Sheet Music: Gillie Callum

TitleGillie Callum
Alternate titlesGhillie Challum
Gille Calium
Keellum Kallum taa fein
Tail Toddle
Scottish Sword Dance
ComposerTraditional Scottish
InstrumentationFlute solo
KeyA major
RangeE4–B5
Time signature4/4
Tempo132 BPM
Performance time1:45
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (54 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (845 kB)
Date added2011-11-18
Last updated2011-11-18
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 0.5 (below average)
Categories
Celtic Music, Reels, Strathspeys, Traditional/Folk

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Friday 18 November 2011

Tune of the Day: Gillie Callum

Traditional Scottish tune

Performance of sword dances in the folklore of Scotland is recorded from as early as the 15th century. In Gillie Callum, the dancer crosses two swords on the ground in an “X” shape, and dances around and within the 4 quarters of it.

This is the tune generally played as a strathspey and reel for the Highland sword dance, and the melody is today familiar in association with a dance in which great care is taken not to displace the crossed swords during the exercise. The origins of the tune are not well documented; its earliest written record is in a manuscript dating back to 1734.