Is Choral Singing a Traditional Form of Gaelic singing?
It all depends on how far back one must go before it can be regarded as “traditional” The first formal Gaelic choir to sing in four- part harmony was instituted in St. Columba’s Church, Glasgow in 1872. This choir was the forerunner of a major change in Gaelic tradition where secular Gaelic music, the songs of the people, was harmonised to be sung by a group of people. Although secular Gaelic music had never been harmonised in at least four part harmony prior to 1872, it should not be taken that harmony and choirs were unknown in Scotland. If a choir can be regarded as a gathering of adults and/or children engaged in performing and making music together under the leadership of a conductor, then the religious church choir has been used in the churches for centuries. Secular music had been harmonised for several hundred years and while all of this musical activity was to be highly commended, it only applied to singing in Scots English or one of its variants; it did not apply to Gaelic ei
