Conclusion
Cumha Bharúin Loch Mór shows some important stylistic congruence with either Fairy Queen or
Port Priest or with stylistic details of the MSS in which the latter are found.
In the 1792/3 version of the cumha, these are:-
tendency to magadise
tendency of the 3rd to appear between the two hands when the melody note is the third
note of a hypothetical triad
5th between the two hands
occasional chords:
4th in the treble (glas)
3rd in the treble (boilsgean)
staggering of melody over octaves
In the 1840 version, more potential evidence appears, some of which is stylistically relatable to the
other pieces or to other music from the manuscripts they are found in, and some of which is found
in other examples of Bunting's most primitive notations:-
predominance of magadising
octave doubling in the bass
3rd in the bass (ladhar láir: 1,2)
5th in the bass
8ve in the bass (glas: +,3 or ladhar: 1,3)
4th and 5th in the bass (perhaps seen at the beginning of section 2 of Port Priest)
3rd, 4th & 5th in the bass (lán chrobh: +,1,2,3 arpeggio)
'open' gracings in the treble
staggering of melody between the two hands
bass arpeggio chords at the end of phrases or sections
Fairy Queen, Port Priest & Cumha Bharúin Loch Mór embody styles arising out of certain musical
environments with their own functioning rules. These environments and rules are more similar to
each other than to our musical environment and rules today, and are perhaps more regional and
less international.
These articles can only examine in detail a small number of pieces. More widely sourced study
accrues more detail of the cross-references between the harmonic characteristics of such pieces,
and readers are encouraged to investigate for themselves and learn the traditional known
repertoire of the Gaelic harp. The sources are specific to Ireland and Scotland and can be seen
stylistically to have a degree of national character when contrasted with harp, lute and keyboard
music elsewhere in western Europe.
There is considerable scepticism about the possibility that one can know anything substantial about
how the Gaelic harp was played. Some believe that Bunting's notations and evidence in this matter
are mostly fake, inconclusive or unverifiable. I hope these articles help to contradict such ideas.
Cumha Bharúin Loch Mór
Conclusion