Canntaireachd: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Scottish music teaching method}} |
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{{refimprove|date=March 2022}} |
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| ⚫ | {{langnf|gd|'''Canntaireachd'''|chanting|paren=left}}; {{IPA-gd|ˈkʰãũn̪ˠt̪ɛɾʲəxk|pron}}) is the ancient method of teaching, learning and memorizing ''[[pibroch|Piobaireachd]]'' (also spelt ''[[Pibroch]]''), a type of music primarily played on the [[Great Highland bagpipe]]. In the canntairached method of instruction, the teacher sings or hums the tune to the pupil, sometimes using specific syllables which signify the sounds to be produced by the bagpipe. |
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| ⚫ | '''Canntaireachd''' |
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==History== |
==History== |
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It appears that written staff notation began to come into use for bagpiping in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Seumas MacNeill, founder of [[College_of_Piping|The College of Piping]], puts the date at 1803; The Piobaireachd Society holds that this occurred earlier, in the latter half of the eighteenth century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=MacNeill |first1=Seumas |title=Piobaireachd: Classical Music of the Highland Bagpipe |date=1968 |publisher=Broadcasting Council for Scotland, British Broadcasting Corporation |location=Edinburgh |isbn=0-563-07487-6 |page=30 |edition=1976 (reprint)}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Book 1: 12 Tunes edited by The Piobaireachd Society in staff and Canntaireachd notations with a Preface and Explanatory Notes |publisher=The Piobaireachd Society |location=Great Britain |page=iii |edition=2007 (reprint)}}</ref> Prior to that time, instructors had to use other methods for teaching bagpipe tunes to students: by singing in canntaireachd, by playing the pipes for the student, or most likely a combination of both methods. |
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{{blockquote|In its written form, canntaireachd provided the basis of the indigenous notational system and it was brought to its most developed form by Colin Mòr Campbell of Nether Lorn in Argyll, at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th Century. Although Campbell's work was almost immediately superseded by a form of staff notation adapted specifically for the pipe, and remained unpublished and unrecognised until well into the 20th Century, it remains an important achievement and gives valuable insight into the musical organisation of Ceòl Mòr}} |
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===The Campbell (Nether Lorn) canntaireachd=== |
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While Campbell's system had its origins in chanted notation, the ''Campbell Canntaireachd'' is now viewed as written documentation, to be read rather than sung. Nevertheless, Campbell's Nether Lorn Canntaireachd was adopted by the Piobaireachd Society in their publications and has become the most commonly used vocable system. Some authorities maintain that early written scores published by [[Angus MacKay (piper)|Angus MacKay]] and authorised by the [[Piobaireachd Society]] are oversimplified. For this school of though, canntaireachd singing remains the preferred means for conveying piobaireachd when teaching or rehearsing a tune. |
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Efforts were made to translate the vocal tradition into written form. The earliest known written collection dates to the early 1790s. It was written by Colin Mòr Campbell of Nether Lorn parish in [[Argyll]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=McGillivray |first1=Jim |title=Piobaireachd Fingerwork: Instruction in Piobaireachd Technique for the Highland Bagpipe |date=2012 |publisher=McGillivray Piping |page=135}}</ref> While Campbell's system had its origins in chanted notation, his ''Campbell Canntaireachd'' is now viewed as written documentation, to be read rather than sung. Author William Donaldson noted: "Although Campbell's work was almost immediately superseded by a form of staff notation adapted specifically for the pipe, and remained unpublished and unrecognised until well into the 20th Century, it remains an important achievement and gives valuable insight into the musical organisation" of piobaireachd music.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Donaldson |first1=William |title=The Highland Pipe and Scottish Society 1750-1950 |date=2008 |publisher=John Donald |isbn=978-1-904607-76-2 |edition=2008}}</ref> |
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===Other systems=== |
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Neil McLeod of Gesto also published a system of canntaireachd. It was reputedly based on the singing of John MacCrimmon, one of the last practicing members of that |
Neil McLeod of Gesto also published a system of canntaireachd. It was reputedly based on the singing of John MacCrimmon, one of the last practicing members of that well-known piping family.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} |
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The MacArthur family of pipers are reported to have had their own oral form of canntaireachd, but it was not documented. A further variety of Canntaireachd and distinct collection of pibroch tunes was sourced from Simon Fraser, whose family emigrated to Melbourne in the 19th century. It is assumed that different lineages of pipers developed distinct forms of Canntaireachd that were variations on a broadly similar system of sung vocable notation. |
The MacArthur family of pipers are reported to have had their own oral form of canntaireachd, but it was not documented. A further variety of Canntaireachd and distinct collection of pibroch tunes was sourced from Simon Fraser, whose family emigrated to Melbourne in the 19th century.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} It is assumed that different lineages of pipers developed distinct forms of Canntaireachd that were variations on a broadly similar system of sung vocable notation. |
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==Canntaireachd in contemporary piping== |
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For many instructors, singing, humming or somehow vocalizing remains the best means for conveying the subtleties of piobaireachd when teaching or rehearsing a tune. Major Archie Cairns, a noted piper, piping judge and instructor, maintains that pipers should sing or hum everything they play.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Archie |title=The "How To" Piobaireachd Manual and CD |publisher=Major A.M. Cairns, MMM, CD |location=London, Ontario |page=2 |isbn=978-0-9734718-0-9 |edition=4th}}</ref> |
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The following explanation uses the convention of indicating standard notes by capital letters between quotation marks, and ''canntaireachd'' notes by lower case letters in italics, i.e. "A" is not the same as ''a''. In a couple of cases, [[solfege]] is also used. This description is based on the advice of Charles Bannatyne of Salsburgh, Holyhead. Some of the notes resemble each other very closely, but the changes used are indicated, and the pronunciations are given approximately in brackets. |
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Competitive piper and instructor Jim McGillivray has said: "Though canntaireachd, the piper's language, is not used as widely now as it was in centuries past, pipers still do - and should - sing." This school of thought maintains that written scores, even those published by [[Angus MacKay (piper)|Angus MacKay]] in his ''Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd'' (1838),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=Archibald |title=The Kilberry Book of Ceol More |date=1948 |publisher=The College of Piping |location=Glasgow |isbn=1-898405-22-0 |page=7 |edition=2011 (reprint)}} and approved by The Piobaireachd Society,</ref> are oversimplified and cannot convey the nuances of proper musical expression. |
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* The [[tonic (music)|key note]] "Low A" is always represented in this notation by ''in'', probably a contraction of ''An Dàra Aon'', the second one, to distinguish the key note from the first note on the [[chanter]]—"low G". "High A" is always ''i'', but in a ''canntaireachd'', it is often denoted by a preceding ''l'', thus ''liu'', and so confusion is avoided. "Low A" is either ''in'', ''en'', ''em'', or simply ''n'' after some notes. The alternatives seem to have been used for the sake of euphony. |
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* "D" note is ''a'' and "B" note is ''a'', but the qualifying effect of the [[grace note]]s — "high G" represented by ''h'', and "D" represented by ''d'' or ''h'' (the latter a contraction of "''a’ chorrag''", the Gaelic name for the finger playing "D") prevents any confusion. |
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* The note "E" is represented by ''i''. At the beginning of most of the MacCrimmon tunes and variations is ''l'', which gives the keynote. It stands for "E" ([[Solfège|soh]]), the dominant of the "low A" (doh). Where it does not occur, the tune will be found to start with a word like "hien", which denotes "E" with "High G" grace note, and then "low A". |
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* The vowel for "F" note is ''ie'', and it is always made certain by the grace note ''d'' or ''h''. |
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* "High G" is ''u'', often distinguished by a preceding ''h''. |
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* "High A" is often ''vi'' to distinguish it from the "E" note. When "F" succeeds "high A" in a tune, the word is often ''vie''. |
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As MacNeill noted: "There is a growing tendency, particularly among younger players... to place too much reliance on the printed score....The method of singing the tune is still of tremendous value, but it is not used often enough. Singing can bring out the nuances of expression in a tune, whereas staff (as every soloist knows) is limited, and must at times be very freely interpreted."<ref>{{cite book |title=MacNeill's Piobaireach op cit p. 30}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=MacNeill |first1=Seumas |title=Tutor for Piobaireachd |publisher=The College of Piping |location=Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |page=5}}</ref> |
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Grace notes are indicated as follows: |
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* ''h'' the [[Aspirated consonant|aspirate]] qualifies all notes down to "low A", but often where ''ha'' obviously means "B" note, it must be concluded that it should be written ''cha'' (xa). Similarly, ''ho ho'' should be ''ho cho'' (ho xo). |
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* The letter ''d'' is used, as is ''t'' to denote both "High G" and "D" grace notes, but an examination of the notation word makes a mistake unlikely. Thus ''dieliu'' means "F" with "high G" grace note, and then "high A" and "G". |
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* ''Tihi'' means two "E"s played with two "G" grace notes. |
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*''T'' and ''d'' resemble each other very closely in Gaelic, but the context in ''canntaireachd'' makes it always easy to see whether "high G" grace note or "D" is meant. |
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Canntaireachd also has value for the contemporary piper because it allows researchers to study older tunes exactly as they were published in the original collections. As McGillvray puts it, "There is a great deal of room for interpretation in cantairreachd translation... Some syllables can mean more than one thing. Experienced players may wish to look at the original canntairreachd version to see if they can find something new or different in it."<ref>{{cite book |title=McGillivray op cit p. 136}}</ref> |
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The compound grace note systems are as follows. |
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* ''Dr'' is doubling of "low G" by a touch of "D" grace note, and open "low A", and so on, over the whole scale. The letters ''dr'' are obviously a contraction of ''dà uair'', two times, or twice. |
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Canntaireachd as originally designed consists of words which were invented to represent the sounds to be played. [[Vowel]]s represent the melody notes, and [[consonant]]s represent the [[grace note]]s and other embellishments.<ref>{{cite book |title=MacNeill's Tutor op cit p. 5}}</ref> For example, depending on the context, the melody note E may be sung as "de" (pronounced "day") or "ay"; or if preceded by a G gracenote, as "che" or "shay." Embellishments played around melody notes have their own names, such as "hiharin" and "hihodin."<ref>{{cite book |title=Cairns op cit p. 3}}</ref> There are a variety of books (including those referenced in this article) that explain in detail the names for the notes and embellishments. |
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* ''Trì'' means doubling of "low G" by "D" grace note, and as "A" is opened, double "E" by "F" and "E" and open "E". This is a "''Crunluath''" form. |
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* ''Tro'' is the same, at first, but the doubling of "E" is done with the grips from ''o'' or the "C" note. This is "''Crunluath-a-mach''" (outer "''crunnluath''"). |
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There has been a trend towards moving away from the traditional names of the notes and syllables, in favour of using one's own terms where warranted, or simply humming wordlessly. Some believe that it does not matter whether the musician knows what syllables or words to use for each note or embellishment, and that any form of vocalization is sufficient.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cairns op cit p. 2}}</ref> As McGillivray put it in his 2012 book: "When accomplished pipers sing piobaireachd, as they often do, they almost invariably use their own made-up syllables which sound much like the notes and grace notes being sung."<ref>{{cite book |title=McGillivray op cit p. 135}}</ref> Cairns gives an example in his book: "I don't feel the canntaireachd word, Hiharin, accurately/fully represents the number of syllables heard when the movement is played...I call this movement "Hiharin" but I teach and sing - "He a Tadadah.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cairns op cit p. 21}}</ref> |
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These examples will make the rest easy. In many tunes where the ''tr'' type appears, it obviously when translated should only have been a ''dr'' type, this confusion being only to the similarity of ''d'' and ''t'' in Gaelic. |
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Here are some examples of the bagpipe scale in Canntaireachd form. These are based on the vocables used by Calum Johnston in 1953.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dickson |first=Joshua |date=2013-12-31 |title=Piping Sung: Women, Canntaireachd and the Role of the Tradition-Bearer |url=http://journals.ed.ac.uk/ScottishStudies/article/view/2705 |journal=Scottish Studies |language=en |volume=36 |pages=45 |doi=10.2218/ss.v36.2705 |issn=2052-3629|doi-access=free }}</ref> |
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''Vivi'' is the shake on "high A." The other shakes are represented by ''rr'', according to where the beats and shakes are taken. This seems to be a contraction of "''gearradh''" meaning a "shake". A simple touch of a note before opening is always represented by a single ''r''. For instance, such a word as ''radin'' signifies that "B" is to be touched with "Low G" (''lùdag'') before opening; ''-din'' is "low A" with "D" grace note. ''Ho radin'' is the "C" note ''o'' with "high G" grace note keeping the ''ra-'' below "D" note, also an "A" note. |
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Low g - um, im, hum, him, hun |
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All grace notes and grace note types are forestrokes, that is they occur before the notes they embellish. They are "appoggiaturas" or "[[semiquaver]]" notes, or "Caciaturas" or demi-semi-quaver notes, which predominate. |
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* All grace notes in canntaireachd are represented by consonants. |
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* All compound forms are made by combining single forms. |
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* All leading or scale notes are represented by vowels. |
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* All note forms with ''m'' or ''n'' in them contain "low A". |
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* Grace notes ''h'' and ''d'' are qualifying or modulating grace notes. |
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* Doublings are represented by ''dr'', triplings by ''tr'', compound types by combinations of these. |
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* Open doublings above "D" are represented by ''dir'', such as ''dirie'', where the note is doubled by itself, and the note above it. ''Dr'' represents closed doublings, and ''dir'' open doublings. |
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===Grace note forms defined=== |
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Grace note forms consist of single, double, and compound: |
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*The single group includes all simple forms, together with the "''dà-lugh''" variation form. |
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*The double group includes the single and double types of "''trì-lugh''" and "''ceithir-lugh''". |
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*The single type of "''trì-lugh''" is composed of three "low A"s graced by "G", "D" and "E" gracenotes, and it precedes the note embellished. An example of this is "hininindo", the syllable ''do'' being "C" graced by "D". This type is called "''fosgailte''" (open), and is opposed by the double or closed form, represented by such a form as ''hindirinto''. The latter is called "''a-steach''" (inside), which is taken to a type like ''hodorito'', which is said to be "''a-mach''" (outside), as the grips are taken from the note played. The types last named are also "''breabach''" (kicking) forms, having a "kick” note at the finish. The "''crùn-lugh''" or "''ceithir-lugh''" forms are also "''fosgailte''", "''a-mach''" and "''a-steach''". The word ''hadatri'' is "''a-steach''" when opposed to "hadatri" which is "''a-mach''". |
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Low A -un, in, hun, hin, chin, ro |
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''Hiodratatiriri'' is a pure "''cliabh-lugh''"—the chest or creel of fingers, because every finger on the chanter is engaged in some way, either acting or acted on. In bagpipe music, the variations are all named from the acting fingers, and the old pipers counted their time from the number of fingers engaged in the several parts of the tune. ''Chin-drine'' may be taken as an example of the "''leum-lugh''", the jump of the fingers. This is "low A", played by "D" grace note, then "G" doubled by "D", "low A" then opened, and "F" rapidly opened from it. ''Hiriri'' is an example of a beat form. The playing of two "low A"s by touching "low G" twice with the little finger is ''ririn'', or ''rurin''. The prosodic quality of the syllables, together with the spacing and punctuation, give the time and rhythm of the tunes. |
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B - o, ho, po, bo, do, ro |
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C - a, ha, pa, da |
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D - a, ha, pa, ra, e, he |
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E - u, hu, i, hi, ti, vi, dhi, p |
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F - e, i, vi |
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High G - e, i, vi |
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High A - i, chi |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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* {{Dwelly}} ((Canntaireachd) with minor corrections, and additions) |
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* ''Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland'' |
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==Other sources== |
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This article contains text from [[Edward Dwelly|Edward Dwelly's]] ''Scottish Gaelic Dictionary'' (with minor corrections and additions) and [[Collins_Encyclopaedia_of_Scotland|''Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland.'']] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{Scottish folk music}} |
{{Scottish folk music}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Music of Scotland]] |
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[[Category:Musical notation]] |
[[Category:Musical notation]] |
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[[Category:Bagpiping]] |
[[Category:Bagpiping]] |
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Latest revision as of 19:10, 11 May 2024
Canntaireachd (Scottish Gaelic for 'chanting'; pronounced [ˈkʰãũn̪ˠt̪ɛɾʲəxk]) is the ancient method of teaching, learning and memorizing Piobaireachd (also spelt Pibroch), a type of music primarily played on the Great Highland bagpipe. In the canntairached method of instruction, the teacher sings or hums the tune to the pupil, sometimes using specific syllables which signify the sounds to be produced by the bagpipe.
History
[edit]It appears that written staff notation began to come into use for bagpiping in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Seumas MacNeill, founder of The College of Piping, puts the date at 1803; The Piobaireachd Society holds that this occurred earlier, in the latter half of the eighteenth century.[1][2] Prior to that time, instructors had to use other methods for teaching bagpipe tunes to students: by singing in canntaireachd, by playing the pipes for the student, or most likely a combination of both methods.
The Campbell (Nether Lorn) canntaireachd
[edit]Efforts were made to translate the vocal tradition into written form. The earliest known written collection dates to the early 1790s. It was written by Colin Mòr Campbell of Nether Lorn parish in Argyll.[3] While Campbell's system had its origins in chanted notation, his Campbell Canntaireachd is now viewed as written documentation, to be read rather than sung. Author William Donaldson noted: "Although Campbell's work was almost immediately superseded by a form of staff notation adapted specifically for the pipe, and remained unpublished and unrecognised until well into the 20th Century, it remains an important achievement and gives valuable insight into the musical organisation" of piobaireachd music.[4]
Other systems
[edit]Neil McLeod of Gesto also published a system of canntaireachd. It was reputedly based on the singing of John MacCrimmon, one of the last practicing members of that well-known piping family.[citation needed]
The MacArthur family of pipers are reported to have had their own oral form of canntaireachd, but it was not documented. A further variety of Canntaireachd and distinct collection of pibroch tunes was sourced from Simon Fraser, whose family emigrated to Melbourne in the 19th century.[citation needed] It is assumed that different lineages of pipers developed distinct forms of Canntaireachd that were variations on a broadly similar system of sung vocable notation.
Canntaireachd in contemporary piping
[edit]For many instructors, singing, humming or somehow vocalizing remains the best means for conveying the subtleties of piobaireachd when teaching or rehearsing a tune. Major Archie Cairns, a noted piper, piping judge and instructor, maintains that pipers should sing or hum everything they play.[5]
Competitive piper and instructor Jim McGillivray has said: "Though canntaireachd, the piper's language, is not used as widely now as it was in centuries past, pipers still do - and should - sing." This school of thought maintains that written scores, even those published by Angus MacKay in his Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd (1838),[6] are oversimplified and cannot convey the nuances of proper musical expression.
As MacNeill noted: "There is a growing tendency, particularly among younger players... to place too much reliance on the printed score....The method of singing the tune is still of tremendous value, but it is not used often enough. Singing can bring out the nuances of expression in a tune, whereas staff (as every soloist knows) is limited, and must at times be very freely interpreted."[7][8]
Canntaireachd also has value for the contemporary piper because it allows researchers to study older tunes exactly as they were published in the original collections. As McGillvray puts it, "There is a great deal of room for interpretation in cantairreachd translation... Some syllables can mean more than one thing. Experienced players may wish to look at the original canntairreachd version to see if they can find something new or different in it."[9]
Example of canntaireachd
[edit]Canntaireachd as originally designed consists of words which were invented to represent the sounds to be played. Vowels represent the melody notes, and consonants represent the grace notes and other embellishments.[10] For example, depending on the context, the melody note E may be sung as "de" (pronounced "day") or "ay"; or if preceded by a G gracenote, as "che" or "shay." Embellishments played around melody notes have their own names, such as "hiharin" and "hihodin."[11] There are a variety of books (including those referenced in this article) that explain in detail the names for the notes and embellishments.
There has been a trend towards moving away from the traditional names of the notes and syllables, in favour of using one's own terms where warranted, or simply humming wordlessly. Some believe that it does not matter whether the musician knows what syllables or words to use for each note or embellishment, and that any form of vocalization is sufficient.[12] As McGillivray put it in his 2012 book: "When accomplished pipers sing piobaireachd, as they often do, they almost invariably use their own made-up syllables which sound much like the notes and grace notes being sung."[13] Cairns gives an example in his book: "I don't feel the canntaireachd word, Hiharin, accurately/fully represents the number of syllables heard when the movement is played...I call this movement "Hiharin" but I teach and sing - "He a Tadadah.[14]
Here are some examples of the bagpipe scale in Canntaireachd form. These are based on the vocables used by Calum Johnston in 1953.[15]
Low g - um, im, hum, him, hun
Low A -un, in, hun, hin, chin, ro
B - o, ho, po, bo, do, ro
C - a, ha, pa, da
D - a, ha, pa, ra, e, he
E - u, hu, i, hi, ti, vi, dhi, p
F - e, i, vi
High G - e, i, vi
High A - i, chi
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ MacNeill, Seumas (1968). Piobaireachd: Classical Music of the Highland Bagpipe (1976 (reprint) ed.). Edinburgh: Broadcasting Council for Scotland, British Broadcasting Corporation. p. 30. ISBN 0-563-07487-6.
- ^ Book 1: 12 Tunes edited by The Piobaireachd Society in staff and Canntaireachd notations with a Preface and Explanatory Notes (2007 (reprint) ed.). Great Britain: The Piobaireachd Society. p. iii.
- ^ McGillivray, Jim (2012). Piobaireachd Fingerwork: Instruction in Piobaireachd Technique for the Highland Bagpipe. McGillivray Piping. p. 135.
- ^ Donaldson, William (2008). The Highland Pipe and Scottish Society 1750-1950 (2008 ed.). John Donald. ISBN 978-1-904607-76-2.
- ^ Cairns, Archie. The "How To" Piobaireachd Manual and CD (4th ed.). London, Ontario: Major A.M. Cairns, MMM, CD. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-9734718-0-9.
- ^ Campbell, Archibald (1948). The Kilberry Book of Ceol More (2011 (reprint) ed.). Glasgow: The College of Piping. p. 7. ISBN 1-898405-22-0. and approved by The Piobaireachd Society,
- ^ MacNeill's Piobaireach op cit p. 30.
- ^ MacNeill, Seumas. Tutor for Piobaireachd. Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom: The College of Piping. p. 5.
- ^ McGillivray op cit p. 136.
- ^ MacNeill's Tutor op cit p. 5.
- ^ Cairns op cit p. 3.
- ^ Cairns op cit p. 2.
- ^ McGillivray op cit p. 135.
- ^ Cairns op cit p. 21.
- ^ Dickson, Joshua (2013-12-31). "Piping Sung: Women, Canntaireachd and the Role of the Tradition-Bearer". Scottish Studies. 36: 45. doi:10.2218/ss.v36.2705. ISSN 2052-3629.
Other sources
[edit]This article contains text from Edward Dwelly's Scottish Gaelic Dictionary (with minor corrections and additions) and Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland.