Hew Morrison Collection > Piobaireachd

114 Piobaireachd : its Origin and Construction
it is quite correct, because that is what is recognised as syncopated beats, a char-
acteristic of Scotch music, and will be found in many of our Strathspeys as well as
piobaireachd. Were it not for this style of accent peculiar more especially to
Highland music, many of our fine pieces would lose their Celtic flavour and natural
form. I have been assured of this fact by a competent musician, and if the matter
is fully considered it will be found to be an absolute fact.
RHYTHM
Rhythm refers to the regular recurrence of accent, when several bars or
measures are taken together. In other words, it is the regular grouping of
long and short accented and unaccented syllables or sounds. Rhythm has
been described by an eminent musician as "the disposition of the alternately strong
and weak-accented and unaccented sounds, in such a way that at regular or irregular
intervals one note brings to the ear the sensation of a rest, halt, or close more or less
complete."
SYNCOPATION
Syncopation is a term used to express a disturbance of the regular recur-
rence or flow of accent. A clearer definition of the word may be a rhythmical
arrangement by which the unaccented part of a bar, or the unaccented part
of a member of a bar is tied to the accented part, and the accent thereby displaced
or set aside. See illustration No. 2 under the heading of " Accent."
ORNAMENTATION OF I^AGPIPE MUSIC
Bagpipe Music is ornamented by means of grace notes. Cedl Mdr is
distinguished from Ceol Aotrom, and so are their respective systems of grace-
notes. A growing evil in marching tunes nowadays is the use of so many
superfluous grace-notes. One can go to excess in either way by using too much or
too little ornamentation, but there is a happy medium even in the March, Strathspey,
and Reel. If too few grace notes are used by a piper when playing Ceol Aotrom,
it may be said that his performance is too plain, and void of life. On the other hand,
when too many embellishments are indulged in, this type of a performer of pipe music