Cogadh no Sith (War or peace). Medieval clàrsach ceòl mór - pìobaireachd on the harp
Channel: Simon Chadwick
Date: 2016-07-06

Performed live at All Saints Church Hall, St Andrews, Scotland, 6th July 2016

This is the pibroch tune ‘Cogadh no Sith’, re-imagined as a medieval ceremonial march for the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, to give a flavour of the kind of elaborate, formal, learned music that might have been heard in the great hall at Finlaggan in the 15th century.

Played on the replica of the medieval West Highland / Hebridean clarsach (the ‘Queen Mary’ harp), by historical Gaelic harp specialist Simon Chadwick.

For more information please see http://www.simonchadwick.net/summer

From the programme notes:

Cogadh no Sith – War or Peace
A traditional ‘pibroch’ arranged for the harp, with characteristic variations.

    ’S coma leam, ’s coma leam, 
     alike to me, alike to me,
    cogadh no sith 
    war or peace
    marbhar ’sa cogadh, 
     I’ll be killed in the war
    no crochar ’san t-sith mi 
     or hanged in the peace

The tune is based on a simple eight-line melody with a sequence of twelve variations. Each one is presented twice, first lyrically and then intensely. The  ‘ground’ melody returns after each one. 

The first six variations are in medieval harp style, while the last six are in traditional bagpipe style. The variations gradually increase in difficulty and intensity. Variations seven and eight are played low on the harp for a dramatic change in sound.

The tune was known as the “true gathering of the clans”; it has long been associated with the Scottish regiments, and before then as a military tune played by all of the Highland clans. There is a tradition that it was played in medieval times as a kind of anthem or march for the Lords of the Isles.