The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

140 THE HIGHLANDERS [paPxT i
Where a national disposition towards poetry and recitation
is exhibited by a primitive people, the sister art of
music is seldom found to be wanting, and accordingly
the Highlanders have at all times possessed a peculiarly strong
inclination for melody. The style of the Highland airs is
singular, being chiefly remarkable for its great simplicity,
wildness, and pathos or expression. The scale used is different
from the ordinary or diatonic scale, and is defective, wanting
the fourth and the seventh ; but this very defect gives rise to
the pleasing simplicity and plaintiveness of the Highland
melody, and imparts to their music a character peculiarly
adapted to the nature of their poetry.
The most ancient instrument in use among them appears
to have been the harp ; and although it has been for many
generations unknown, there is little doubt that it was at one
time in very general use throughout the
author of "certain curious matters touching
Highlands.
Scotland in
The
"
1797
says, "
they delight much in musicke, but chiefly in harps and
clarischoes of their own fashion. The strings of the clarischoes
are of brass wire, and the strings of the harps of sinews, which
strings they strike either with their nayles growing long, or
else with an instrument appointed for that use. They take
great pleasure to decke their harps and clarischoes with silver
poor ones that cannot attayne here-
and precious stones ; and
unto, decke them with chrystall."
Innumerable other passages might be quoted to prove the
very general use of the harp in the Highlands, while the records
attest the existence of a numerous race of harpers attached to
the different chiefs. Thus, in the lord high treasurer's accompts
we find the following entries :—
"May loth, 1503. Item to Makberty, the clairsha, to pass
to the Isles, iijk x^.
"Sept.
"
3d, 1506. Item to Maklain's clairsha, ix^.
4, . To
to Duncan Campbell's bard, v^."
Earl of Argyle's clairsha, xiiij^., and
And in a roll of Macnaughtan's soldiers, shipped at Lochkerran,
" nth December, 1627," which has been preserved among the
Morton papers, appears " Harie M'Gra, harper fra Larg." An