NLS ms 3714. Colin Campbell’s Instrumental Book 1797. The first volum continuing 83 tunes. Inscribed John Campbell’s Book in the year of our Lord 1815. Deposited by Miss Phillis Bartholomew, 1950.
This volume (C1) contains many revisions showing how Colin Campbell’s notation developed. The second volume (C2), which has fewer corrections and an 1814 watermark, appears to be a fair copy made in about 1815. Two other documents shed light on the evolution of Campbell’s notation: a presentation copy of one tune discovered by Keith Sanger (C0) and four tunes copied by Angus MacKay from a manuscript now lost (CK).
Rather than calling Colin Campbell’s unique notation canntaireachd, I distinguish it from the singing or ‘vocabelising’ of pipe music by calling it Campbell notation. This addresses two widespread misconceptions. Firstly, the idea that Campbell’s text captures a traditional art; as Frans Buisman has shown, his system was a personal innovation. Secondly, that the consistency of his system is superior to the vocal substitutions of pibroch transcribed by Gesto from Iain Dubh MacCruimein (G and AC) or documented more recently in audio recordings. Campbell developed a visual notation responding to graphic criteria (i.e. how it looked on paper). Vocal substitutions of pipe music, on the other hand, were shaped by phonological and musical criteria (the tongue and the ear); what mattered was not how it looked – that was irrelevant – but how it sounded and rolled off the tongue.
Although Campbell’s notation developed directly from canntaireachd, it is helpful to separate these two things conceptually. The only way to do this is to use different words. To continue using the same word for his personal graphic notation and the traditional vocal craft makes a complex topic unnecessarily hard to understand, discouraging people from learning the art of vocabelising. It is only in the last couple of years that I have clarified my own usage. I no longer call this source ‘The Campbell Canntaireachd’ but use every opportunity to communicate that there are two different things here, each serving a fundamentally different utility. Campbell notation functions well when communicating silently, in writing. Canntaireachd functions well when communicating audibly, singing. For the source, I use the title Campbell penned himself: Colin Campbell’s Instrumental Book 1797. His vocables represent not singing but fingering – his singing and that of his teachers was probably no less expressively variable than that of Iain Dubh MacCruimein, recorded by Gesto (G) and Alexander Campbell (AC).
Barnaby Brown, 16 May 2016
Title Page and Volume One Index
Alphabetical (source titles and spellings)
A Glase C1.49: 100, PS 50
Bhair bhi dhilan n’a bhi pos’d C1.50: 101, PS 51
Bhratich Bhan C1.9: 22, PS 11
Capt. Arch’d. Campbll Glenlyon’s Lament C1.43: 88, PS 44
Carwhins Lament C1.40:79, PS 41
Cha till mi tiul C1.56: 117, PS 57
Chumbh craoibh na Teidbh C1.81: 181, PS 82
Chumh Mhic Caoie C1.38: 74, PS 39
Clann donail Raoich C1.31: 63, PS 32
Co gha bhi mi s’leiss Riogh mi C1.57: 120, PS 58
Contalichs Lament C1.36: 76, PS 37
Craig Charan C1.51: 102, PS 52
Crõmh laoith air Aidin thorbein C1.55: 115, PS 56
Daughters Lament C1.22: 49, PS 23
Dougald Mac Raniels Lament C1.83: 189, PS 84
Duntroon’s March C1.33: 66, PS 34
Euan aka char Shein mi Shudda C1.59: 124, PS 60
Fhagail Cheantiare C1.67: 143, PS 68
Fhailt dhuit Ion Cheir C1.64: 135, PS 65
Finlay’s Lament C1.23: 50 PS 24
Frasers March C1.17: 38, PS 19
Glencow’s March C1.69: 147, PS 70
Hiharin dãreche dãreche hadãreche hadreha C1.39: 77, PS 40
Hiharin hioen hodroeo hoen C1.37: 71, PS 38
Hiharin hihodrõdin hamhin hiotrõdin C1.15: 35, PS 17
Hiharin himtra hodrodrodro C1.28: 60, PS 29
Hiharin himtra hihodrodrooche C1.29: 61, PS 30
Hiharin hinhodro hahodro hiodin C1.26: 56, PS 27
Hiharin hodin himhin hiodin C1.32: 63, PS 33
Hiharin hodarodo hiharin hihodrõdin C1.14: 33, PS 16
Hiharinõdin hiharindro twice over C1.8: 19, PS 10
Hiharintra hotra dreha dreotra hihodrõdintro C1.16: 37, PS 18
Hiharintro hiharintra twice over C1.3: 6, PS 5
Hindodro hindodarado hindodre hindodro C1.75: 164, PS 76
Hindodro hihamhintro hindodroo hindodro C1.76: 166, PS 77
Hindorõdin 3 times himtraoem C1.53: 108, PS 54
Hindre cheen hadre hioem C1.68: 144, PS 69
Hindre harõdin hiodin hiharin C1.70: 151, PS 71
Hindreve hamhiotro hindreve cheen cherede C1.60: 127, PS 61
Hindro hindro hiotrõdin hihamto C1.78: 172, PS 79
Hindro hintro hindro cheve C1.79: 178, PS 80
Hugh’s Lament C1.48: 97, PS 49
Kepper Eggarich C1.1: 1, PS 3
Lassan Mhic a Cheaich C1.45: 93, PS 46
Left hand C1.62: 129, PS 63
Lochends March C1.41: 82, PS 42
Lord Bredalbans March C1.73: 159, PS 74
Lord Breadalbin’s Gathering C1.19: 44, PS 2
Lost the Only Son C1.13: 31, PS 15
Mac Alister’s lively Lament C1.21: 46, PS 22
MacGrigors March C1.11: 27, PS 13
MacKinnon Lament C1.46: 94, PS 47
MacLachlan’s March C1.66, PS 67
Marsah na shisalach C1.72: 155, PS 73
McGrigors Gathering C1.24: 52, PS 25
McIvers March C1.65: 137, PS 66
McNab’s Gathering C1.7: 17, PS 9
Mealee Fenaig C1.4: 9, PS 6
Melford’s March C1.42: 85, PS 43
Moraig C1.82: 186, PS 83
One of the Irish piobarich C1.30: 62, PS 31
One of the Cragich [Lament for Donald of Laggan] C1:25, 54, PS 26
One of the Cragich “Hiharin hõdin” C1.34: 68, PS 35
One of the Cragich “Hiharin hiodreen” C1.35: 69, PS 36
One of the Cragich “Hindorõdin hindodre” C1.52: 107, PS 53
One of the Cragich Sutherland’s Gathering C1.71: 153, PS 72
Pibarich N’a paichk C1.20: 45, PS 21
Pioparich aon Cnochan C1.27: 57, PS 28
Pipers Meeting C1.44: 91, PS 45
Porst Marie C1.61: 126, PS 62
Porst na Lurkin C1.12: 29, PS 14
Porst na Striane C1.2:3, PS 4
Porst Ullar mhic Eachin C1.77: 169, PS 78
Porst Ullare C1.18: 39, PS 20
Robt Sinclair’s wife Lament C1.47: 96, PS 48
Rory McLoude’s Lament C1.63: 131, PS 64
Spaddarich Bharach C1.6:15, PS 8
Square Reas March C1.10: 25, PS 12
Sutherland’s Gathering C1.71: 153, PS 72
Sutherland’s March C1.80: 176, PS 81
Taviltich C1.5: 11, PS 7
Taotor Clan Ronails March C1.58: 122, PS 59
Vuail Doan / Index: Voal Doan C1.74: 162, PS 75
Young George wellcome C1.54: 110, PS 55
Numerical (by number and page)
C1.1: 1 PS 3 Kepper Eggarich
C1.2: 3 PS 4 Porst na Striane
C1.3: 6 PS 5 Hiharintro hiharintra twice over
C1.4: 9 PS 6 Mealee Fenaig
C1.5: 11 PS 7 Taviltich
C1.6: 15 PS 8 Spaddarich Bharach
C1.7: 17 PS 9 McNab’s Gathering
C1.8: 19 PS 10 Hiharinõdin hiharindro twice over
C1.9: 22 PS 11 Bhratich Bhan
C1.10: 25 PS 12 Square Reas March
C1.11: 27 PS 13 MacGrigors March
C1.12: 29 PS 14 Porst na Lurkin
C1.13: 31 PS 15 Lost the Only Son
C1.14: 33 PS 16 Hiharin hodarodo hiharin hihodrõdin
C1.15: 35 PS 17 Hiharin hihodrõdin hamhin hiotrõdin
C1.16: 37 PS 18 Hiharintra hotra dreha dreotra hihodrõdintro
C1.17: 38 PS 19 Frasers March
C1.18: 39 PS 20 Porst Ullare
C1.19: 44 PS 2 Lord Breadalbin’s Gathering
C1.20: 45 PS 21 Pibarich N’a paichk
C1.21: 46 PS 22 Mac Alister’s lively Lament
C1.22: 49 PS 23 Daughters Lament
C1.23: 50 PS 24 Finlay’s Lament
C1.24: 52 PS 25 McGrigors Gathering
C1.25: 54 PS 26 one of the Cragich [Lament for Donald of Laggan]
C1.26: 56 PS 27 Hiharin hinhodro hahodro hiodin
C1.27: 57 PS 28 Pioparich aon Cnochan
C1.28: 60 PS 29 Hiharin himtra hodrodrodro
C1.29: 61 PS 30 Hiharin himtra hihodrodrooche
C1.30: 62 PS 31 One of the Irish piobarich
C1.31: 63 PS 32 Clann donail Raoich
C1.32: 63 PS 33 Hiharin hodin himhin hiodin
C1.33: 66 PS 34 Duntroon’s March
C1.34: 68 PS 35 One of the Cragich “Hiharin hõdin”
C1.35: 69 PS 36 One of the Cragich “Hiharin hiodreen”
C1.36: 70 PS 37 Contalichs Lament
C1.37: 71 PS 38 Hiharin hioen hodroeo hoen
C1.38: 74 PS 39 Chumh Mhic Caoie
C1.39: 77 PS 40 Hiharin dãreche dãreche hadãreche hadreha
C1.40: 79 PS 41 Carwhins Lament
C1.41: 82 PS 42 Lochends March
C1.42: 85 PS 43 Melford’s March
C1.43: 88 PS 44 Capt. Arch’d. Campbll Glenlyon’s Lament
C1.44: 91 PS 45 Piper’s Meeting
C1.45: 93 PS 46 Lassan Mhic a Cheaich
C1.46: 94 PS 47 MacKinnon Lament
C1.47: 96 PS 48 Robt Sinclair’s wife Lament
C1.48: 97 PS 49 Hugh’s Lament
C1.49: 100 PS 50 A Glase
C1.50: 101 PS 51 Bhair bhi dhilan n’a bhi pos’d
C1.51: 102 PS 52 Craig Charan
C1.52: 107 PS 53 One of the Cragich “Hindorõdin hindodre”
C1.53: 108 PS 54 Hindorõdin 3 times himtraoem
C1.54: 110 PS 55 Young George wellcome
C1.55: 115 PS 56 Crõmh laoith air Aidin thorbein
C1.56: 117 PS 57 Cha till mi tiul
C1.57: 120 PS 58 Co gha bhi mi s’leiss Riogh mi
C1.58: 122 PS 59 Taotor Clan Ronails March
C1.59: 124 PS 60 Euan aka char Shein mi Shudda
C1.60: 127 PS 61 Hindreve hamhiotro hindreve cheencherede
C1.61: 126 PS 62 Porst Marie
C1.62: 129 PS 63 Left hand
C1.63: 131 PS 64 Rory McLoude’s Lament
C1.64: 135 PS 65 Fhailt dhuit Ion Cheir
C1.65: 137 PS 66 McIvers March
C1.66: 139 PS 67 MacLachlan’s March
C1.67: 143 PS 68 Fhagail Cheantiare
C1.68: 144 PS 69 Hindre cheen hadre hioem
C1.69: 147 PS 70 Glencow’s March
C1.70: 151 PS 71 Hindre harõdin hiodin hiharin
C1.71: 153 PS 72 One of the Cragich Sutherland’s Gathering
C1.72: 155 PS 73 Marsah na shisalach
C1.73: 159 PS 74 Lord Bredalbans March
C1.74: 162 PS 75 Vuail Doan / Index: Voal Doan
C1.75: 164 PS 76 Hindodro hindodarado hindodre hindodro
C1.76: 166 PS 77 Hindodro hihamhintro hindodroo hindodro
C1.77: 169 PS 78 Porst Ullar mhic Eachin
C1.78: 172 PS 79 Hindro hindro hiotrõdin hihamto
C1.79: 178 PS 80 Hindro hintro hindro cheve
C1.80: 176 PS 81 Sutherland’s March
C1.81: 181 PS 82 Chumbh craoibh na Teidbh
C1.82: 186 PS 83 Moraig
C1.83: 189 PS 84 Dougald Mac Raniels Lament