The AGM of the Piobaireachd Society will be held in the National Piping Centre, 30-34 McPhater Street, Glasgow G4 OHW on Saturday 23nd March at 1.15pm. 2019 AGM Agenda 2018 AGM Minutes 2019 Conference Schedule Piobaireachd Society Newsletter February 2019 ...
News
Digital download of Piobaireachd Society books 1-16, Kilberry, Sidelights
Piobaireachd Society books 1-16, Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor, and Sidelights to the Kilberry Book are now available to buy directly from this website. They can be downloaded to all devices here, and by using the Shop button on the top menu bar Paper copies of the books can be bought from the NPC...
Campbell Canntaireachd tunes not in Piobaireachd Society books
Of the 168 tunes in the Campbell Cantaireachd, 45 do not appear in Piobaireachd Society books 1-16. Recordings and staff notation scores of these tunes have now been added to the this website. The scores are from the book "Pipers Meeting" by Patrick Molard and Jack Taylor. The scores and some...
Piobaireachd Society books 1-3 now online for members
The Piobaireachd Society scores from books 1-3 have now been placed on each tune page for Piobaireachd Society members. Battle of Auldearn 1, Battle of Auldearn 2, Battle of the Bridge of Perth, Battle of the Pass of Crieff, Battle of Waternish, Bells of Perth, Big Spree, Black Donald's March, Bli...
Welcome
When the Highlands and Islands of Scotland adopted the bagpipe, perhaps some seven hundred years ago, pipers began to develop it and its music to suit their needs and tastes.
What emerged was the instrument we know today as the Great Highland Bagpipe, and a form of music, piobaireachd (pronounced ‘pee-broch’).
Piobaireachd is unique to this instrument. It cannot be successfully reproduced on any other. (The name piobaireachd is literally ‘piping’ in Gaelic.)
This classical pipe music consists of a theme, known as the ground, or in Gaelic the urlar (‘oorlar’), and variations on this theme.
The theme can express joy, sadness, or sometimes, in the ‘gathering’ tunes, a peremptory warning or call to arms.
Variations on the theme usually progress to the ‘crunluath’ variation, where the piper’s fingers give a dazzling technical display of embellishments or gracenotes.
The Piobaireachd Society was founded in 1901 to encourage the playing teaching and study of this music.
1) Iain Speirs - MacSwan of Roaig Lament for