The "Companion"
to
The "How To" Piobaireachd Manual
Devised, Arranged, Compiled and Published entirely by
Major Archie Cairns, MMM, CD
As suggested by many Pipers, I have written out some tunes with the same method of staff notation I used in the excerpts and examples in my Piobaireachd Manual. This being that, aside from the notation, in most tunes I only write out Phrases that are repeated ONCE, although in a few tunes complete Lines are written out. I selected 30 tunes of varying constructions and degrees of difficulty, including the 3 types - Conventional, Breabach and Fosgailte.
The methodology being that the Piper, having learned "How To" in the Piobaireachd Manual, he/she would use the skills/information/ concepts/ material gleaned from the Manual to assist in reading, understanding, memorizing and playing the tunes in The "Companion".
I want to stress that, in writing this book, I am in NO WAY stating that the settings or methods of staff notation in the published works of the Piobaireachd Society, Kilberry's Ceol Mor, and/or any other books of piobaireachd, are incorrect or inferior to what I have written. I am just providing a somewhat different type of notation and presentation of the tunes.
Although the settings of some of these tunes differ from those published in other books, they are what I was taught by my 3 teachers - my father, Pipe Major John Knox Cairns, Pipe Major John Wilson and (mainly) Captain John MacLellan, MBE. Together with some of my interpretations, these settings are what I have played and/or taught for over 60 years.
Just as I stated in the "How To" Piobaireachd Manual that "it is NOT a "do-it-yourself" book", the same applies to The "Companion." An experienced piobaireachd instructor is recommended in order to learn the many subtleties and nuances in our "big music."
On the CD, I play (on the practice chanter) SOME of the Phrases and Lines from EVERY tune to demonstrate the interpretation of what is written. It is then Up To YOU, following the instructions reference the construction, to put the tune together. This system has proven to be very successful in the memorizing and playing of a tune. NONE of the 30 tunes are played in their entirety for, to do so, I feel would make the printed settings of little use. For all you would need is my recording of each complete tune, and this would defeat the purpose of The "Companion."
Example Pages:
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