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Patterns in Pibroch the Secret to Composing, Memorizing, and Appreciating Ceol Mór

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Patterns in Pibroch the Secret to Composing, Memorizing, and Appreciating Ceol Mór MUSIC The Design of It: Patterns in Pibroch The secret to composing, memorizing, and appreciating ceol mór. (Part II) by Barnaby Brown GEOMETRICAL AND LYRICAL The contrast in sonority between played before competitions replaced PRINCIPLES A and B phrases can be either slight or this genre’s original performance con- There are two opposite forces in pi- bold. A popular work in the eighteenth text: the gathering of warriors, or their broch design. “Geometrical” principles century, “War or Peace,” uses bold encouragement in battle. of pattern, order and symmetry have contrast to produce a more battle-like one effect on the brain, while “lyrical” effect. In Example 3a, the A phrase uses LYRICAL INTERLACED principles of spontaneity and tuneful- the consonant notes A-C-E, to contrast ness have quite another effect. In the with the dissonant sonority of the B �������������� Ùrlar of most pibrochs, geometrical phrase (highlighted in red), which lies ����� �������� and lyrical principles operate in part- on the notes G-B-D, clashing with the nership, but in some works, the Ùrlar drones. The four repetitions of “ho- The lyrical principal comes to the fore is relentlessly geometrical, devoid of droha” in the 4th eighth are answered in the Lyrical Interlaced Ùrlar design melody. Only in a couple of instances by the four “haninun” beats in the last family, which includes “Lament for is the Ùrlar a pure, uncomplicated eighth. “Haninun” in MacCrimmon the Children” (3: 99), “Hiotrotraho tune, without any intellectual clever- canntaireachd corresponds to “hiharin” hiobabem” (15: 535), “Salute to Don- ness. Generally, professional pipers of in Campbell notation. ald” (8: 229) and “The Pretty Dirk” the seventeenth century showed off This is one of several instances in (11: 318). It is closely related to the their skill in the craft of composition, pibroch where an editor—in this case, Interlaced design, with the distinction producing results that are comparable Angus MacKay—has wrongly recon- that here the 2nd quarter is a repeat in intricacy and sophistication to the structed a lacuna, or memory lapse. of the 1st quarter, and the final eighth designs found in the metalwork, sculp- Example 3a was transcribed by Niel recalls the 1st eighth. “Hihorodo ture, and poetry of the Gaelic culture MacLeod of Gesto from the chanting hao” (Example 4) is an example of of the time. of Iain Dubh MacCrimmon (c.1731– outstanding melodic beauty, and it is c.1822), and corresponds with the staff unfortunate that such short works find INTERLACED notation of the other sources, with one no performance outlet today outside small exception: it is unique in hav- the rare recital. Modern institutions of �������������� ing 5 “hodroha”s in succession. Other ������������� training and patronage devalue works sources have 4 “hodroha”s (“hiotraha” that do not fit the twentieth-century In the Interlaced family of musical de- in Campbell notation), leaving the 5th competition mould. As a result, about signs, geometrical and lyrical principles eighth a beat short. This is probably 25 per cent of the pibroch repertoire is operate hand in hand. Key works in what MacKay was taught. In Example still unpublished. this family are (with their Piobaireachd 3c, Patrick MacDonald made up the The Lyrical Interlaced design Society Book and page numbers) “The missing beat in the measure by adding family has much in common with the MacDonalds’ Salute” (11: 340), “A a rest. In Example 3d, we see that this rounded binary or sonata forms that have Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach” rest has been replaced by a low A note. dominated Western classical music (5: 139), “Lament for MacSwan of There can be little doubt that this is since the early eighteenth century. The Roaig” (1: 39), “The Old Men of the Angus MacKay silently improving what 1st quarter of the Ùrlar corresponds Shells” (7: 207), and “Lament for the he had been taught. In this case, he has to the exposition of sonata form, which Castle of Dunyveg” (1: 25). Fundamen- corrupted the phrase, transforming its is normally repeated. In the case of tal to the Interlaced design is a strong identity from B to A. “Hihorodo hao,” though, there is a cadence on B in the 4th eighth, normal- “War or Peace” is an exciting touch of genius: one note is lifted up a ly ending on repeated “hihorodo” beats. musical work when liberated from scale step on the repeat (highlighted in the trappings of modern competition These are answered in the last eighth by Example 4, phrase A2). In sonatas and repeated “hiharin” beats on low A. style, which do not suit it. It was widely Lyrical Interlaced movements, the sec- 44 The Voice • Spring 2005 MUSIC ond half begins with a development sec- design group conveniently includes schema is of sufficient interest in itself tion, C-, which can extend into some works that don’t fit into any other cat- that, often, little or no modification of or all of the 6th eighth—hence the dash egory. It is, in effect, a set of variations the component phrases occurs—they between C and A in the schema. When on the 1st quarter. This theme within are simply repeated according to the the opening material re-emerges, -A B a theme is reworked and transformed schema. This is the case in “Struan A’, this is known as the recapitulation. in the course of the Ùrlar, just as the Robertson’s Salute” (Example 6), which Unlike most sonatas, the recapitulation Ùrlar is reworked and transformed in is also typical in having a B phrase that of Lyrical Interlaced works is dovetailed the course of the pibroch. Well-known climbs higher than the A phrase. Other into the development, creating a seam- examples of this design are “The Finger examples include “Lament for the Old less melodic flow. The dovetail joint in Lock” (1: 8), “The MacLeods’ Salute” Sword” (3: 77), “The Pride of Barra” Example 4 (phrase A3) is a fine example (12: 372), “Lament for Donald of Lag- (5: 151), and “Lament for Patrick Og of melodic craftsmanship. gan” (8: 219), and “Lament for Mary MacCrimmon” (3: 83). The last eighth of the schema, A’, MacLeod” (5: 155). has an apostrophe mark because the “The Unjust Incarceration” (2: 42) PHRASE ELONGATION recapitulation always incorporates a has a 5th “quarter,” and perhaps this In many types of music, composers do surprise, something to startle the lis- is the composer, Iain Dall, expressing not want phrase lengths to be regular tener. Western classical composers did indignation against authority, but it throughout the composition. In most exactly the same thing, generating mu- provides one of the clearest examples dance music, regularity of phrase is es- sical shocks of varying kinds to keep the of the progressive, dramatic build-up sential, but in pure music, like pibroch, audience engaged, and to announce the typical of this group. Each of its five there is no such requirement. On the end of a formal unit. The surprise event “quarters” grows out of the previous contrary, techniques to vary phrase in “Hihorodo hao” occurs in the last one, brilliantly evoking human anguish, lengths and metre are found in every bar where, instead of G-B-D, we have welling up to new emotional heights on great composer’s toolbox. The craft of A-B-E. This marks the culmination each pass. pibroch is no exception. of a process in which phrase A is com- Usually, the first two quarters In their pre-MacKay settings, the pletely transformed in four progressive in Progressive works are identical, or B phrases of “The Piper’s Warning to steps (highlighted in Example 4). This nearly so, and melodic transformation His Master” are elongated from 4 to transformation creates a sense of musi- becomes serious only in the second 6 beats (Example 7). This Rounded cal achievement and has an uplifting half. The most common type of pro- Lyrical design is regular in every other emotional effect. gression, from quarter to quarter, is the respect, and I am not convinced that Despite being a small group, the “lifting” of a few notes by one or more the elongation of the B phrases is suf- works in the Lyrical Interlaced design scale degrees (as seen in the transfor- ficiently unusual in seventeenth-cen- family are rich in imagination and pro- mation of phrase A in “Hihorodo hao,” tury pibroch to constitute an effective miscuous in their relationships with Example 4). In Example 5, “Lament “Warning.” A similar thing happens in other designs. One of several works for the Young Laird of Dungallon,” the “Sir Ewin Cameron of Locheil’s Salute” that lie on its borderline with other lifted sections are highlighted in red. (Example 8). In each case, the elonga- design families is “The Marquis of Many Progressive works have a tion is carried through the variations. Argyll’s Salute,” in its canntaireachd design that is similar to those in the Examples of this type of metrical sport settings (10: 280). When the “hiharin” Rounded Lyrical design group. The are found in all the major sources, but and “hihorodo” beats are removed, its crucial distinction comes in the final it is not a compositional technique with construction is similar to “The Pretty eighth, which in Rounded Lyrical which Angus MacKay or the Piobai- Dirk” and “Salute to Donald”. Howev- works is a recapitulation, repeating the reachd Society editors were comfort- er, with the cadential beats in place (as 2nd eighth. Progressive works continue able. Every example of it, apart from the composer intended), it has equally progressing, right to the end.
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