A STARZ Original Series From Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore: Outlander

**Calgacus** · 18th August 14, 07:03 AM

Episode two is available from here (same 'watch series' source as episode 1):-

http://watchseries.lt/episode/Outlan...14)_s1_e2.html

I watched it using the 'nowvideo' link:-

http://www.nowvideo.sx/video/53f09e05a73db

I could only stream without signing up. Download only available on sign-up.
I had to let it buffer for a bit before I could watch it, but it worked very well.

**Tobus** · 20th August 14, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Dale Seago

The Outlander Facebook page just posted the announcement that the series has a green light for Season 2, which will cover the events of the second book. Woo-hoo!!!

That's good news, but to be honest, the second book was the worst of the bunch. I struggled to get through it. If it hadn't been for the twist at the end, I might have given up on the series.

**OC Richard** · 20th August 14, 07:11 PM

I just skimmed through the 18 pages to see if anyone has mentioned the music. I didn't notice any.

The music is by our local (Hollywood) guy Bear McCreary, who did some very interesting music for Battlestar Galactica, mixing orchestral, Celtic, and Arabic musical styles to great effect.

Composers tend to stick by their cadre of trusted musicians, so I expect many of the same people to be involved with Outlander, with Eric Rigler on Highland pipes and uilleann pipes and perhaps low whistles, Chris Bleth on flutes, whistles, and duduks, and a couple Oingo Boingo guys on drums and guitars.

Here's an interview with Bear in which he mentions being happy to be able to use the bagpipes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdbEnWwdyV0

(I've worked for Bear, he's a really cool guy.)

Here you can hear the Highland pipes under the vocals, with the uilleann pipes at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrusSXEEv1M

Quite appropriate, because in the 18th century the instrument we call 'uilleann pipes' was being widely made and played in Scotland. Nowadays we (incorrectly) think of the uilleann pipes as being uniquely Irish.

The Skye Boat Song has an odd melody, odd in that it starts and ends on the 5th.

About Outlander, I've never heard of the books and my only knowledge of the show, before reading this thread, was seeing a TV commercial. Sounds interesting!

**pbutts** · 20th August 14, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Tobus

That's good news, but to be honest, the second book was the worst of the bunch. I struggled to get through it. If it hadn't been for the twist at the end, I might have given up on the series.

Could have used some editing for sure, but there were enough good scenes to make it worth the read. The final 200 or so pages with Culloden and the 20th C. twist at the end made it worthwhile. I'm reading them out of order as they become available at the library, so I can't make an informed comparison. Started with The Scottish Prisoner and haven't gotten Outlander itself.

**jhockin** · 21st August 14, 04:49 PM

Regarding earlier questions about the tartan being worn, and Fraser or MacKenzie:
From my reading of the history of tartan, I seem to recall that most agree that before the Ban on wearing of tartan, after Culloden, there were no such thing as uniform "clan tartans", that most Scots, in the Highlands, wore mostly whatever the local weavers wove. Most of those tartans were also made with locally available dyestuffs ( probably mostly plant based dyes). I also seem to recall that what few written accounts were made, commented upon the tartans as also blending in with the local plants, and thus acting as a form of camouflage.
Therefore I believe that it would have been very historically inaccurate, to have the cast wearing Victorian invented "clan tartans", esp. the predominantly red "dress tartans", as I believe we have been told that only the rich could have afforded such colours, in their clothing. I also seem to recall reading that wearing a mix of different tartan patterns was not an uncommon practice, before the banning of tartans.

**KiltedKnome** · 21st August 14, 05:37 PM

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**jhockin** · 21st August 14, 07:27 PM

removed by OP

**KiltedKnome** · 21st August 14, 08:18 PM

Removed by OP

**Lodrorigdzin** · 21st August 14, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

I just skimmed through the 18 pages to see if anyone has mentioned the music. I didn't notice any.

[...]

Uhm, I did, but in passing. Actually it was the only thing I really liked about the series so far. The score is beautiful.

I've read the first book. Far more romancey than the series is. It's kilts and lots of flowery descriptions of intercourse. Wish fulfillment indeed.

**Calgacus** · 22nd August 14, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by jhockin

Regarding earlier questions about the tartan being worn, and Fraser or MacKenzie:
From my reading of the history of tartan, I seem to recall that most agree that before the Ban on wearing of tartan, after Culloden, there were no such thing as uniform "clan tartans", that most Scots, in the Highlands, wore mostly whatever the local weavers wove. Most of those tartans were also made with locally available dyestuffs ( probably mostly plant based dyes). I also seem to recall that what few written accounts were made, commented upon the tartans as also blending in with the local plants, and thus acting as a form of camouflage.
Therefore I believe that it would have been very historically inaccurate, to have the cast wearing Victorian invented "clan tartans", esp. the predominantly red "dress tartans", as I believe we have been told that only the rich could have afforded such colours, in their clothing. I also seem to recall reading that wearing a mix of different tartan patterns was not an uncommon practice, before the banning of tartans.
As for the specific tartan cloth, used in the series, I was chatting with Gordon Kirkbright, today, after buying some his bolt of Gordon PV ( Marton Mills?) tartan cloth, and ( hope it is OK, Gordon, to "spill the beans"?), he told me that he designed and produced the cloth, used for the TV series. He also mentioned that there may be more woven, in the future.

Whilst it would be inaccurate as you say for them to have used the post 1820s "clan tartans", I believe that tartans of the period were probably rather more colourful than those used in Outlander. The painting below was painted in 1746 by D. Morier and he used prisoners from Culloden as his models. None of the tartans are identifiable with modern tartans, but they are decidedly bright and contain a lot of red.

culloden-illustration-460.jpg