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 previews, and to where a PDF file can be purchased for download.

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.

Alistair McAlistair   (Ref. 573)

A nighean bhàin nach duilich dhuit   (Ref. 467)

Are Ye Sleeping, Maggie  (Ref. 506)

Balmoral Castle  (Ref. 354)

Bheil An Cadal Ort  (Are You Sleeping)  (Ref. 334)  

Blythe, Blythe And Merry Was She  (Ref. 527) 

Bonnybridge  (Ref. 358)               

Calum Beag  (Ref. 418)

Calum's Road  (Ref. 639)

Cameron's Got His Wife Again  (Ref. 661) 

Captain Horne  (Ref. 350)

Castles In The Air   (Ref. 863)

Clach na Cùdainn  (Stone Of The Tubs)  (Ref. 356)

Corriemonie's Rant  (Ref. 655)

Cuttie's Wedding  (Ref. 769)

Delvin Side  (Ref. 587)   

Doon The Burn, Davie Lad  (Ref. 530)

Drumgarry  (Ref. 671) 

Duke Of Gordon  (Ref. 584)

Duncan Davidson  (Ref. 653)

Earl Grey  (Ref. 666)

Earl Of Home  (Ref. 586)

Fear à Phige  (Ref. 335) 

Forbes Morrison  (Ref. 680)  

George The Fourth  (Ref. 684)   

Gettin' Up Steam  (Ref. 331)  

Gille Chaluim  (Ref. 745)   

Glasgow Highlanders  (Ref. 357)   

Gloomy Winter's Noo Awa'  (Ref. 541)

Green Grow the Rashes O  (Ref. 546)

Harvest Home  (Ref. 787)   

Highland Whisky  (Ref. 344)

I bhi ada  (What To Do)  (Ref. 333)

Jenny's Bawbee  (Ref. 555)

Jessie Smith  (Ref. 659)    

Kafoozalum  (Ref. 343)    

Kirrie Kebbuck  (Ref. 693)    

Lady Ann Hope  (Ref. 667)

Lady Madelina Sinclair  (Ref. 649)

Lady Mary Ramsay  (Ref. 579)

Lasses Look Before You  (Ref. 589)

Lord Lovat's Welcome   (Ref. 841)

Lord Lyndoch  (Ref. 656)

Loudon's Bonnie Woods And Braes  (Ref. 502)

MacKenzie Hay  (Ref. 695) 

Madge Wildfire's Strathspey  (Ref. 355)

Maid Of Islay  (Ref. 712)   

Marchioness Of Huntly  (Ref. 599)

Miss Admiral Gordon   (Ref. 041)          

Miss Campbell Of Saddell  (Ref. 782) 

Miss Drummond Of Perth  (Ref. 641)

Miss Lyall  (Ref. 647) 

Mrs Garden Of Troup   (Ref. 822)

Monymusk  (Ref. 643) 

Muileann Dubh  (Black Mill)  (Ref. 336)

My Boy Tammy  (Ref. 501) 

My Heart Is Sair  (Ref. 503)

Neil Gow  (Ref. 642) 

Neil Gow's Second Wife  (Ref. 601)   

O Nannie Wilt Thou Gang Wi' Me  (Ref. 494)

Orange And Blue  (Ref. 351)

Peter Baillie  (Ref. 669)

Port à beul  (Ref. 337) 

Rothiemurchus Rant  (Ref. 721)

Roy's Wife Of Aldivalloch  (Ref. 543) 

Sabhal Iain 'Ic Ùisdean  (John MacEwan's Barn)  (Ref. 338)

South Of The Grampians  (Ref. 664) 

Stirling Castle  (Ref. 575)   

St. Kilda Wedding  (Ref. 416)

Struan Robertson's Rant  (Ref. 577)  

Stumpie  (Ref. 581)    

Susan Steven Of Tower House  (Ref. 332) 

Tha mi sgith  (Ref. 405) 

The Auld Toon O' Ayr  (Ref. 645)

The Birks Of Aberfeldy  (Ref. 542)  

The Birks Of Invermay   (Ref. 808) 

The Braes Aboon Bonaw  (Ref. 564)  

The Braes O' Tullimet  (Ref. 345)  

The Braes O' Mar  (Ref. 346)  

The Brig O' Perth  (Ref. 726)

The Devil In The Kitchen  (Ref. 447) 

The Fiddler's Joy   (Ref. 797)

The Haughs O' Cromdale  (Ref. 574)

The Highlanders' Farewell  (Ref. 682) 

The Keel Row  (Ref. 340) 

The Lad Wi' The Plaidie  (Ref. 342)

The Laird O' Drumblair  (Ref. 629)

The Marquis Of Huntly  (Ref. 602)

The Marquis Of Huntly's Farewell  (Ref. 704) 

The Marquis Of Huntly's Highland Fling  (Ref. 424) 

The Miller O' Drone  (Ref. 663) 

The Miller O' Hirn  (Ref. 698)

The North Inch  (Ref. 580)   

The Red-Haired Girl Of Tulloch  (Ref. 359)   

The Reel Of Tulloch  (Ref. 349) 

The Road To The Isles  (Ref. 348)   

The Smith's A Gallant Fireman  (Ref. 582) 

The Wind That Shakes The Barley  (Ref. 347) 

There's Nae Luck Aboot The Hoose  (Ref. 522) 

Tobermory Bay   (Ref. 213)

Tulchan Lodge  (Ref. 675) 

Tullochgorum  (Ref. 591)

Wha Widnae Fecht For Charlie  (Ref. 341)   

Within A Mile Of Edinburgh Town  (Ref. 516)     

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