Canntaireachd

Canntaireachd is a method of orally describing the various movements in piobaireachd music. It probably dates back to before 1500 A.D., and has existed in many different "dialects". The predominant dialect of today is the Nether Lorn canntaireachd, as used in the Piobaireachd Society books. This is what will be described below, taken more or less verbatim from their preface.

The example of canntaireachd below also contains a sample of the MacCrimmon canntaireachd. More about this will be added to these pages as soon as possible.

Scale Chart

 
Scale plain Scale with
high G grace 		Scale with
E grace 		Scale with
D grace
Low G
em him em dam, bam
A
en hin en dan
B
o hio eo to
C
o ho eo do
D
a, da, ba ha ea  
E
e, de che    
F
dhe, ve he    
High G
di, vi hi    
High A
I      

Piobaireachd Variations

Dithis
Written in accordance with scale chart above, e.g., himen hinen, hioen, and hinen, hioeo, hoeo, etc.
Siubhal
Ditto, e.g., hinda, hindo, hiodo, himto.
Leumluath
For the Leumluath beat to E from any note other that D the symbol is bare, e.g., hiobare, hobare, etc. From D to E harode (using B grace note), or habare (using D grace note). To F (as in Cronan na Caillich) barhe. To high G bari, and to high A darI (Park Piobaireachd) or possibly barI.
Taorluath
The symbol for the Taorluath beat is darid, e.g., hodarid, hadarid. Taorluath to low G is darem, e.g., hiodarem.
Taorluath Breabach
the same with the addition of one note according to the scale chart.
Taorluath a Mach
is expressed hiotroeo (B), hodroeo (C), and hiotraea (D).
Tripling
is himbabem or himbaem (low G), hindaen (A), hiotoeo (B), and hodoeo (C). Followed by melody note, e.g., hindaenda hindaendo, hiotoeodo, himbabemto. Low G tripling followed by low G is sometimes himbamembam.
Crunluath
The symbol for the Crunluath beat is bandre, e.g., habandre, chebandre, etc. Sometimes (e.g. in The Blue Ribbon) the Crunluath on D is written harobandre. Crunluath to low G is bamdre, e.g., himbamdre.
Crunluath Breabach
the same with the addition of two notes according to the scale chart.
Crunluath a Mach
is expressed hiotrodre (b), hodrodre (C), and hiotradre (D).
Crunluath Fosgailte
First two notes as per scale chart, followed by dre (which represents the throw on E), e.g., hindodre, hintodre, etc.

Cadences

The cadence E is little used in the Nether Lorn MSS., but when it appears it is shown by the prefix hi, followed by the melody note as if played with a G grace note instead of D, e.g., hihodin, but hienem.

Doublings and Throws

On D
tra
On high A
dili
On E from a note lower than E
dre
On E from a note higher than E
edre
On F from a note lower than F
dare
On F from a note higher than F
vedare
On F from F itself
hedale
From E to high G
chedari or chehedari
Doubling from low G to high G
embari or himbari
Doubling from low A to high G
endari or hinbari

Grips

On low A
ban, bain
On B
tro
On C
dro
From D to D
adeda or ademda

Echoing Beats

On low A
hiharin
B to B
hihorodo
D to D
hiharara
Abbreviated to hihara in Angus MacKay's "Specimens of Canntaireachd". Possibly hiharin may be also an abbreviation.
E to E
cherede
F to F
herere
High G to high G
hiriri

Various Other Movements

Low A preceded by low G grace note
din, e.g., hihiodin
D to low A with low G, B, low G grace notes
harodin
C to low A with low G, B, low G grace notes
horodin
B preceded by low G, D, low G, C, low G grace notes
darodo
E to D followed by C, with F, D, and E grace notes
chelalho
Short B and C to low A preceded by low G grace note, as in Cumha Chlaibhers
hiodin, odin, and hodin

Example of Canntaireachd Notation

Here are the Ground and first variation of the classical piobaireachd the Cave of Gold, attributed to Donald Mor MacCrimmon, ca. 1610.

You can listen to the tune by following this link.

Nether Lorn Canntaireachd:

Urlar

Hienodro hiemotro, hienodro dare edre, hienodro hiemotro, hiendre odrorode, (repeat)
Hiendare cherede, hienotro hihorodo, hiendare cherede, hienedre odrorode,
Hiendare cherede, hienotro hihorodo, hienodro hiemotro, hiendre odrorode.

Var. I

Hinen hoen himen hioen, hinen hoen heen cheen, hinen hoen himen hioen, hinen cheen hoen hinen, (repeat)
Hinen heen cheen cheen, hinen hioen hioen hioen, hinen heen cheen cheen, hinen cheen hoen hinen,
Hinen heen cheen cheen, hinen hioen hioen hioen, hinen hoen himen hioen, hinen cheen hoen hinen.

MacCrimmon Canntaireachd:

Urlar

Heinbodrie heunbodro, heinbodrie bitri betre, heinbodrie heunbodro, heinbetre odrierarierin, (repeat)
Heinbitri hereinve, heinbodro heororo, heinbitri hereinve, heinbetre odrierarierin,
Heinbitri hereinve, heinbodro heororo, heinbodrie heunbodro, heinbetre odrierarierin.

Var. I

Hindin hiehin hundin hohin, hindin hiehin hihin hehin, hindin hiehin hundin hohin, hindin hehin hiehin hindin, (repeat)
Hindin hihin hehin hehin, hindin hohin hohin hohin, hindin hihin hehin hehin, hindin hehin hiehin hindin,
Hindin hihin hehin hehin, hindin hohin hohin hohin, hindin hiehin hundin hohin, hindin hehin hiehin hindin.

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