This work spans some 3,000 years, dealing with traditional and classical music from the earliest artifacts to the vigorous folk and popular music of Scotland today. But it is not only this awareness of the full historical and cultural perspective of the Scottish music which makes this book so significant; its chronological treatment relates the country's rich wealth of music to its political and artistic history. While placing Scottish music within an international context, the author argues for the existence of a distinct and continuing musical identity in which traditional and classical styles have been uniquely interactive. From the early Celtic instruments and chants, through Nordic influences and medieval ballads, the story of Scottish music unfolds through the ages. The close musical links with France and the Low Countries are given a new perspective, while the influence of the Gaelic-speaking West of Scotland's music in the Enlightenment and Romantic periods is shown in a completely new light.