A Celtic Journey

"You may have noticed how I avoided using the widespread term Celtic music because it doesn't really exist as a genre but only as a style. Very little is known about the Celtic people, given the habit of not handing down history and traditions in writing but only orally. Knowledge was the property of two social categories of people: druids and bards. The former were shamans who had great power in the tribal communities while the latter were equally powerful and esteemed musicians and poets. Therefore, due to this unique feature, little is left of that ancient civilization except a few rare archaeological finds and a few writings. We actually know much more about this people from the narratives of Greek and Roman writers than from direct sources. However, the musical tradition of this particular culture has been handed down almost intact thanks to the efforts of musicians who have perpetuated the unmistakable style of that music mostly played in the areas populated by Celtic tribes: Brittany, Wales, Scotland and Ireland."

(Pietro Malaguti - Metodo pratico per l'apprendimento della cornamusa scozzese) ISBN 978-88-31610-74-2