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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TAORLUATH, n. [Gael. poss. f. teòr(a), Old Gael., three, or saor, free; noble, or perh. f. taobh side; secondary + lùthadh, lùth, power; movement.] A variation in pibroch, usu. the next-to-last, preceding the crunluath, in which the prominent theme notes of the melody are each followed by a sequence of grace notes (s.v. grace note) leading into the note low A (or low G) for contrast; the combination of grace notes characterising the taorluath variation.Sc. 1925 John P. Grant ed Archibald Campbell and John P. Grant Piobaireachd[,] 12 Tunes edited by Comunn na Piobaireachd v:
The symbol for the Taorluath beat is darid, e.g., hodarid, hadarid. Taorluath to low G is darem, e.g., hiodarem.Sc. 1953 James Robertson and Donald Shaw Ramsay Master Method for the Highland Bagpipe ca. 73:
TAORLUATH—Generally follows the first or second variation and is followed by the Crunluath movement.m.Sc. 1976 Walter Perrie A Lamentation for the Children (1977) 31:
The urlar has been stated and has given way before the taorluath's inevitability and the pipe now rings, vibrates and sings to the crunluath's furious ecstasy.Sc. 1988 Roderick D. Cannon The Highland Bagpipe and its Music (1990) 59:
Finally comes the ‘Crunluath’, or more properly, Crùnlùth. Again, the true meaning of the word is not known, but ‘crowning movement’ is not a bad description. The Crunluath beat is an extension of the Taorluath beat, a fast ripple of grace notes ending on the note E. The Crunluath variation always follows the Taorluath note for note, and if one has a doubling, so does the other: