Hew Morrison Collection > Piobaireachd

1 8 Piobaireachd : its Origin and Construction
trees ; the wind whistling in the glens, and over the mountain tops ; the waves
dashing against the rocks on the shores of our Highland home ; or the stream, with
its gentle murmur, which sounds in the sensitive ear of the Highlander in a musical
form. The great river dashing down the precipice supplies material for a Theme
and suitable variations. The chime of the church bells, the roar of battle, and the
clatter of steel, all suggest Themes or foundations for this species of great music.
Piobaireachd is a class of music second to none as regards its power of moving
the Highland heart. It may be compared to wireless telegraphy, in that it is the
unseen communication between the very inner soul of the Highlander and the
outward world. The power to create piobaireachd is a gift as important as the
magic touch of the artist who can paint his subject on the canvas ; or of the sculptor
who carves out of stone the image of a human body, perfect in form and appearance.
When the painter and sculptor are finished with their achievement, they are still
conscious of the lack of one thing, and if they were to make the true exclamation on
the completion of their work, would it not be the most important thing of all, viz. :
" Alas ! it is void of life." Therefore the artist and sculptor can impart everything
to their new creation except hfe. The composer of piobaireachd has special gifts in
this pecuhar art, just the same as his fellow-craftsmen have in painting and sculpture.
He also transmits his compositions to paper, as the artist paints his subject on the
canvas. He hews his original Theme or Ground-work out of the material which he
gets from nature, as the sculptor carves his image out of stone. The artist first of
all gets his canvas, his brush, and paints, then he draws a rough outline of the subject
he is about to paint. This may be termed the Theme or Ground of his work just begun.
He then gives it the first coat of paint, being the second step, or variation in the
production of his picture. He still paints on, with more life-like colours, step by
step, until he has completed his task. The sculptor gets the stone which he has
chosen suitable for his purpose. He marks it off roughly, and carves away the
largest pieces round about it, giving him then the Theme or Ground-work of his
image. He uses finer chisels, and carves on until it appears in better shape. This
resembles the First Variation of his work of art. He, like the painter, goes on with
his work, using still finer instruments until it is finished.
The composer of piobaireachd gets his chanter and prepares the Theme or Urlar,
which has been for some time developing in his mind. He transmits it to paper.
Then he prepares his First Variation, and its Doubling, the Taorluath and its Doubhng,
and the Crunluath and its Doubling, which completes his tune. When he looks at
it as the artist or sculptor looks at his painting and image, there seems to be no