OT: 26 July 1930 – Consistent “Toarludh and Crunludh Movements in Piobaireachd”

The Oban Times, 26 July, 1930

Toarludh and Crunludh Movements in Piobaireachd

London, 21 July, 1930

Sir,–We are asked to accept the statement, made in your last issue by Mr. Somerled MacDonald, that the Canntaireachd vocables for the Toarludh beat contain but one syllable!

When Mr. MacDonald can really satisfy us that the words “hin-dir-in,” “ho-dro-ho,” “ha-dir-it,” etc., contain but one syllable, then, perhaps, we can accept his dictum regarding the “so-called” superfluous A, but I am much afraid not, before he can satisfy us that such words and the corresponding words in Nether Lorn Canntaireachd can be pronounced ever so quickly in the one syllable he refers to!

Mr. MacDonald states that Joseph MacDonald did not write Iuludh with a superfluous A. This is certainly true, for the A he shows is not superfluous. This is, however, not perhaps what Mr. MacDonald met. That Joseph MacDonald shows the middle A is perfectly clear to any unbiased and impartial student, vide his “March” for a beginner at the end of his book, where both the Iuludh or Toarludh (call it what you will, but it is the variation in question) and the Crunludh beats show the middle A beyond question.–I am, etc.,

Consistent