Gaelic Musical Traditions

The musical heritage of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland is in large part a Gaelic one. There is a huge body of material from which to choose. For instance, Gaelic songs are very numerous and diverse in nature. There are songs, for instance, which were made specifically to accompany work – waulking the tweed, rowing, milking and so on. There are others whose origins relate to music for dancing - ‘puirt a beul’ or mouth music - and many others such as laments, songs of nostalgia, praise, humorous songs and songs about nature. (see Feature page for a fuller introduction to Gaelic song)

Harp or clarsach playing, particularly in the residences of the chief men of the area, would have predominated in the 15th and 16th centuries. John Major attested in 1521 that
"for musical instruments and vocal music the wild Scots use the harp….and on this they make the most pleasing melody."

But by the beginning of the 18th century the great Highland bagpipe was in the ascendancy and it all but replaced the clarsach in the big houses. The military use of the bagpipes further reinforced the status of bagpipes throughout the land.

The Cèilidh and music go hand in hand. Dwelly, the doyen of Gaelic lexicographers already mentioned, defines cèilidh thus:-
1 Gossiping, visiting, visit. 2 Sojourning 3 Pilgrimage.

But today there is a general expectation of music and perhaps dancing at a cèilidh. Concerts are often publicised as ‘cèilidhs’ in the area, hence the association with music, and the ceili in Ireland tends to include dancing.