Traditional Scottish Music

Bagpipes Although the Bagpipes are usually thought of as Scottish, the oldest references to bagpipes appear in Alexandria, Egypt, in about 100 B.C. The bagpipes are mentioned in both Roman and Greek writings in about A.D. 100, and they were known over most of Europe by about the ninth century. They have become the Scottish national instrument. Pupils can learn in school and at the Piping college. The World Championships are held in Glasgow every year.

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards The 24 pipers and drummers of this regiment are part time musicians and fulltime soldiers. Military piping originated in the eighteenth century both as a way of giving confidence to troops for battle and for recruiting new soldiers. They have served in all the major theatres of war during the past two centuries including in Iraq where they have suffered two fatalities. They have released a Christmas album called “Spirit of the Glen” and will donate all its record royalties to service charities.

Scottish Whistle The whistle is a simple member of the flute family which has been played for centuries. It was used mostly in the countryside. It was used by a famous busker Wee Willie White who busked the streets of Glasgow in the first half of the 19th century

Scottish Fiddle The Fiddle has been an important musical instrument for nearly 800 years. The Fiddle was the instrument of ordinary folk – easy to carry around and used to accompany singing or dancing at Ceilidh. A Ceilidh is the Gaelic word for a party with music and dancing

Clarsach Clarsach" is the Gaelic word for "small harp“ or the Celtic Harp. These instruments have featured in Scottish history from as early as the eighth and ninth centuries. Most Clan chiefs of the Highlands employed harpers or bards to compose tunes and songs for them. The harping tradition died out in the eighteenth century after the collapse of the clan system. Over the past years, the clarsach has become very popular in Scotland

Accordion The accordion was invented in the 19th century, it is now established as one of the most widely played instruments in Scotland On the piano accordion the tune is played on what looks like a piano keyboard and the chords come from the buttons on the other side.

Scottish Mandolin The mandolin is being used more frequently by traditional Scottish musicians