A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

90
BISTORT OF THE HIGHLANDS
whether ghe is the mother or daughter of poetry, or, in other words,
whether music or poetry be the older art. Such a discussion appears to
be neither instructive nor amusing, and may therefore be passed over
with tliis simple remark, tiiat the kindred and sister arts of poetry and
music, are undoubtedly almo>t coeval in their origin. Among the
Celts the science of music was cultivated witli great care, and formed
u, branch of the education of the Bards. Some remains of the songs
of the Druids are said still to exist,* and it is alleged that the chaunt-
ing of the Druidical precepts in times of paganism, was imitated by tiie
early Cliristians, This is indeed extremely probable. The primitive
Christians did not, for many ages, devote their attention to the improvement
of the melody of the church, and in the east they are supposeii to
have long followed tlie music of the synagogue. The Gregorian
chaunt, as used in the Catholic ciiurches at V^espers, is conjectured to
be nearly the same as that used by the Jews, with some trifling variations,
made by St. Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, and afterwards still far-
ther improved by Pope Gregory the Great, from whom the nmsic de
rives its present nanie.f
The great characteristius of the Gaelic music, are, its simplicity, ten-
derness, and expression. All the ancient music is distinguished by the
first quality; for the complex movements and intricate notes of modern
composers were unknown to antiquity: but the latter qualities, which may
be termed national, in as much as they are dependant upon the genius
and character of a people, and the structure of language, are peculiar
attributes of the music of the Highlanders. " The Welsh, the Scots,
and the Irish, have all melodies of a simple sort, which, as they are
connected together by cognate marks, evince at once their relationship
and antiquity."J
The ancient Scottish scale consists of six notes, as shown in the an
nexed exemplification, No. 1. The lowest note. A, was afterwards
added to admit of the minor key in wind instruments. The notes in
the Diatonic scale. No. '1, were added about the beginning of the fif-
teenth century, and when music arrived at its present state of perfection,
the notes in the Chromatic scale. No. 3, were further added. Although
many of the Scottish airs have had the notes last mentioned introduced
into them, to please modern taste, they can be played without them,
and without altering the character of the melody. Any person who
imderstands the ancient scale can at once detect the later additions.
-f -#- • Q K C
A C
• Logan's Scottish Gat'I. Vol. 1 1
.
f l*he Gregorian song consists of eight tones, of which four are called authentic and
four are said to be plagal. The former are confined to an octave; the plagal desri^nds
from the lower octave to the fourth below.
t Caledonia I. 476.