Piper W. SUTHERLAND Roclincourt, 9/4/17.
Sergt. WILLIAM M'LEOD Killed, May 1916.
" C. D. MACDONALD Killed, 13/11/16, Beaumont
Hamel.
" H. MACKIE Killed, 13/11/16, Beaumont
Hamel.
" J. BROWN Killed, May 1917, Arras.
Piper J. ALEXANDER Killed, April 1918, La
Bassée.
" A. MACKAY Killed, 9/4/17,
Roclincourt.
" J. ROBERTSON Killed, July 1915.
7TH SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS.
40417 Lance-Cpl. O'KAIN M'LENNAN Died of wounds, 11/4/17.
1456 Piper D. FRASER Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
4181 " R. GALBRAITH Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
9070 " G. GRANT Died of wounds, 30/6/16.
2177 " B. HALLIDAY Died of wounds, at Loos.
3843 " K. THYNE Killed, Somme, 14/7/16.
4661 " B. HAMILTON Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
8TH SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS.
5721 Piper CHARLES ANDERSON Killed, 25/9/15, Loos.
6567 " GEORGE SPENCE Killed, 25/9/15, Loos.
6400 " WILLIAM MACKAY Killed, 25/9/15, Loos.
6546 Lance-Cpl. DUNCAN MACGREGOR Killed, 25/9/15, Loos.
Piper HUGH SUTHERLAND Died of disease, France.
" ANDREW CLARK Killed, 25/9/15, Loos.
9TH SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS.
267336 Piper JAMES SUTHERLAND Killed, 19/4/17.
240018 " ROBERT ROSS Killed, 11/4/18.
3964 " WILLIAM M'MAHON Killed.
23879 " WILLIAM DUNCAN Killed.
1ST GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
Piper FREDERICK PATERSON Killed, 26/8/14, Mons.
Lance-Cpl. W. M'FALL Killed, 24/10/14.
Piper W. HOWIE Killed, 24/10/14.
" A. M'KAY Died of wounds, /1/15.
" W. ALLAN Killed, 14/12/14.
" HECTOR ROSS Killed, /3/16.
2ND GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
430 Piper J. ROBERTSON Killed, Ypres, 30/10/14.
10655 " R. GRANT Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
10639 " J. GRANT Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
110 " R. WILSON Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
219 " W. BRUCE Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
10653 Corpl. J. M'KENZIE Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
205 Piper J. LEDINGHAM Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
10139 " J. RAMAGE Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
" D. WHITE Killed, Loos, 1915.
7383 " A. CASSIE Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
" P. BROWN Killed, Ypres, 5/10/17.
Piper J. BISSETT Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
10296 " W. SINCLAIR Died of wounds, Loos, 25/9/15.
7375 Corpl. A. SMITH Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
6853 Sergt. R. STEWART, D.C.M. Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
8390 Piper J. SCOTT Killed, Somme, 1916.
335 " J. M'CRIMMON Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
4TH GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
Piper A. THOMSON Killed while serving with
R.F.C.
5TH GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
1156 Piper WILLIAM GRAHAM Killed, 3/6/15, Festubert.
11586 " ALEXANDER WILLOX Killed, 31/7/16, High Wood.
" ANDREW BROWN, M.M. Killed, 31/7/16, High Wood.
6TH GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
62 Piper GEORGE MILTON Killed, 10/3/15, Neuve
Chapelle.
9TH GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
9023 Piper C. CAMPBELL Killed, Somme, 1916.
1ST CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
6720 Sergt. G. SELBY Killed, 22/10/14.
5173 Piper H. BARRIE Killed, 5/11/14, Ypres.
8535 " GILBERT M'CALMAN Died of wounds, Feb. 1918.
9345 " L. M'BEAN Died of wounds, Arras, Aug.
1918.
2ND CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
Piper JOHN MACASKIL Killed, Hill 60, April 1916.
" DONNACHIE Killed, 1915.
" JOHN M'CABE Died.
" THOMPSON Died, 1918.
" ARCHIBALD M'KENZIE Killed, Hill 60, April 1916.
" LACHLAN M'BEAN Died of wounds, St. Eloi,
10/5/15.
" WILLIAM STEWART Died, Salonika, 18/10/17.
4TH CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
1120 Piper J. CHEYNE Killed, Festubert, 17/5/15.
645 Lance-Cpl. D. PATERSON Killed, Festubert, 17/5/15.
200120 Piper WILLIAM MACDONALD Died of wounds, 14/10/17.
5TH CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
5497 Piper ALEX. MACEACHERN Died of wounds, Loos, 25/9/15.
5113 Lance-Cpl. A. J. M'DONALD Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
3931 Piper NEIL WILSON Killed, Loos, 27/9/15.
" JOHN MACLELLAN Killed, Sorel, 21/3/18.
" ALEXANDER CLUNIE Killed, Arras, 3/5/17.
" ARCHIBALD CRAWFORD Killed, Sorel, 21/3/18.
" JAMES PORTEOUS Killed, Oct. 1918.
6TH CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
22461 Piper JAMES WALKER Killed, 26/4/17.
7TH CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
Piper G. ALVES Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
" A. SMART Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
Pipe Major KENNETH MACLEOD Died.
1ST ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
Piper WOODSIDE Killed, 16/2/15, St. Eloi.
570 " ROBERT KENNEDY Killed, 30/7/16, Somme.
2ND ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
567 Piper PETER M'LINTOCK Killed, Armentières, 27/11/15.
Lance-Cpl. MILNE Killed, Armentières, 27/11/15.
90 Piper M'KAY Killed, Armentières, 27/11/15.
8157 " L. PLANNER Killed, October 1918.
6TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
3037 Piper JAMES PRINGLE Killed, 18/6/15, Festubert.
3042 " JOHN M'ALLISTER Killed, 18/6/15, Festubert.
3162 " WILLIAM CARLYLE Killed, 16/6/15, Festubert.
1890 " JOHN CRAIG Killed, 27/7/16, Longueval.
7TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
277167 Piper HUGH M'DONALD Killed, Aug. 1917, Ypres.
8TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
Pipe Major WILLIAM LAWRIE Died, Nov. 1916.
9TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
324 Corpl. ALEX. M'ALLISTER Killed, 10/5/15, Ypres.
1711 Piper ALEX. RUSSELL Killed, 8/4/15.
10TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
Piper MACNEILL Killed, Oct. 1916, Longueval.
570 " R. KENNEDY Died of wounds, Longueval.
8051 " ALEX. KENNEDY Died of wounds, Ypres,
12/10/17.
302955 " WALTER NAPIER Killed, 12/10/17, Ypres.
11TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
Sergt. JAS. RITCHIE Killed, 26/9/15, Loos.
Piper JAS. BARNETT Killed, 26/9/15, Hill 70.
" F. M'DIARMAID Killed, July 1916, Somme.
" FERGUSON Died, Dec. 1916, Somme.
12TH ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
Corpl. W. STIRLING Killed, Oct. 1916.
6829 Piper JOHN M'COLL Died of disease, Salonika,
16/2/17.
5660 " D. ROBERTSON Killed, 8/5/17.
4927 " L. M'CON Killed, 8/5/17.
LONDON SCOTTISH.
Corpl. T. CAREY Killed, 1/11/14, Messines.
139 Lance-Cpl. H. LEATHAM Killed, 16/11/14, Zillebeke.
? 1341 Piper D. PARKYN Killed, 1/11/14, Messines.
" C. W. MACKAY Killed, 17/8/16, Somme (Lieut.
5th Camerons).
1870 " J. BINNIE Killed, 9/11/14, Zillebeke.
3509 " A. CORNELL Died of wounds, 2/10/16,
Somme.
Lieut. A. CAIRNS WILSON Killed, 1917; Military Medal.
(formerly Piper)
513657 Piper SIMON CAMPBELL Killed, 13/5/17, Arras.
510531 " A. B. PATON Killed, 13/5/17.
" WOODCOCK Killed.
1ST TYNESIDE SCOTTISH.
237 Lance-Cpl. GARNET FYFE Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
223 Piper E. BOYCE Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
1585 " WILLIAM FELLOWS Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
154 " JAMES DOWNIE Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
1485 " WILLIAM INGLIS Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
2ND TYNESIDE SCOTTISH.
1230 Piper WILLIAM SCOTT Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
1151 " JAMES PHILLIPS Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
3RD TYNESIDE SCOTTISH.
Piper J. STEELE Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
" E. FINLAY Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
" T. WILSON Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
" R. GREAVES Died of wounds, 1/7/16, Somme.
16TH MIDDLESEX.
1151 Piper THOMAS LATHAM Killed, 1/7/16, Somme.
Sergt. GEORGE KIRKLAND
(formerly Piper,
11th Middlesex) Killed, Ypres, 17/2/17.
1ST LIVERPOOL SCOTTISH.
Pipe Major JOHN STODDART Killed, Poperinghe, July 1916.
23RD ROYAL FUSILIERS (1ST SPORTSMAN'S BATT.).
Piper W. SUTTIE Killed, 16/3/16.
" WILLIAM MACKENZIE Killed, 16/3/16.
ARGYLL MOUNTAIN BATTERY.
Pipe Major WILLIAM MACNEILL Died, 18/8/15.
Corpl. NEIL SMITH Accidentally killed, 1/3/16.
ROSS AND CROMARTY BATTERY.
4403 Gunner JOHN MACDONALD Died of wounds, 14/5/15.
OVERSEAS BATTALIONS
PRINCESS PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY.
265 Piper J. M. ROBERTSON,
D.C.M. Died of wounds, 25/3/15.
Sergt. JOHN M'DONALD, D.C.M. Died of wounds, 17/9/16.
ROYAL HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA, 13TH BATTALION.
24013 Piper A. J. MACDONALD Died of wounds, 16/3/15,
Fleurbaix.
24012 " W. LAWSON Died of wounds, 16/3/15,
Fleurbaix.
24392 " H. ROBERTSON Killed, 2/5/15, Ypres.
24704 " N. MACDONALD Killed, 24/4/15, Ypres.
48TH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA, 15TH BATTALION.
27548 Corpl. J. THOMPSON Died.
CANADIAN SCOTTISH, 16TH BATTALION.
28694 Piper JAMES THOMSON Died of wounds, 23/4/15, Ypres.
28779 " WILLIAM M'IVOR Died of wounds, 10/5/15, Ypres.
28595 " GEORGE BIRNIE Killed, 20/5/15, Festubert.
29468 " ANGUS MORRISON Killed, 20/5/15, Festubert.
28930 " JAMES RICHARDSON, V.C. Killed, 8/10/16, Somme.
28561 " JOHN PARKS Killed, 8/10/16, Somme.
28557 " ALEC M'GILLIVRAY Killed, 15/8/17, Paschendaele.
429803 " GEORGE PAUL Killed, 8/8/18, Amiens.
21ST CANADIANS (EASTERN ONTARIO REGIMENT).
Pipe Major IAN MACKENZIE Killed, Cambrai, 11/10/18.
25TH CANADIANS.
Piper E. STEWART Killed, 9/4/18.
29TH CANADIANS (VANCOUVER REGIMENT).
75599 Piper W. GRANT Killed, 6/11/17.
76126 " W. BURNSIDE Killed, 6/11/17.
76484 " J. R. DAVIDSON Killed, 6/11/17.
1ST CANADIAN PIONEERS.
154184 Piper JOHN GRANT Killed, 13/6/16.
42ND AUSTRALIANS.
Piper M. H. FRASER Killed.
5TH VICTORIAN INFANTRY.
32 Corpl. GORDON INGLIS Died of wounds, 24/1/16,
Gallipoli.
SOUTH AFRICAN SCOTTISH.
Lieut. (formerly Pipe Major)
ROBERT THORBURN Killed, 20/7/16,
Somme.
Piper THOMAS SCOTT Killed, Arras,
9/4/17.
NEW ZEALANDERS (OTAGO REGIMENT).
8/2519 Corpl. Piper NEIL MACDONALD Killed, 15/7/16, Somme.
"So he passed over. And all the trumpets sounded for him on
the other side."
CANNTAIREACHD
BY MAJOR J. P. GRANT, M.C., YR. OF ROTHIEMURCHUS
It is related[14] by Sir John Graham Dalyell how in 1818, one John
Campbell from Nether Lorn, brought "a folio in MS., said to contain
numerous compositions," for the inspection of the judges at the
annual piping competition held in Edinburgh under the auspices of
the Highland Society: the story goes on, "but the contents merely
resembling a written narrative in an unknown language, nor bearing
any resemblance to Gaelic, they proved utterly unintelligible. Amidst
many conjectures relative both to the subject and the language,
nobody adventured so far as to guess at either airs or pibrochs."
It is believed that this is the earliest authentic reference to the
pipers notation known as Canntaireachd, and it is of interest to note
that even as early as 1818,[15] among the class of Highland gentlemen
who acted as judges at the biggest competition in the country, the
very existence of the notation was unknown. Sir John mentions also
that he made later attempts to acquire this MS. volume and to trace
two others in the possession of John Campbell's father: his attempts
were unsuccessful.
In 1828 Captain Macleod of Gesto published some pipe tunes in
Canntaireachd as taught by the MacCrimmons in Skye. The merits of
this publication have been made the subject of controversy among
pipers and others; this controversy has no place in this paper. The
late John Campbell (Iain Ileach) of _Tales of the West Highlands_,
wrote a monograph on Canntaireachd in 1880, in which he reviewed
Gesto's book: the monograph, interesting as it is and written in Iain
Ileach's easy flowing style is extraordinarily disappointing. In
spite of his comprehensive knowledge of folk-lore--more particularly
of Gaelic folk-lore--he fails to indicate any probable source of this
notation--probably no one in Europe was, or is better fitted to make
conjectures on the point. However, he made two statements of interest
in the late history of the notation, (1) that he had "often seen
my nurse John Piper reading and practising music from an old paper
manuscript, and silently fingering tunes. I have tried to recover
this writing, but hitherto in vain," and (2) that there were three
local varieties of the notation (_a_) MacCrimmon (_b_) MacArthur,
and (_c_) Campbell of Nether Lorn. Now "John Piper" was this same
John Campbell of the family of Nether Lorn, which possessed three MS.
volumes of Canntaireachd.
Among the older-fashioned pipers in Scotland, even just before the
war, one constantly heard syllables (hodroho, hiodro, etc., etc.)
being used, generally at haphazard, seldom in their correct place.
The astounding thing is that even fragments of a notation, the system
of which had been out of use for so long, should have survived to
this day.
About 1912 two of the Nether Lorn MS. books were rediscovered, and
from them it has not been hard to reconstruct the system of notation.
Those tunes with recognisably the same names as we know them by
to-day, furnished the first step in the problem: after that it became
easy to identify other tunes with different names, and finally to
rediscover a number of tunes which have been lost for an undetermined
period.
One word of caution will be necessary to certain pipers before
going further into this subject. This notation, invented for and
suitable only to piobaireachd, is not going to teach pipers how to
_play_ piobaireachd. There is and always has been, one way and only
one way to do that--to get instruction from a master; once that is
accomplished, a pupil may be fit to learn more tunes by himself from
books written in any intelligible notation. This I take to be true of
any musicians and any music.
The piobaireachd pupil might well get his instruction through the
medium of canntaireachd, for it has been made solely for this music,
and is in point of fact very suitable for the purpose. To begin with,
if the few master-instructors of piobaireachd will take the trouble
(and assuredly it will not be great to them) to become familiar
with canntaireachd, and to use it as a medium of instruction, it
is a matter of certainty that they will realise its use for this
end--for instead of a perplexing maze of notes and grace-notes in
staff notation to correspond to any movement which they are trying to
teach their pupil, they will have pronounceable vocables which will
act as _memoria technica_ to the pupil: the pupil will, at first,
learn these parrot style, until he gets to a certain length, when,
unaided, he will begin to see that these vocables he has learnt
convey a definite meaning--a definite combination of note and grace
note, in a form which can be crooned to the air. I have found that
for the purposes of learning new tunes, staff notation compared with
canntaireachd is cumbrous and misleading: and even when written in an
abbreviated form (as in General Thomason's great book, _Ceol Mor_) it
appeals mainly to the eye, while canntaireachd appeals to the ear.
For some years now I have found it invaluable as a kind of musical
shorthand, and with a certain amount of practice it becomes possible
to write down a tune in canntaireachd while it is being played,
and then to learn it at leisure. I had the triumph of converting a
brother piper a few years ago. He was inclined to be sceptical about
the whole system, so to test me and it he played me a tune which I
had never heard and I wrote it down as he played it. After he had
finished he said, "Now we shall see what is in it, for I made two
mistakes: play what you have got and we shall see." I played on the
practice chanter just what I had written, with the mistakes, of
course, included.
Again, when one is judging piobaireachd competitions, it is valuable
as shorthand to jot down notes of mistakes, etc.
Before coming to the notation itself, it should be explained that it
is not maintained for a moment that this variety (the Nether Lorn)
is superior in any way to the MacCrimmon or MacArthur varieties. It
is merely given and suggested for use, because it is this variety
which has become once more available to pipers at large. There are
people who undoubtedly can do the same for the MacCrimmon variety
also, and it is sincerely hoped that they will do so. That all three
varieties are first cousins to each other is beyond doubt to any one
who compares them; perhaps at a later date, when more knowledge of
canntaireachd becomes available, it may be possible to point to one
as the original, or to find a common ancestor to all.
Coming now to the actual notation, the following paragraphs should
be read, subject to this note that the pronunciation of the vocables
must be largely a matter of conjecture, but it is reasonable to
suppose that, as they were written in the manuscript and used by
Gaelic-speaking pipers,[16] the pronunciation should have at least
some reference to Gaelic pronunciation--thus the vowels, when
occurring as the last letter of the syllable, would be pronounced
'a' as in English h_a_rd
'e' " h_ay_
'i' " h_ee_d
'o' " h_o_me
and probably the consonants should be given their Gaelic equivalents
also (all which can best be obtained verbally from a Gaelic speaker).
In addition to the simple vowels, combinations occur which require to
be sounded as diphthongs:
'io' } as in English _yo_ke, _e.g._ hioeo
'eo' }
'ea' " _ya_rd, _e.g._ haea.
KEY TO NETHER LORN CANNTAIREACHD.
Key to columns:
A = Scale with high G grace note.
B = Scale with D grace note.
C = Scale with E grace note.
D = Scale with no grace notes.
E = Siubhal.
F = Siubhal Sleamhuinn.
G = Leumluath to E.
H = Taorluath to low A.
I = Tripling or Taorluath Breabach.
J = Crunluath.
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
low|him |dam|em |em |himen |himem |himbare|himdarid|himbabem|himbandre|
G | |or | | | | | | | | |
| |bam| | | | | | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
low|hin |dan|en |en |hinen |hinen |hinbare|hindarid|hindaen |hinbandre|
A | | | | | | | | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
B |hio |to |eo |o |hioen |hioeo |hiobare|hiodarid|hiotoeo |hiobandre|
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
C |ho |do |eo |o |hoen |hoeo |hobare |hodarid |hodoeo |hobandre |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
D |ha | |ea |a |haen |haea |habare |hadarid | |habandre |
| | | |or | | |or | | |or |
| | | |da | | |harodde| | |haroddre |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
E |che | | |e |chehin|cheche |chebare|chedarid| |chebandre|
| | | |or | | | | | | |
| | | |de | | | | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
F |he | | |ve |hehin |hehe |hebare |hedarid | |hebandre |
| | | |or | | | | | | |
| | | |dhe| | | | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
G |hi or | | |di |hihin |hihi |hibare |hidarid | |hibandre |
|chi | | | | | | | | | |
|(high | | | | | | | | | |
|Ag-n.)| | | | | | | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
A | | | |I |Ien |no |Ibare |Idarid | |Ibandre |
| | | | | |example| | | | |
+------+---+---+---+------+-------+-------+--------+--------+---------+
The nomenclature of most of the different movements has for
convenience been taken from the Piobaireachd exercises in Logan's
Tutor, price 1s., and the examples here given refer to the staff
notation examples given there and should be compared with them.
PIOBAIREACHD EXERCISES
(_Cf._ Logan's Tutor.)
1st Scale of Instructions, pp. 34 and 35. On the _Urlar_.
Chedari, hiriri, herere, cherede, hiharara, hihodro, hihorodo,
hiharin. (See _Cadences_, p. 185.)
2nd Scale of Instructions.
Enbari (should be embari, _i.e._ from low G), end[(are], endre
(note: if this shake on F or E is approached from a higher note
the vocables become ved[(are] and edre respectively; thus one
gets Ived[(are], but hiod[(are], heedre but hiodre) tradarodo
(tra being the usual throw on D, _e.g._ hiotra), p. 36,
hihor[(od]in, hodr[(od]in, hiotrodin.
3rd Scale of Instructions. On _Crunluath_.
Hinban or hinbain, dre--together hinbandre, Ibandre.
4th Scale, p. 37. On _Crunluath Breabach_.
Hinbandreendi.
IbandreenI hibandreendi, hibandreendhe chebandreende,
habandreenda hobandreendo, hiobandreemto hinbandreendan.
5th Scale. On _Crunluath Fosgailte_.
Hindodre.
No examples of open: closed, himdandre hintodre, hindodre
hindadre, twice over.
6th Scale. On _Crunluath Mach_.
Hiotradre hodrodre, hiotrodre himbamdre, twice over.
7th Scale. The _Exercise on Accidentals_.
IbarI dibari (no example known), vebarhe edre, adeda odro, otro
enban or enbain, twice over.
CHA TILL MACCRUIMEIN
1st. Dreve hiove, cheve cheento, dreve hiove, cheve cheemto,
dreve hioe, trae haento,
2nd. Dreve hiove, cheve cheemto, dreve hioe, trae haemto, dreve
hioe, trae haento,
3rd. Dreve hiove, cheve cheemto, dreve hioe, trae haento.
Var. 1st.
1st. DreI ove, cheI deento, dreI ove, cheI deemto, dreI oe, traI
aento, etc.
Var. 2nd.
1st. Cheve hiove, cheve cheento, cheve hiove, cheve cheemto,
cheve hioe, trae haento, etc.
Doubling of Var. 2nd.
1st. Chea cheo, cheve cheento, chea cheo, cheve cheemto, chea
cheo, trae haento, etc.
_Various Vocables not previously included._
Throw on high A dili.
Taorluath to low G hiodarem, chedarem, etc.
Low A with low G grace-note before -din (_e.g._ hiodin).
D or C followed by B grace-note on
low G grace-note followed by A
with low G grace-note before har[(od]in or hor[(od]in.
Taorluath mach hiotroeo, hodroeo, hiotraea.
Crunluath to low G. hiobamdre, or hiobaemdre
or (on D) haromdre.
_Cadences_
By cadences I mean those notes often printed as grace-notes, GED,
followed by C, B, low A, or low G melody notes, and GE followed
by D, low A, or low G melody notes. The prefix 'hi' is in general
terms used for this, _e.g._ hiharin, hihorodin. Taking them in
above order, examples of the vocables used are, of the former,
hihodin, hihioem, hihinbain, and hihambam, and of the latter hiaen,
hienem, hiemto. It is one of the remarkable points in the MS. that
these cadences are indicated to a far less extent than is played
by traditional players of modern times, and I am as yet unable to
make any deductions from the manner in which they appear as to the
style in which the MS. intends them to be played. To avoid confusion
between 'hi' as cadence and high G with A grace-note, it would be
better to use the alternative 'chi' for the latter.
_General_
A study of the key will reveal various noticeable points, some
of which I will touch on here. It will be seen that some of the
composite vocables can be pulled to pieces into their component
parts, _e.g._, hiotroeo, hinbandre, etc., while others can only be
dissected to a lesser extent, _e.g._, hindaen in the Tripling or
Taorluath Breabach; in this latter case the vocable must be read in
its context, for hindaento might be ^{G}low A, D, low A, ^{D}B, while
standing by itself, but in conjunction with a string of others it
is undoubtedly meant to be the Taorluath Breabach. Again there is
liable to be confusion between 'en' low A without any and with an E
grace-note, and in some few cases it is impossible to say definitely
which is meant: on the other hand it is used in the siubhal
variation, and there can be no doubt in such a context: hinen by
itself is unambiguous, and in various combinations, _e.g._, hiaendre,
it is highly probable that no E grace-note is intended. The question
of the eo and o, B or C, is a little more difficult in theory, but
in practice it will be found to narrow down to one or two instances;
the most common instance of this ambiguity is odro, which may be
either B grip C, or C grip C. It seems likely that this confusion is
the origin of this difference in existing settings of various tunes,
_e.g._, An Daorach Mhor (The Big Spree) Var. 1st and doubling, The
Battle of Auldearn, The Carles of Sligachin and many others. Campbell
often writes 'ho' for 'o,' obviously not intending a G grace-note,
but to avoid this ambiguity.
Time signature and rhythm are, I think, sufficiently shown to enable
a trained player to find no difficulty in playing; bar divisions are
indicated by commas, and each part of each tune is divided into lines
numbered 1st, 2nd, etc.: and a repeat is written at the end of the
line to be repeated, thus: Two times or twice over. '3 times,' etc.,
is often used in the MS. to refer back only to the last comma, not
to the beginning of the line. The smaller details of time, which I
will call "pointing," is a matter of greater doubt. I have said above
why I think Gaelic standards should be applied to the pronunciation
of the vocables, and my opinion is that the same applies to this
question in general terms: it can be said that as a rule the vocables
are separated into distinct words, the accent or stress (and in this
case the longer note) being represented as the first syllable of the
word (an almost invariable rule in Gaelic). Thus one gets hodarid
hiodarid--not daridho daridhio darid. Many exceptions can be pointed
out no doubt, but the above will serve as a broad rule.