STRATHSPEYS, SCHOTTISCHES AND PUIRT À BEUL

     Titles for strathspeys, schottisches and puirt à beul are listed alphabetically in this section of the Sheet Music Catalogue, with links to audio samples and the store where items can be viewed and purchased. 

     The strathspey is a slow graceful dance named after the Strathspey region of Scotland and is one of the dance types in Scottish country dancing.  Its music, in 4/4 time, is characterised by frequent use of the ‘Scotch Snap’, a short-long rhythmic figure, ideally suited to a peculiar bowing technique of the fiddle.

     The schottische is a partnered country dance of continental-European origin. The Highland Schottische is a combination of the common schottische and a variant of the reel. (A variation popular in Argyll in the 1920s and '30s focused on showing the man's dancing abilities and as such became known as a form of ‘peacock dance'.)  

     In Scottish Country Dancing, the Highland Schottische setting step is a special setting step, taking twice as long as the Strathspey setting step but in the ceilidh dance Schottische it is performed at about twice the pace!  Hence the sometimes use of fast pipe march tunes in 2/4 time.

     The Scottish Gaelic term port à beul refers to 'a tune from a mouth', specifically a cheerful tune.  Puirt à beul (plural) have sometimes been used for dancing when no instruments were available.   Usually, the genre involves the performer(s) singing lighthearted, often bawdy lyrics, although these are sometimes replaced with meaningless vocables.  The rhythm and sound of the song often have more importance than the depth or even sense of the lyrics.

.
ref. 573     audio sample     store     Alistair McAlistair

ref. 467     audio sample     store     A Nighean Bhàn Nach Duilich Dhuit (O Fair-Haired Girl, How Sad For You)

ref. 506     audio sample     store     Are Ye Sleeping, Maggie

ref. 645     audio sample     store     Auld Toon O' Ayr, The

ref. 354     audio sample     store     Balmoral Castle

ref. 334     audio sample     store     Bheil An Cadal Ort (Are You Sleeping)

ref. 542     audio sample     store     Birks Of Aberfeldy, The

ref. 527     audio sample     store     Blythe, Blythe And Merry Was She

ref. 358     audio sample     store     Bonnybridge

ref. 564     audio sample     store     Braes Aboon Bonaw, The  

ref. 345     audio sample     store     Braes O' Tullimet, The

ref. 346     audio sample     store     Braes O' Mar, The

ref. 418     audio sample     store     Calum Beag

ref. 639     audio sample     store     Calum's Road

ref. 661     audio sample     store     Cameron's Got His Wife Again  

ref. 350     audio sample     store     Captain Horne

ref. 356     audio sample     store     Clach na Cudain

ref. 655     audio sample     store     Corriemonie's Rant

ref. 587     audio sample     store     Delvin Side

ref. 447     audio sample     store     Devil In The Kitchen, The

ref. 530     audio sample     store     Doon The Burn, Davie Lad

ref. 584     audio sample     store     Duke Of Gordon

ref. 653     audio sample     store     Duncan Davidson

ref. 586     audio sample     store     Earl Of Home

ref. 335     audio sample     store     Fear à Phige (The Whisky Still Man)

ref. 331     audio sample     store     Gettin' Up Steam

ref. 357     audio sample     store     Glasgow Highlanders

ref. 541     audio sample     store     Gloomy Winter's Noo Awa'

ref. 546     audio sample     store     Green Grow the Rashes O

ref. 574     audio sample     store     Haughs O' Cromdale, The

ref. 344     audio sample     store     Highland Whisky

ref. 333     audio sample     store     I Bhi A Ta (What To Do)

ref. 555     audio sample     store     Jenny's Bawbee

ref. 659     audio sample     store     Jessie Smith

ref. 343     audio sample     store     Kafoozalum

ref. 340     audio sample     store     Keel Row, The

ref. 342     audio sample     store     Lad Wi' The Plaidie, The

ref. 649     audio sample     store     Lady Madelina Sinclair

ref. 579     audio sample     store     Lady Mary Ramsay

ref. 629     audio sample     store     Laird O' Drumblair, The

ref. 589     audio sample     store     Lasses Look Before You

ref. 656     audio sample     store     Lord Lyndoch

ref. 502     audio sample     store     Loudon's Bonnie Woods And Braes

ref. 355     audio sample     store     Madge Wildfire's Strathspey

ref. 599     audio sample     store     Marchioness Of Huntly

ref. 602     audio sample     store     Marquis Of Huntly, The

ref. 424     audio sample     store     Marquis Of Huntly's Highland Fling, The

ref. 663     audio sample     store     Miller O' Drone, The

ref. 641     audio sample     store     Miss Drummond Of Perth

ref. 647     audio sample     store     Miss Lyall

ref. 643     audio sample     store     Monymusk

ref. 336     audio sample     store     Muileann Dubh (Black Mill)

ref. 501     audio sample     store     My Boy Tammy

ref. 503     audio sample     store     My Heart Is Sair

ref. 642     audio sample     store     Neil Gow

ref. 601     audio sample     store     Neil Gow's Second Wife

ref. 580     audio sample     store     North Inch, The

ref. 494     audio sample     store     O Nannie Wilt Thou Gang Wi' Me

ref. 351     audio sample     store     Orange And Blue

ref. 337     audio sample     store     Port à Beul

ref. 359     audio sample     store     Red-Haired Girl Of Tulloch, The

ref. 349     audio sample     store     Reel Of Tulloch, The

ref. 348     audio sample     store     Road To The Isles, The

ref. 543     audio sample     store     Roy's Wife Of Aldivalloch

ref. 338     audio sample     store     Sabhal Iain 'Ic Uisdean (John MacEwan's Barn)

ref. 582     audio sample     store     Smith's A Gallant Fireman, The

ref. 575     audio sample     store     Stirling Castle

ref. 416     audio sample     store     St. Kilda Wedding

ref. 577     audio sample     store     Struan Robertson's Rant

ref. 581     audio sample     store     Stumpie

ref. 332     audio sample     store     Susan Steven Of Tower House

ref. 405     audio sample     store     Tha Mi Sgith (I Am Tired)

ref. 522     audio sample     store     There's Nae Luck Aboot The Hoose

ref. 591     audio sample     store     Tullochgorum

ref. 341     audio sample     store     Wha Widnae Fecht For Charlie

ref. 347     audio sample     store     Wind That Shakes The Barley, The

ref. 516     audio sample     store     Within A Mile Of Edinburgh Town

return to sheet music catalogue

return to home page