
Notes
“Margaret’s Waltz” is a modern masterpiece of the folk world that has become so deeply embedded in the tradition that many assume it is hundreds of years old. In reality, it was composed in 1959 by the influential English folk musician and scholar Pat Shuldham-Shaw. He wrote it to honor Margaret Grant upon her retirement from the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS).
While it has its origins in the English country dance scene, the tune was famously popularized by the legendary Shetland fiddler Aly Bain, which helped it transition into a staple of the Scottish, Shetland, and eventually the wider “Pan-Celtic” repertoire.
-
The Feel: This is the quintessential “stately waltz.” It is elegant, flowing, and deeply melodic. It isn’t meant to be played with a heavy or “clumpy” beat; instead, it should feel like a gentle, rolling wave.
-
The Key: Usually played in A Major, giving it a bright, optimistic, and “singing” quality.
-
The Melody: The tune is famous for its wide, sweeping intervals and long, sustained notes. The A-part is welcoming and warm, while the B-part provides a beautiful harmonic lift that feels like a heartfelt farewell.
About the chords: The progression — A, D, E7, F#m, Bm, C#m — gives the waltz its characteristic warmth and richness. The A part is relatively simple (A, D, E7), while the B part introduces the minor colours of F#m, C#m, and Bm that give it its beautiful, slightly wistful quality. These chords are consistent across all the documented sources.