Puirt-à-beul: the vocal dance music of the Scottish Gaels

by Keith Norman MacDonald, William Lamb (Editor)

This book was originally published in 1901 in Solfa, and still remains the only one published on this subject. A valuable book of puirt containing over 120 Gaelic songs, available again to Gaelic singers and musicians in this 2012 edition by Taigh Na Teud.

With accompanying English translations for Gaelic learners and an introduction and historical notes by the editor, Dr William Lamb.

There are 116 songs where words and music are printed together, and 85 of these are puirt. Among these puirt, there are 47 reels, 30 strathspeys, 4 jigs and 4 miscellaneous dance melodies. There are also 12 puirt printed without music and 33 alternative verses dotted throughout the collection.

126 pages, Spiral-bound

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Keith Norman MacDonald (1835 - 1913) was the son of Lieutenant Charles MacDonald of Ord, Skye and his wife Ann, daughter of Captain Neil MacLeod of Gesto, Skye. Keith Norman was a physician by profession and worked in India before returning to practice for several years in Bath and Fife. He was also for a time resident physician in the Gesto Hospital at Edinbane in Skye. He was a prolific writer on medical subjects.

MacDonald was a collector of Gaelic music and song and a passionate defender of James MacPherson’s Ossian.