Scottish MusicScottish Music

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs

Waulking songsWaulking songs – sung in sung in GaelicGaelic– UnaccompaniedUnaccompanied– sung by sung by womenwomen– contain contain VocableVocables s

(meaningless Gaelic (meaningless Gaelic sounds or nonsense sounds or nonsense words such as “Hi ri words such as “Hi ri horo iri ho”)horo iri ho”)

– SoloSolo singer singer Question and Question and AnswerAnswer with with ChorusChorus

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs

Bothy BalladBothy Ballad– Sung by men (about their farm Sung by men (about their farm

work)work)– Sung in Sung in ScotsScots– UnaccompaniedUnaccompanied– StrophicStrophic (Solo verse alternates with (Solo verse alternates with

repeated repeated choruschorus as others join in) as others join in)

BalladsBallads– Songs telling a storySongs telling a story– Usually a sad storyUsually a sad story– Often sung entirely Often sung entirely solosolo– StrophicStrophic (but without chorus) (but without chorus)

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs Gaelic PsalmsGaelic Psalms

– ModalModal (Ancient (Ancient scalesscales, different from , different from majormajor and and minorminor))

– Sounds middle Sounds middle eastern, arabiceastern, arabic

– Sung by Sung by congregation in congregation in unisonunison

– But at different But at different speeds so confused, speeds so confused, sounds sounds polyphonicpolyphonic

– OrnamentsOrnaments added added

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs Mouth MusicMouth Music

– Gaelic Gaelic vocalvocal music music– Used for dancing to (when they Used for dancing to (when they

didn’t have instruments)didn’t have instruments)

Traditional Scottish SongsTraditional Scottish Songs

Gaelic Gaelic ChoralChoral singing singing– AA cappellacappella (unaccompanied singing) (unaccompanied singing)– UnisonUnison – all sing same tune at once – all sing same tune at once– HarmonyHarmony – all sing different parts to – all sing different parts to

create chordscreate chords

Highland BagpipesHighland Bagpipes

Highland BagpipesHighland Bagpipes Ceol MorCeol Mor

– PibrochPibroch – The classical music of the – The classical music of the bagpipesbagpipes

– Consists of a long slow Consists of a long slow themetheme and a series and a series of of variationsvariations using complex using complex ornamentsornaments and and gracegrace notesnotes

Highland BagpipesHighland Bagpipes Ceol BeagCeol Beag

– Music of Music of pipepipe bandsbands

– MarchesMarches StrathspeysStrathspeys and and reelsreels

The FiddleThe Fiddle Scottish name Scottish name

for the violinfor the violin High StyleHigh Style

– Slow airsSlow airs– StrathspeysStrathspeys

Neil GowNeil Gow J Scott J Scott

SkinnerSkinner

The FiddleThe Fiddle Scottish name Scottish name

for the violinfor the violin High StyleHigh Style

– Slow airsSlow airs– StrathspeysStrathspeys

Neil GowNeil Gow J Scott J Scott

SkinnerSkinner

Scottish Dance Band Scottish Dance Band InstrumentsInstruments

FiddleFiddleAccordionAccordionPianoPianoDoubleDouble bassbassSnareSnare drumdrum

FiddleFiddlePlays the Plays the melodymelodyScottish name for Scottish name for

the violinthe violinPlayed with bow Played with bow

((bowedbowed – –ArcoArco))Traditionally used Traditionally used

for for reelsreels and slow and slow airsairs

AccordionAccordion Plays both Plays both MelodyMelody and and

ChordsChords Most commonly used is Most commonly used is

piano accordion piano accordion because of keyboard at because of keyboard at the sidethe side

Bellows are squeezed to Bellows are squeezed to push air through reedspush air through reeds

The performer presses The performer presses buttons to play buttons to play chordschords

Imported from central Imported from central EuropeEurope

PianoPiano Plays a Plays a VampVamp

(”oom-cha”) (”oom-cha”) chordschords

Nowadays often Nowadays often replaced by the replaced by the more portable more portable and versatile and versatile keyboardkeyboard..

Double BassDouble Bass Plays the Plays the bass linebass line Largest instrument Largest instrument

of the string familyof the string family Plucked (Plucked (PizzicatoPizzicato)) Often replaced by Often replaced by

the electric the electric bassbass guitarguitar

Snare DrumSnare Drum Also known as the Also known as the

side drumside drum Used to play Used to play

rhythm sometimes rhythm sometimes in in unisonunison with the with the melodymelody

Especially heard in Especially heard in MarchesMarches

Sometimes Sometimes nowadays an entire nowadays an entire drumkit is used.drumkit is used.

Scottish Dance Band Scottish Dance Band InstrumentsInstruments

FiddleFiddleAccordionAccordionPianoPianoDouble bassDouble bassSnare drumSnare drum

WaltzWaltz33 beatsbeats in thein the

barbar SlowSlow to moderateto moderate

tempotempo

ReelReel22 oror 44 beats in the barbeats in the bar Fast tempoFast tempo ““Macaroni” rhythmMacaroni” rhythm Binary FormBinary Form ABAB

JigJig22 strong beats to the barstrong beats to the bar CompoundCompound timetime signaturesignature

((6/86/8)) ““Strawberry, strawberry” Strawberry, strawberry”

rhythmrhythm

StrathspeyStrathspey22 oror 44 beats in the barbeats in the bar Moderate tempoModerate tempo Dotted rhythmDotted rhythm Scot’s SnapScot’s Snap

MARCHMARCH 2 or 4 beats in the bar2 or 4 beats in the bar Moderate tempoModerate tempo Lots of snare drumLots of snare drum Simple rhythmSimple rhythm

ClarseachClarseach Scottish harpScottish harp Originally used to Originally used to

accompany ancient accompany ancient heroic songsheroic songs

Scottish Scottish trademarkstrademarks Instruments usedInstruments used

– Bagpipes, fiddles accordionsBagpipes, fiddles accordions– Dance bands etcDance bands etc

Modal soundModal sound– Ancient scalesAncient scales

DroneDrone– Usually imitated by notes a fifth apartUsually imitated by notes a fifth apart

Grace notesGrace notes Scots' snapsScots' snaps Pentatonic scalePentatonic scale

Scottish conceptsScottish concepts ThemeTheme

– Tune/ideaTune/idea VariationVariation

– Theme Theme developed/changeddeveloped/changed

PentatonicPentatonic– Old 5 note scaleOld 5 note scale

OrnamentOrnament– Twiddly bit/grace noteTwiddly bit/grace note

VampVamp– Chords oom chaChords oom cha

DroneDrone– Continuous unchanging Continuous unchanging

note (bagpipes or imitation note (bagpipes or imitation of bagpipes)of bagpipes)

ModalModal– Old fashioned scalesOld fashioned scales

2/3 beats in the bar2/3 beats in the bar

Simple timeSimple time– Not compound timeNot compound time

Compound timeCompound time– Beats divided into sets of three Beats divided into sets of three

quaversquavers AnacrusisAnacrusis

– Lead inLead in Key ChangeKey Change

– (modulation)(modulation) Binary formBinary form

– ABAB Ternary formTernary form

– ABAABA A capellaA capella

– Unaccompanied singingUnaccompanied singing PibrochPibroch

– Classical music of the bagpipes Classical music of the bagpipes theme and variationstheme and variations

Scottish conceptsScottish concepts The sounds of:The sounds of:

– PipesPipes– FiddleFiddle– ClarseachClarseach– AccordionAccordion– Voice/vocalVoice/vocal– Gaelic psalmGaelic psalm– Scots balladScots ballad– Bothy balladBothy ballad– Waulking songWaulking song– Mouth musicMouth music

Tell apart:Tell apart:– WaltzWaltz– JigJig– ReelReel– StrathspeyStrathspey– MarchMarch