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Two quicksteps, Triall Lochiall and The Celtic Society's Quickstep, played on an early instrument by Decker Forrest (audio clip)

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Two quicksteps, Triall Lochiall and The Celtic Society's Quickstep, played on an early instrument by Decker Forrest (audio clip)
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Two examples of quicksteps, tunes which appear to have originated in the early 19th Century, and which came to be particularly associated with the army, and the rapid movement of troops on the march.

The first tune Triall Lochiall is contained in the manuscript collection of Queen Victoria's piper Angus MacKay; the second, The Celtic Society's Quickstep, is from the Complete tutor for the great Highland bagpipe published by William MacKay in 1840. William MacKay was a Sutherland man who was piper to the Celtic Society in Edinburgh.

The music for the Great Highland Bagpipe began to be recorded in written form in the 18th century, initially in song and fiddle collections. The first known book on Highland pipe music and 'pibroch' was written by Joseph MacDonald about 1760 but, since he died in India in 1763, his manuscript remained relatively unknown until recently. The first collection of tunes in full bagpipe notation was by the bagpipe maker, Donald MacDonald, who published his Collection of Ancient Martial Music of Caledonia called Piobaireachd about 1820. Further collections followed, notably Angus Mackay's Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd or Highland Pipe Music published in Edinburgh in 1838, and increasingly books of 'light music' such as David Glen's Collection of Highland Bagpipe Music in 17 parts between 1876 and 1911. The number of pipers in Scotland was increasing and players were becoming musically literate. The art of playing the Great Highland Bagpipe passed from an oral tradition into printed books.

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