Capercaille

• Bodhrán-Irish drum struck with the hand or a double ended stick called a "tipper."
• Bouzouki-Greek string instrument with four groups of two strings tuned in unison or octaves.
• Concertina-Similar to an accordian but smaller.
• Hurdy Gurdy-Similar shape to a violin but played by rotating wheel in contact with the strings. Pitch of strings is changed by a set of keys rather than direct contact with the fingers.
  
• Uillean pipes-Similar to the bagpipes, but using bellows operated by the elbow. Produces a sweeter and quieter sound than bagpipes.
  

• Nadurra was released in September 2000.
• The line-up was acclaimed as a "match made in heaven" because of their individual virtuosity on their own instruments, and the way they worked so well together. 
  
• This particular line-up stayed together for years. 
• Donald Shaw: accordion, piano, synth
• Michael McGoldrick: flutes, whistle, uillean pipes
• Karen Matheson: vocals
• Ewan Vernal: acoustic & electric bass
• Charlie McKerron: fiddle
• Manus Lunny: bouzouki, guitar, bodhrán, vocals
• James MacKintosh: drums, percussion

• Starts with sustained keyboard chord which hints at key of E minor. 
• Fiddle joins in with tremolo note (mainly for effect).
• Drum and 2nd keyboard sound join after a few bars working in counterpoint with the bouzouki. 
• Bass plays staccato almost imperceptible notes working as though one instrument with bass drum. 
• By the end of the sequence, the key is established as Em-G.
• The time signature is ambiguous - seems as though it should be 6/8 or 12/8 but the hi-hat and shaker give it more of a triple time effect. 

Verse 1

• The instruments continue in the same way as they for the introduction. 
• Voice enters to sing first line of verse.
• Voice sings characteristic lilting rhythm.
• Lilting rhythm of voice works against what the other instruments are playing which makes the time signature still a little ambiguous. 

Break

• Backing instruments continue.
• Fiddle becomes slightly more prominent, but still concentrates on the effects not melody. 

Verse 2

• Voice begins to establish itself as the main rhythmic feature. 
• The voice sets the 12/8 time signature. 

Verse 3

• Continues seamlessly from verse 2.
• Last line is sung unaccompanied, this serves as a link for verse 4.

Verse 4

• Accordion joins in with strummed accompaniment on acoustic guitar/bouzouki.
• Backing vocals join in for nonsense syllables, leaving main singer for lyrics.
  
• Drum clearly setting 12/8 time along with rest of band.
• Bass part now has more substance than previous parts.
• Chord sequence changes to C-G-Em-G for harmonic effect. 

Verse 5

• Accordion provides counterpoint melodies to vocal.

Verse 6

• Same as verse 5

Instrumental

• The uillean pipes and fiddle play a solo in a heterophonic texture.
  
• Accordion provides accompaniment and occasional melodic doubling.
• The instruments (especially accordion) emphasise the 2nd and 5th beats which adds rhythmic interest.
  

Verse 7

• Chord sequence changes to Am7-Em-Em-G for 1 verse.
• Dynamics drop considerably with all instruments for intimate vocal sound.
• All instruments drop out for the last line to add contrast.
  

Verse 8

• Chord sequence returns to C-G-Em-G.
• Full band plays.
  

Outro

• Vocals improvise to nonsense syllables as instruments weave counterpoint with each other.
• Chord sequence alternates between C and G for the rest of the song.
  
• A long fade out brings the song to an end.
  

End of song.

• Harmony in this style is less important than melody and rhythm. The harmony is simple throughout but the few changes in the chord sequence are clear.
• Melodic lines are played in folk style. The instruments improvise around the melody simultaneously, sometimes playing a very similar melody in slightly different ways which creates a heterophonic texture. They also sometimes weave an improvised counterpoint around the melody and scale (G major)
• The vocal part is sung using the scale of E minor pentatonic (or G minor pentatonic) throughout.