Colin Campbell’s Instrumental Book, 1797. Colin Mór Campbell was the leading member of a dynasty of pipers in Argyllshire in the 18th and early 19th centuries. He was piper to John Campbell, 4th Earl of Breadalbane on the latter’s western estates at Ardmaddy in Argyllshire, and compiled his extensive manuscript collection–often called “The Nether Lorn MS” (after the district in which he lived)—during the closing years of the 18th century. Colin Mór developed a highly systematised version of written canntaireachd or syllabic notation. Two volumes survive from what may originally have been three, and they contain 169 tunes, some 70 of these not recorded in other sources. Although staff notation as pioneered by Joseph and Donald MacDonald was shortly to carry all before it, Colin Campbell’s development of the vocalic notation to its highest point remains a uniquely valuable cultural document. Pipers often administered the estates on which they lived, and although we know little of Colin’s life and circumstances, we can infer a good deal from his written work. His stylish italic hand shows he was no stranger to the pen, and the fact that he was literate both in Gaelic and English–then a rare accomplishment–suggests that he was a man of education and culture. The tonally systematic approach to the organisation of the collection in which tunes are grouped according to their opening gestures in a sequence rising step by step up the chanter, married to the artistic excellence of his arrangements (although these are poorly represented in most modern staff notated versions) indicate the presence of an exceptional musical talent.
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A Glass (2)
Airds Lament
Airds March
Argyle’s Salute
Battle of Auldearn
Battle of Lochcarron Point
Battle of the Pass of Crieff
Black Wedders White Tail
Blind Piper’s Obstinacy
Brother’s Lament (2)
Camerons’ Gathering (version one)
Camerons’ Gathering (version two)
Capt. Archibald Campbell of Glenlyon’s Lament
Carwhin’s Lament
Chisholm of Strathglass’s Salute
Clan Chattan’s Gathering
Clan Ranald’s Tutor
Craigellachie
Croan air Euan
Dead’s Lament
Donald Gruamach’s March
Drizzle on the Stone
Duke Hamilton’s March
Duke of Perth’s March
Dun Gallon’s Lament
Duntroon’s March
Earl of Ross’s March
End of the Little Bridge
Euan a bachar shein mi shudar
Fair Honey
Fare thee well, Donald
Fhailt Dhute Donail
Fhailt na Misk
Fhear pioba Metie
Finlay’s Lament
Flame of Wrath for Squinting Peter
Fraser’s March
Frasers’ Salute (McGrigor’s Gathering)
Glencow’s March
Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks
Gu math Slaint dhuit Donail
Harrows March
I am proud to play a pipe
Isabel Mackay (Clan Donald Roaich)
John Ciar’s Salute
Ken sso Lurrich
Keppoch’s March
Kinggarlochs March
Lady Anapool’s Lament (MacAlaster’s Lively Lament)
Laird of Contullich’s Lament
Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonald of Glengarry
Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay
Lament for Donald of Laggan (One of the Cragich)
Lament for Hugh
Lament for MacDonald’s Tutor
Lament for MacSwan of Roaig
Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon
Lament for the Departure of King James
Lament for the Harp Tree
Lament for the Only Son
Lament for Viscount Dundee
Leaving Kintyre
Left Hand
Lochends March
Lochnails Lament
Lord Breadalbane’s Gathering (The Carles with the Breeks)
Lord Breadalbane’s March
Lord Bredalbins wellcome to Scotland
MacCrimmon will never return
MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart
MacDonald of Boisdale’s Salute
MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament
MacDonalds are Simple
MacDonalds’ March
MacDonalds of Clanranald’s Gathering
MacDonalds’ Salute
MacIntyres’ Salute
MacKinnon’s Lament
MacLeans’ Gathering
MacLean’s March
MacLeod of Gesto’s Salute (version one)
MacLeod of Gesto’s Salute (version two)
MacLeod’s Controversy
MacLeod’s Short Tune
MacMhic Alisters Dead Lament
McNabs’ Gathering
MacNeill of Barra’s Lament
MacNeils March
Marion’s Wailing
Mary’s Praise
Massacre of Glencoe
McIvers March
McNeil is tighearn ann
Melford’s March
My King has landed in Moidart
Nameless: Chehotrao hodro, chehotra hodro
Nameless: Cherede darievea cherede cherede
Nameless: Hiharin dareche dareche hadareche
Nameless: Hiharin himtra hihodrodrooche
Nameless: Hiharin himtra hodrodrodro
Nameless: Hiharin hiodrein hihodro dreodro
Nameless: Hiharin hioen hodroeo hoen
Nameless: Hiharin hodin hihorodovea
Nameless: Hiharinodin hiharindro, hiharinodin hiharindro
Nameless: Hiharintra hotra
Nameless: Hihio tro tro
Nameless: Hihorodo hiharara cherede cherede
Nameless: Hindohinto, hinocheve
Nameless: Hindorodin hindodre hiotrahodin hiotradare
Nameless: Hindre harodin hiodin hiharin
Nameless: Hindreve hamhiotro
Nameless: Hindro hindro hiotrodin hihamto
Nameless: Hinodin hinodin hiohodin hiodin
Nameless: Hinotrao hinotra himtodin himhintro
Nameless: Hioem trahaen trahioem bari chehen
Nameless: Hiorodotra cheredeche hiririhia cheredeotra
Nameless: Hiotrotraho hiobabem hinotreo hinem
Nameless: Hodin hiotra hodin hiotra hodin hiotra chelalhodin
Old Sword’s Lament
One of the Deads Lament
One of the Irish piobarich
Paigh bodaich nail ach Ruairie
Park Piobaireachd
Pioparich aon Cnochan
Pipers’ Meeting
Porst na Lurkin
Porst Ullar
Port Marie
Pride of Barra
Prinsah beg Sate loum a thu
Queen Anne’s Lament
Rory McLoude’s Lament
Salute on the Birth of Rory Mor MacLeod
Salute to Inverary
Sinclairs’ March (The Red Ribbon)
Sir John Garbh MacLean of Coll’s Lament
Slanssuive
Sobieski’s Salute
Square Teas March
Sutherlands’ Gathering
Sutherlands’ March
Tavillich
The Bicker (Robt. Sinclair’s Wife Lament)
The Blue Ribbon (The Tune of Strife)
The Blue Ribbon (vol 2 version)
The Carles with the Breeks
The Comely Tune
The Daughter’s Lament (The Sister’s Lament)
The End of Ishberry Bridge
The Finger Lock
The Frenzy of Meeting
The Gordons’ Salute
The Groat
The Half Finished Piobaireachd
The Old Woman’s Lullaby
The Red Ribbon (Sinclair’s March)
The Rout of Glenfruin
The Rout of the Lowland Captain
The Rout of the MacPhees
The Sister’s Lament
The Stewarts’ White Banner
The Tune of Strife (The Blue Ribbon)
The Unjust Incarceration
Too long in this condition
Variant of Port Marie
Welcome Johnny Back Again
White Wedder Black Tail
Young George’s Salute
Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute
Title Page and Volume One Index
Volume Two Index