Piobaireachd was originally taught by singing, not by reading music. Long before staff notation, teachers passed tunes to students through vocables — a sung, syllable-based code — and Colin Campbell's 19th-century manuscript is one of the most important surviving records of that tradition.
You learn a vocable system the same way you learn a language — by using it, not by studying it in the abstract. Dr. Peter McCalister makes the case that singing a tune in canntaireachd repeatedly is what actually burns the melody into memory, the same way immersion works for learning to speak French.
Small differences in the sung syllables can carry real musical meaning. The precise vocable Colin Campbell chose for a given phrase can point to subtle differences in expression and timing that standard staff notation simply has no way to show.
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Special Guest Dr. Peter McCalister
56m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
00:04introducing and today's guest Welcome🔒
03:33canntaireachd? What is🔒
05:47Colin behind history manuscript Campbell's The🔒
08:01manuscript How the was rediscovered🔒
11:04basic vocables and scale the Singing🔒
16:58a by phrase Working tune through phrase🔒
22:01variation known A only rare from canntaireachd the🔒
30:25language Learning a like canntaireachd🔒
37:36from about the A memorable manuscript story straight learning🔒
46:26Kilberry Book reading: the Recommended introduction🔒
49:40to Remote access and teachers today lessons🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
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joining you. Here Thank go. excited today McAllister. are. looks am we'll to welcome a Peter see you're smaller the good. watching And to we good group very Dr. we Welcome. I Very Everybody like here it on anybody pops And thanks for Peter's… see And if here But if in. replay.
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