Letters(3): LBPS Survey(5): Melrose 2004(8): Bagpipes Border Pipes (conclusion)(11): Harmonic Proportion(17): Celtic Connections(20): Security(23): Insurance(25): Competition Music(29): Reviews(33): hardness she says. I get my cane from LETTERS Medir in Spain which has to be similar to the French grown Arundo Donax From Jim Eaton and would not cause the difficulty in Berwickshire gouging she mentions using my On my house stairway wall I have a gouging block with thickness guides. I collection of framed prints of would be interested to know if other Pipers, which include the Highland reed makers have found such a wide Piper to the Laird of Grant by Waitt, variation in hardness of cane. the Lowland piper by Wilkie, the Lowland piper from Glen s book, Geordy Sime by Kay, and also the From Iain Maclnnes French piper who appeared on the Edinburgh cover of the last issue [Vol 18 No.2] EDITORIAL Jock Agnew has made an admirable pipes in the same key and for pipes in of Common Stock. The cover picture was taken specially for different keys (e.g. in A and D). If job of transcribing the talks from the Common Stock by Ted Milburn, who you have any favourites you would Melrose Collogue, and of editing the This beautiful painting is by lives practically opposite the statue. like included please forward them to texts to manageable proportions Hyacinthe Rigaud who is perhaps Reviewed in this issue are four me. (Common Stock Volume 18, No 2). To best remembered for his impressive new CDs, several of which include or Back numbers of Common avoid future confusion, though, could I picture of King Louis XIV wearing even feature Border pipes and Border Stock are still available, from the very take this opportunity to provide a more his State robes. music. And Gordon Mooney has just first edition to the current publication. detailed transcription of the material I Most of the early volumes are released a new CD Time Out ofMind on quoted from the George Skene photocopies of their former selves, The subject here playing the the Border which, though too late to be manuscript of 1729, incorporating the and the postage costs continue to rise. bagpipes, with a keyed chanter, included here, will be reviewed in the original spelling and punctuation. December issue. So it is proposed to copy the first 10 shuttle drones and square bellows, is The Melrose teaching weekend volumes onto CDs, which will save in President Gaspard de Gueiden, The manuscript, which is held in the may be behind us (for this year - see the postage and storage space. They will Attorney-General of the Aix National Library of Scotland, is report by Nigel Bridges elsewhere in this probably be available at the end of Parliament, off-duty. His dog on the entitled An Account of a Journey to issue), but other venues and dates are still the year. lower right hand side is obviously London with the particular Rout by available -- a weekend in Dundee (July), News has just come through of fascinated by the sound. the LBPS Summer School in Ayr the proposed closure of the Chantry Thomas Burnett of Kirkhill, George Bagpipe Museum in Morpeth. If you Skene of that Ilk, and David Skene, (August), and a day of piping in Cumbria The original painting hangs at the are concerned do please write and tell his Brother-German, with one (November). Details are on the back Musee Granet, Aix-en-Provence, cover. the Council - enough interest might Servant and our own Horses [NLS which is near Marseilles. It is planned to produce a follow save it. MS 3806]. up to the Suggested Session Tunes. This Jock Agnew [email protected] 11 lilting Lane, Langford Maldon, time it is intended to focus on duets, for The two passages which I quoted Essex. CM9 tiQB From Colin Ross . appear in Skene s original manuscript !" , E- .- Monkseaton as follows: I found Ann Sessom s remarks about the relative hardness or softness of At West Linton, on September 8 th cane in the interview article [CS Vol 1729: "we were plagu d here wt. My 18 No 2] interesting as there cannot La. Murray s Chaplain, I say My be the degree of difference in Lady s because My Lord is only her
3 Echoe, the parson pray d when I sweeter on them wt. greater varies play d on the pipe and reckon d us than on his own. In a word he make Reprobates, pray d audibly two or LBPS SURVEY RESULTS more out, of variety in all parts wt. th Rona Macdonald three times by break of day, and Double Small one, than I thought cou drank alone three chopins of wine. possibly have been made of any sma Earlier in the year we asked members to complete a survey, which we Linton as I cou d learn is only one, he beat humphry at London hoped would give us better information about the make up of the famous for a weekly sheep high German, being sent for express o membership itself and an indication what your wishes were for the future mercate...." a wager of 1000 Libs sterl. beat th direction of the Society. In all we have about 300 members and nearly famous fellow at Newcastle wa 100 of you responded, which is fantastic and makes the exercise a valid At Penrith, on September 12 th 1729: formally crown d King of the piper one. So, thanks to all who sent back their form. there." "We see on a lisle round hill 9 miles This is what we learned: The average age of Society members is 57. off a pillar, call d the Beacon of George Skene s account was firs Other instruments played: Highland pipes 40, Northumbrian pipes 12, Penrith, just above the town, upon transcribed by Mr A.T McRobert of Uilleann pipes 5, whistle/flute/recorder 25, Accordion 6, piano 7, wc. we steir d it coming several Aberdeen, and appeared in th( guitar/mandola/banjo 15, fiddle 6, oboe 2 and a whole host of other ti mes in view, we lighted at the Miscellany of The Third Spalding instruments had one player each. Crown in Penrith, Mr. Nelson, a Club [Volume II] very good quarter, and here we got in 1940. In checking McRobert : 60 people indicated they would like to receive email newsletters and the famous piper James Bell, who transcription communications, but you were not so sure about an online payment against the original, ] system, with 36 of those 60 people saying they would not use this. plays exceeding fine upon the Small -found it to be highly accurate, other pipe doss hand but plays beyond fhan his omission of the words "I do It seems that the majority of LBPS members still come from the Highland the whole world I may say upon the not like his play upon the big pipe" in piping community: Highland 55, Other pipes 6, Other instrument 17 and Double Small pipe I do not like his the account of Skene s meeting with those coming from scratch 12. play upon the big pipe he following James Bell. The inclusion of these the small pipe manner not words helps make better sense of the How you found out about the Society however, is altogether more winding them even, thinking it a passage in question. In our discussion diverse. The one thing which did come out of this question is that word grace on the big one, tho he winds at the collogue, Roderick of mouth seems to be the most effective means of communication - so Cannon we are responsible for our own survival - please make sure you tell your the small one fine, yet he has some raised the interesting possibility that very clever touches graces on the Skene s description of a big pipe "wc piping friends to join up. Big pipe, upon the small one a is so flatt that it tunes to the violine" Awareness of bellows pipes in general great many beautiful] ones, peculiar might in fact be a reference to an early From early members 33 (names cited included H Moore, R Greensitt, G only to himself, he brought wt. him pastoral (r pipe. Mooney, M Rowan, J Agnew, J Goodacre and A Jones) besides his big one wc. is so flatt Through Northumbrian related activities 9 (B Pigg, C Ross, J Armstrong) that it tunes to the violine, two set of In the question of spelling, could From Highland pipe sources 3. Piping Times adverts 2. Media (radio/TV Double Small pipes and two sett of I also point out that (elsewhere in the etc) 10. Books 3. Other 6 single ones, each differently key d, text) "folk bourdon" should read as showed the same tendency with word of mouth I bought his sharpest double one for "faux bourdon", that Marshall College Awareness of the LBPS outstripping all other methods of communication, although the website, David we. has three burdens for r Aberdeen is in fact Marischal wc.wt. a as a very recent addition, is catching up fast. From early members 26, bellows pay d half a College,andthatAlexander Northumbrian sources only 4. Classes of instruction 5 (this includes ALP, guinea. He admired the burdens of Campbell s friendly wool-gatherer and North Hero, Glasgow and London classes). Highland pipers 4. PT or my pipe but did not fancy the piping informant rejoiced in the name other adverts 8. Website 11. Other 8 chanter so much however I James Cockburn rather than James The next question was on how long members had been playing a) pipes observ d that he play d better and Copburn. in general and b) bellows pipes. While averages mean very little here, it 4 5
is clear that most members have played other types of pipe a lot longer Events , teaching and publishing all shared 18 votes while playing in than bellows pipes - 27 years and 11 years respectively. public and research had 4 each. Those who wrote any further comment all said that we should be furthering interest in the instrument and its Members seem to have been rather modest about their own playing music, although did not specify how. ability since only 10 indicated that they are professional players, 27 play mainly in sessions or occasionally in public (paid or unpaid) while 42 Our main links (fairly obviously given the background of our members claim to play rarely in public or for own/family entertainment. 7 people above) are seen to be with the Highland piping community (at least as far play seldom and prefer to listen and 1 person said he is now inactive, as the music is concerned) 26, while the instrument is felt to be more and 1 a complete beginner. closely associated with the Northumbrian tradition, 14. 31 people said both were important, 10 said neither, and 5 didn t know. When it comes to pipe making, it is interesting to note that not many people have experimented except with reeds, yet people are willing to Should we be establishing new links with any particular group? try and fix faults with the instrument themselves. The stats are: 10 have No - 28, NPS - 9, Highland/pipe bands - 4, Folk groups - 4, College of tried to make drones, 12 to make chanters and 30 to make reeds, while Piping - 2, Uilleann pipes - 2. So no clear direction there, except from 45 people said they would be willing to try and fix a fault if their pipe was the people who think we should stand alone. not working (many did add the caveat that they would only tackle simple problems before reverting to the maker). 28 would take their pipe back Why are you a member ? This was an interesting question with an to the maker or seek advice and 10 people said they had not had any important set of answers, which depend on whether you are a local or faults thus far. overseas member. Local members want to meet and share experiences (15), attend events (7) and support the tradition (15). Other members Maintenance workshops seem to be popular - 40 people would like to were more inclined to look at membership benefits as being information attend one of these (only 14 said they would not find this useful). A slight and published resources (36), Common Stock (18) and keeping up their problem with this question was that many of those who responded live enthusiasm (7). Non-members would join to get access to experienced overseas, so it may be necessary to engage an overseas instructor. players and makers or if they thought they could get financial help for buying a set of pipes. It became very apparent (although the committee were already aware of this) that a tiny minority of members support the actual activities and The committee has been concerned that overseas members cannot events that the Society lays on, and thus are the lifeblood of our come to events and may be a long way from other players, and so survival. We recognise of course that many people live outside Scotland wondered what they would like to have as an added benefit of and can t possibly come to the events on a regular basis, but it still came membership. The answers here will give pause for thought and we will as a bit of a shock to discover how many members have never been to a try to action some, if not all, of them. 6 people enjoyed the recordings of single event and we appeal to you who don t live too far away to support the competition we sent out in 1999 and want more, 3 want more on the the Society - not just by paying your membership fee, but by attending radio about bellows pipes, 10 want the website expanded to include a events whenever you can. Here is the table: bulletin board and recordings etc. 7 people indicated that teaching outside Scotland would be helpful, although the problem of distance Every year Several times Once Never does present itself. 1 person wanted to have overseas branches - which Burns Supper 2 7 7 65 Collogue 12 12 11 46 is certainly something allowed for by the constitution. 1 person also went Competition 8 18 6 49 on at length about the importance of promoting and making more of the Melrose w/end 1 11 - 8 61 Border tradition. Summer School 2 5 6 65 The overwhelming comment from members at a distance was the When we asked about the Society s core activities, there were some importance of receiving Common Stock as a forum for discussion, suggestions given and most people did not exert themselves to think information and research. further than those suggestions. These included teaching, research, playing in public, running events, publishing, making money etc. We hope you find all this of interest and thanks again to those who took "All of the above" 23 - although 5 people said making money should not feature highly . . part. The Melrose Teaching Weekend 2004 The Dancers inherit the party When I have talked for an hour I feel lousy- Report by Nigel Bridges. Not so when I have danced for an hour: The dancers inherit the party The Melrose Teaching Weekend was once again a resounding success although While the talkers wear themselves out and numbers were down on previous years. Tutors this year were Hamish Moore, sit in corners alone, and glower. John Saunders and Andy Hunter. It was touch and go with Andy as he went to Kelso and tried to book in at the Cross Keys until they told him that Melrose Ian Hamilton Finlay does not begin with K (Tune title here - `Andy s new way to Melrose !). John Saunders took us through the Ass in the Graveyard including showing us The classes were split up and pupils given the option of picking and mixing the a version that mimicked the braying of the Ass. A most interesting tune made sessions. I decided to attend all three tutors classes and I came away from each more so by the comment that the title was originally The Mass in the one with much to digest and practice. Graveyard but was misheard as `Ass . I can hear those priests braying their protests! Hamish Moore took us through The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow laying down a very even `one two three, one two three beat. We addressed some interesting Major Moir at Villevecque, a 6/8 march by John McLellan proved a popular points such as how certain gracenote groupings are totally inappropriate when tune and was played at Sunday s concert by John s class. `A good little tin is trying to set up a dance rhythm. A seemingly simple revelation that by missing better than a good big un . John Saunders also displayed his smoking fingers out a g gracenote on a leading note and playing it almost in passing on the at the session on Saturday playing at twice the speed of sound. You could see second note gives a much better flow to a jig. his fingers moving but the shock wave of sound took several seconds to get across the floor. A carpeted floor is not good for a session but John has a magic This got me thinking about my own jig playing and I realise that I have been reed that is black and was made by Hamish. It possesses magical qualities of trying to play them as fast 6/8 marches. projection. We all want one but there is only one and John has it.
I do not know if many readers have seen the naval epic `Master and Andy Hunter was a most interesting addition to the tutors line up this year. His Commander staring Russell Crowe but at one point some of the ship s crew subject, piping and singing. For those who find squeezing with one elbow, are providing themselves with musical entertainment and which `sea shanty pumping with the other and trying to keep two hands remotely co-ordinated are they playing at breakneck speed but The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow. I then this is surely a bridge too far, and so I thought. However this was the most think Hamish would approve of the manner they treat the tune and probably fascinating class and smallpipes in A are admirably suited to accompaniment some very capable musical continuity expert got it right. by the voice. It sounds as if it was always meant to be. We looked at Gin I waur whaur the Gaudie rins which incidentally is exactly the same tune as The A friend in nature conservancy once told me that he loved listening to dubbed back of Bennachie. Singing and playing is difficult but most of us could make birdsong on TV period dramas. Inevitably there would be the song of some bird the vocal cords at least sound. Our contribution in the Sunday concert reminded whose correct habitat was not that being filmed against. I am not sure that this me very much of plain chant psalm singing. The up shot of this so far is that I last observation has any relevance here but maybe my friend should get a life. can now look my wife straight in the eye when she subversively asks me if I Gracenotes are of course those precious demi-semi-quavers that offer the want a coffee (just when I am on the third part of a tune) and quickly say `No prospect of beautiful ornamentation but in Scotland have become delicious without stopping. It feels such an achievement. Next year the Pipe and Song nuances of schism. One of Hamish Moore s many gifts has been to drive a competition beckons. coach and horses through staid approaches to piping. I had all but given up getting pleasure from Highland piping until I discovered smallpipes and the I found Andy s stories of the travelling people fascinating and his passion for LBPS. the Scots language is wonderful. I liked the story about a man who bought a car and was so proud of it that he used to sit in the back seat at the weekends when it was parked outside his house. The travelling people just could not understand 9 this predilection with possessions. "Bagpipes and Border Pipers" (contd) No Melrose Weekend would be complete without a visit to Marmions and this By Rev. W.A.P.Johman, M.A.
is a highlight as much as the music. Getting `a row from Rona for being late " back after a great meal, wine and company is a thing of the past as we were This is the concluding part of the "transactions from the Hawick allowed 1V2 hours this year. I made sure that my afternoon tutor, John Archaeological Society, the Seventh Meeting, 28th October 1913 - see Saunders, remained in the restaurant at least until I was halfway through my Common Stock Vol 18 No 2 for the first part. sticky toffee pudding. There is a sign on every table in Marmions that says `No " Sir John Carr in his "Tour through Scotland in 1807 gives a graphic Pipes or Cigars . Next year we should hold a `piping and smoking class. I " he says "to some of think that Cigars was a typing error and should have read Guitars. delineation of his experience. "Having mentioned my friends my enthusiastic admiration of music, I was promised a rich A new feature this year was a concert by the tutors which was well attended by treat, as the competition of the Scottish pipers was at hand. That no part locals considering it was a Sunday afternoon. We even had a totally drunk of this musical banquet might pass untasted, I was pressingly invited to woman who threw off her shoes, thankfully nothing else, looked as if she was the rehearsal in the ancient Assembly Room before the judges, and about to roll onto the floor and kept shouting `sssssh gid . She even managed to informed it was a great favour to be admitted. I shall never forget it! As grab Andy Hunter s bottom. The concert was enhanced by a wonderful soon as the prize-judges were seated, the folding doors opened. A contribution from the Hall family from up Ettrick Valley. Music as it should be, Highland piper entered in full tartan array, and began to press from the natural, for fun and congratulations to them for offering to take part. bag of his pipes, which were decorated with long pieces of ribband, sounds so loud and horrible, that, to my imagination, they were The reader will have gathered that this account is not in chronological order comparable only to those of the eternally tormented. In this manner he because I have not mentioned Saturday night when the custom of having an strutted up and down with the most stately march, and occasionally after dinner speaker was maintained this year with a talk from Jim Gilchrist. enraptured his audience, who expressed the influence of his instrument Following on from Ian Murray s fascinating talk about the military influence by loud and reiterated plaudits. For my part, so wretched is this on piping and Julian Goodacre s completely off the wall talk last year about instrument to my ears, that I could not discover any difference in regard " nothing in particular we all wondered if the quality could be maintained. We expression, between "The Gathering of the Macdonalds, and need not have doubted for a minute and Rona knows her stuff because inviting to " each sound being, to me, equally depressive, Jim to talk was brilliant. Not only did he give a stunning talk but he guaranteed "Abercromby s Lament, that this aspect of the teaching weekend is now firmly established as something discordant, and horrible. A few short but welcome intervals followed to look forward to. filled up by Highland dancers, in reels, accompanied by a peculiar shrill whoop, to the dismal drone of the pipes, in which agility, without the Jim Gilchrist is a most learned man and he started with a quote of poetry about slightest accompaniment of grace, seemed the only object of attainment. a pipe band contest. The line that stuck concerned the bagpipe - `an instrument Butler s Hudibras gives the witty description:- that set it s own conditions . A lovely turn of phrase but here we heard a " The bagpipes of the loudest drones, masterfully crafted talk that meandered coherently through astrology, the race With snuffling broken winded tones, to the Moon, gold and the piper and his dog. This talk was music and culture Whose blast of air, in pockets shut, rolled into one. The two are inseparable and that is what Melrose is all about. Sound filthier than from the gut, And made a viler noise than swine, " I am sure everyone who attended is most grateful to Rona Macdonald for yet In windy weather when they whine. again organising a most memorable weekend and thanks to an inspiring trio of tutors. As Arnie would say `I ll be back . Whether in derision, Johnson is reported to have been so fond of the bagpipes that he used to stand with his ear close to the great drone. Sir John, in common politeness, endured three hours of it, and says "he left with the same sensations with which he should have quitted a belfry on a royal birthday. " Sir John goes on to note that "the pipers were intended 11 as a sort of dessert to t he Leith races, which concluded with a theatrical Habbie Simson, the piper of Kilbarchan [see cover picture and CS Vol 17 entertainment, in the course of which the dancers, in their filibegs or Nos.1 2 - Ed.], needs some mention as he is the foremost of all the short petticoats, with their springs and caperings would have alarmed Lowland pipers. the sensitive feelings of a member of the Society for the prevention of Habbie the Piper - says the Complaynt - was in the habit of leading the Vice, had one been present." He says "he afterwards met with several Ring Dance , peculiar to the Lowlands of Scotland during the intervals of persons of both sexes, who, with the highest fondness for their native labour in the harvest field. This custom is now fallen into complete country regarded the bagpipes with the same disgust as I did." While Sir desuetude. It was danced with the greatest glee at the Kirn. In it the aged John s criticism of the national instrument is nothing short of savage, he shepherd took his wife by the hand , and the young shepherds the maids seems to fancy its use in war by relating an incident at the battle of whom they loved best. It was danced to the music of the Lowland Quebec in 1760. "At a stage in the battle, the British troops were bagpipe. They commenced the dance with three loud shouts of triumph retreating in great disorder when a Field Officer complained to the and by thrice tossing their hooks in the air. General - You did very wrong to forbid the pipers to play, nothing encourages the Highlanders so much in the day of action. Even now they Ramsay says Leydon regarded Semple s poem of fifteen roystering would be of use. Let them blow like the devil then, if it will bring back verses, with its rough pleasantry and humour, as the standard of this the men. The moment they heard the skirl of a favourite martial air, species of composition. The poem is entitled "The Life and Death of the " military formation followed and the tide of battle turned." History Piper of Kilbarchan," or "The Epitaph of Habbie Simson. [see CS 17.2] records the gain of many a victory by the soul-stirring music of the pipes, though our Southerner holds it is because "its sounds are "Who on his Drone bore bonnie flags, calculated to scare and annoy. " He made his cheeks as red as crimson, " And bobbed [danced] when he blew his bags. " As good as a piper" might be added to the foregoing characteristics. A Highland officer was ordered to add a drum to his bagpipe. Jealousy as The first verse is:- to precedence, and a quarrel followed. The piper s view took this shape - "Kilbarchan now may say alas! " Ads wunds, Sir, and shall a little rascal, that beats upon a sheepskin, For she hath lost her dame and grace take the right hand o me, that am a musician." Our traveller bewails the Both Trixie and the Maiden Trace fact that while refinement is spreading rapidly over Scotland, the But what remead [redress)? barbarous martial music of the country does not yield to music more For no man can supply his place. agreeable to the ear. " The bagpipe is amongst the few remaining Hab Simson s dead!" barbarisms of Scotland." Of course it was expected that these lugubrious The reputation of Hab is well-confirmed in the well-known Scottish song vaticinations [prophesies] would be realised at an early date, and that the - Maggie Lauder: piper would disappear with the harper from Scottish annals. The " Weel hae ye play d your part quo Meg, progress of Scotland in refinement, as they thought assured it? In reply Your cheeks are like the crimson, look at this recent event. At the Braemar annual gathering of September There s nane in Scotland play d sae weel last (1913) the Balmoral men were attended by their band led by Pipe- " Since we lost Habbie Simson. Major Forsyth, Chief piper to the King and Mr Charles Macintosh, bearing the Royal Standard. The Farquharson men had Piper Robertson If Maggie is a true judge the Kilbarchan piper is first, and Rob the Ranter in charge of the Band with a Lochaber axe of formidable proportions. is second of the perpatetic Border pipers. For says Maggie:- Then the Duffs, with Colin Campbell, a white haired veteran, private "If ye be Rob I ve heard of you, piper to the Princess Royal. At Dunblane, Pitlochry, Oban, in fact at Live you upon the Border? every Highland rally today, the presence of two features are a certainty. The lasses a baith far and near, These are the bagpipe and the tartan kilt. Hae heard o Rob the Ranter. "
13 12 Tennant in "Anster [Anstruther] Fair" says his name was Robert Scott, All penal methods of cure were unsuccessfully adopted. One expedient and that he was a native of Hounam, on Kale water. Kilbarchan (the remained to be tried, the value of which consisted in this, that in Chapel of the hill-bounded vale) is 6 miles south-west of Paisley. addition to satisfying the law of transgression, the father hoped to qualify his offending son to be his successor. The secret was this, being In Kay s Portraits we have a worthy pictured "Old Geordie Syme, A somewhat of a mechanic, the father was the possessor of a vice, so that famous piper in his time." His home was in Dalkeith. lie was attached to when Tom was declared guilty the father fixed him by the coat tails, the house of Buccleuch. He lived beyond ken, and was old when his suspended his power to move, then fixing the drone of the pipes to his portrait was taken. Annually suited in his long red-lined coat, with plush ear, he blew until the poor offender was stupidly senseless. A friend in breeches, white stockings, and buckled shoes, he was more likely to be remonstrance against the cruelty, and urging the alternative of a rod to taken for the town crier than for the Duke. At any rate he his back, got from the perplexed father the reply - "A rod to his back, circumambulated the town twice daily, gave close attention to the calls haith ye little ken him. Ye may break a the hazels in the Duke s wood of the family, was a sine qua non at all the entertainments, and though the ower him, an he ll no be a bit the better. Na, na! I have trid a that, but ye salary was small, the smiles of the nobility and gentry were profuse. see this maks the callant as quiet as pussy, and besides, dings the music Geordie found no fault with his living wage, and so far as any memory into his head; an I hae great hopes he will, ae day, mak a grand piper, can say, he came and went like Melchizedek - in birth and death, - for by this way he has learned a maist a the tunes already. " dateless. This incident is recorded:- Lord Drummore of the Court of Session, was a patron of his. A great As Jamie Reid was succeeded by Robert Lorimer it is to be feared his lover of the pipes, the lawyer, in the get-up of a common piper, took a education of Tom proved a failure, and that if "born at Dull, though round in the country one day. He met a glazier who had a job at the educated at Dron, Tom must have finally settled in the neighbourhood of Palace, and after a friendly crack the tradesman offered the supposed Dunse." Robert acted as town piper for many years. When he died his piper a dram. While discussing it, a tune on the pipes by his Lordship son got his post, plied the trade of a shoemaker, drew the salary of a brought the hearty word of praise - " Foul fa ye, man, gin ye dinna sinecurist with this sole responsibility to repair to Dalkeith House twice play amaist as weel as our ain Geordie Syme." When they arrived at a year in uniform, and to receive on one of these visits, on the Duke s the mansion house the glazier s surprise can be imagined, when wine birthday, the annual suit of clothes. Though the pipes were not entirely took the place of the humbler refreshment, and a common piper was dumb, by about 1821 the community regarded that office as a relic of transformed into a lord. barbarism and useless. Its abolition, it is supposed, was brought about by the following skit:- Geordie s successor was Jamie Reid, a worthy who had the sagacity to take care of the greatest number, which he held to be number one. Of O Lorimer! thou wicked wag him it is related that of every return of the widow of Duke Henry to I wish thee, and thy dinsome bag Dalkeith he would arrange to meet her a mile or so out of town, when Were twal feet heath a black peat-hag ensconced conspicuously he would play, "Dalkeith has got a rare thing." Wet as the Severn Similarly when her Grace chanced to go from home, there was Jamie Or pipin to the Laird o Lag with the appropriate tune, " Go to Berwick Johnnie." Of course the In Belzies Cavrn. Duchess came ready prepared with the piper " s "awmous. So Jamie was I ferlie what intentions be " forced one day to say to a cronie - Losh keep me, man, I wonder how it Could hae, wha thus commissioned thee, is, for the Duchess maun aye carry siller in her han , for she nae sooner Against a rule an harmony, sees me than out pops my five shillings, without any one ever seem her Our nerves to shock; han gawn tae her pouch." My sang! It is a sad decree Jamie had a son named Tom - the not unusual distinction of a frolicsome For peacefu folk. blade. He grieved his father much because he rarely was out of mischief.
15 14 Ee r daylight peeps within my chaumer Is heard thy vile unearthly clamour, Harmonic Proportion Waukes the gude wife - the young anes yammer Wi ceaseless din; Matt Seattle continues his series with Episode 3 - One to One I seize my breeks, an outward stammer Compell d to rin. This series is based on the observation that many traditional Border pipe tunes are built on a small number of relatively simple chord sequences. We could also say that the tunes are melodies from which it is possible to extract chord sequences, but the fact that the same sequences are found in different tunes But here it were ower bang to tell suggests that the pipers who made the tunes wove their melodic ideas into 0 a the ills ye heap pell-mell, patterns which they already knew to be viable. Baith on my neighbours an mysel Frae day tae day, 3:1 patterns are the most common in Dixon and occur in many other sources. Nor do remonstrances avail They provide the clearest expression of the idea of Harmonic Proportion as Ae single strae. outlined in the first episode [CS Vol 18 No.1]. Other patterns and ratios are often less clear-cut and can sometimes be looked at in the more conventional But lad ye yet the day may rue, terms of Harmonic Direction, where we move towards a closing point on the That now sae high ye crook your mou ; `home or tonic chord of a tune, though we may not always start from it. Our Baillie sure can ne er allow Things sae tae gang. Here we will look at pipe tunes where the primary ratio is even: 4:4, 2:2, or Ye ll wind yoursel a bonny clue simply put, 1:1. In many cases the tune as a whole does not fit the ratio, but it is Ee r it be lang. at least a strong feature of its first half. We begin with the Stool Of Repentance family.
The Stool Of Repentance as it is known today is a descendant or close relative Kent younf Buccleuch o our distress, of an older tune which sometimes went by the same name, as in Dixon, but was Frae Lunnon he d send down express, also known as The Wright s Rant and Border Reel, even though it is in 6/8 or To strip him o his gaudy dress, 6/4. I ll use Robert Bremner s version of The Wright s Rant as an illustration Frae tap to tae. (strain 1 is very close to Dixon s Stool Of Repentance). The accompanying He d ne er permit him to haress chords are derived from Bremner s own simple bass line. His leiges sae. The Wright s Rant In 1895 there apeared in the Border Magazine an interesting paper by George Watson - one of our most useful members - on " Robert Hastie - A Border Town Piper."
In his paper Mr Watson gives a record of the matters common to all these public servants, such as duty, dress, service, salary etc., and this is followed, in the ancient line of these Jethart [Jedburgh] officials, by a luminous description of Robin s quaint career. It is suggested all particulars affecting the bagpipe in relation to our own town, that both of these might be incorporated in a paper, as a sequel and to be read at an early date [Andwillappear in a future Other tunes which have their first half evenly divided between A major and B diminished and D major harmony all subsequent Highland pipe versions have minor (tonic and supertonic) are Noble Squire Dacre, Keelman Ower The Land, repeated his en-or. Mary Scott/Sir John Fenwick, Sherriffmuir and Wally As The Marquess Ran. Where these tunes differ structurally is in the chords implied in their last In this break from 3:1 ratios it is worth mentioning that some Dixon tunes with quarter. The final chord is often A, but it is arrived at in different ways, and in strong double tonic elements can still be viewed in conventional terms of Mary Scott not at all, so that if we do view these tunes as a harmonic family we Harmonic Direction rather than Harmonic Proportion because of a strongly should note these differences as well as the common traits. i mplied dominant-to-tonic sequence at their strain endings. Among these are The New Way To Bowden, There Was A Wedding In The West and Rattling Next, Dixon s The Black And The Grey. This is found in many different fiddle Roving Willie. There is evidence that all of these began as fiddle tunes, with the and pipe settings, but the underlying structure is the same in all but a few cases. dominant chord often more completely outlined in the fiddle versions. Rattling I ll give Dixon s strain 2 as an example because it is easy to pick out the Roving Willie is particularly intriguing in that it is built on a 3:1 ratio underlying chord sequence. (Harmonic Proportion), but has an implied dominant chord before the final tonic (Harmonic Direction). The Black And The Grey (extract) In the final episode of this series we will look at some further refinements of the 3:1 ratio.
Corrigendum Ref. Common Stock, Dec 2003, Vol 18 No. 2 page 25. Washingtons s March. Paul Roberts informs me that I inadvertently missed out the 3rd part of the march from Playford that accompanied his article, thus losing, as he puts it, the full weirdness of the tune.
3rd Mv apologies. Below is the complete tune with the part Note that 6/4 is simply an older way of writing 6/8. We open with four bars over the chord of G. This is the subtonic if we perceive the tune as a whole to be in A. We then `move up to A, in concord with the drones, for four bars, and then repeat the whole sequence. Other chords are implied in the last four bars, and there is a sense of the tune closing on the home chord. The rest of Dixon s tune does some harmonically sophisticated things over this underlying structure, especially in strains 3 and 4.
A familiar Highland tune built on the same structure as The Black And The Grey is the reel Caber Feidh. It is originally a fiddle tune, and the structure is clear and consistent in the older fiddle versions by David Young, Charles McLean, Robert Bremner and William Vickers. In all these the tune is built on the major chords of C and D. Angus MacKay misunderstood or ignored this structure when he made his pipe adaptation: the C and D chords become G and A chords when transposed for pipes, but MacKay left one strain only half- transposed, and even though it sticks out like a sore thumb with its C# mistaken, but his huge musical talent will never be confined to rehearsing other CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2004 people s tunes, his latest experiment being with the "Jimi Hendrix" treatment of traditional tunes! This provided the climax to a concert stuffed full of music and Rona Macdonald was there ...... he managed to produce sounds from his Border pipe that I have never heard from this instrument before. There are few musicians so at one with their Celtic Connections festival has now being going for an amazing 11 years and is instrument, and it would be hard to think of anyone else pulling this kind of a genuinely bright spot in the social calendar during those dark, dreich days of stunt off so successfully. January for anyone who has an interest in folk music or live performance. Although you are now reading this in sunny June and winter is a distant memory One of the highlights of this year s festival was the appearance of Bagad (or supposed to be) it may be of interest to have a brief round up of some of the Kemper, the foremost Breton band, who returned to delight a packed auditorium piping events which took place this year. with a range of musical styles and sounds encompassing jazz, swing, traditional Breton and Afro-rhythms and featured Highland pipes and drums, bombardes I (very cheekily) applied for a press pass as the "official" Common Stock and binous, a full brass section, percussion of various descriptions and a reporter [ OK, so where s my cut? - Ed], which entitled me to several free tickets chromatic accordion. This was a fantastic show highlighting a multitude of on the basis that an article would be forthcoming after the event. I certainly talents - not least their musical director who held it all together with skill and could not have afforded to go to all the events had I been paying full price, panache. Among several soloists Suzanna Seivane made a notable appearance, which is the unfortunate consequence of the festival s huge growth in managing to look fashionable and cool throughout a virtuoso performance which popularity. certainly "boogied" but certainly did not "skirl" as the Herald would have had it.
The first event I went to was one of the early evening events entitled "The Great Chris Armstrong, Gordon Walker, Alasdair Gillies, Fred Morrison, the Shotts Piping Debate." Ably hosted by Gary West, this could have been a more and Dykehead Pipe Band was the illustrious line up for Saturday afternoon s productive forum had the audience numbered more than the 15 souls who were concert. But how disappointing that after all this time, and so many articles on (like me) putting in the time until Fred and Paddy were due to appear on the the subject, Highland pipers still refuse to introduce their tunes and still turn main stage, or if there had been a real topic of debate to get one s teeth into. their backs on the audience during their performance. Gordon Walker was the Having been away from the "Centre of the Bagpipe World" for some years now, solitary exception, stopping between sets to inform and entertain with a wee bit I thought perhaps there was some great controversy raging in piping circles that of patter and his usual good humour. Even if the others hadn t been confident of I was hitherto unaware of, so I went along to find out. Alas no such luck. speaking themselves, Iain Anderson was a genial host and had he been provided with a list of tunes, I am sure he would have done the job very capably. As As it was, the subject matter centred mainly around the World Pipe Band audiences become more sophisticated, it no longer seems enough just to stand Championships and its shortcomings.. Among other things, Roddy MacLeod up and play a few tunes, however well fingered and musical, and I found this suggested a qualifying day prior to the actual competition or having an indoor quite a disappointing event. Shotts band were not alone in demonstrating that a arena for the final to avoid the vagaries of the weather while Rab Matheson successful competitor is not always a successful entertainer. suggested that overseas bands could pre-qualify by winning their respective national championships. Perhaps it is time the Worlds went to Canada - and The LBPS Bums Supper was another engagement in this hectic weekend Scotland is shown exactly how to run such a major event. obviously prevented attendance at Carlos Nunez, but we were back in the Concert Hall on Sunday for Hamish Moore and Dannsa s concert. This was an One subject which most present agreed on is the lamentable state of the Scottish extravaganza of piping, singing, fiddling and dancing, designed to show how media with regard to the reporting of piping events - Rab Wallace made an each of these media is inextricably intertwined with the others and how it takes eloquent case for Scottish independence, comparing our pathetic coverage of all four to make up a whole culture. major piping events with the kind of knowledgeable and educated coverage piping receives in other countries like Catalonia where results are published on a Mary Ann Kennedy sang port a beul (Gaelic mouth music) which is the words weekly basis, along with review and comment. to the strathspey and reel tunes that we all know, Fin Moore and an illustrious line up of Highland pipers including Gary West, Malcolm Robertson, Iain Having enticed Fred Morrison down from Benbecula, the festival organisers Maclnnes, Angus MacKenzie and others joined her on pipes with the same made sure he got full exposure at a number of concerts (4 within as many days). tunes, and the 3 fiddlers also chimed in playing the driving rhythmical settings Fred s piping is so firmly rooted in the West Highland tradition it could never be of these old tunes which are required for the dancers who then came on stage,
20 21 led by Frank McConnell, and tapped out the very same rhythms with their feet as they showcased the step dances brought back to Scotland from Cape Breton. SECURITY
It is Hamish s contention that somewhere along the line Scotland lost this Fin Moore, who had his pipes stolen (see CS Vol 19 No 1, June 2003) about 18 essential interconnection between the various elements of its culture through months ago, has still not recovered them. He recalled the incident in a militarization, standardisation, the decline of the aural tradition in favour of telephone conversation with Jock Agnew.... written sources, the dispersal of the Gaels across the world and the Victorians habit of subduing any perceived "wildness" in art and behaviour. He had put the box down (along with a grip), he tells me, beside his car ready This weakening of the culture at home, was happily averted in the communities to take indoors, and while he and his friends sat for a few minutes listening to a transplanted, virtually intact, to Cape Breton who avoided outside influences and tape, the thief crept up in the night, stole the pipes, and left the grip untouched. clung to the old ways far longer. Hamish has described elsewhere how, when he It was a private car park, Fin points out, and as a security precaution he did not first went there, he heard tunes which he thought sounded familiar, but which want to leave the pipes in the car overnight. They were obviously lifted by he couldn t quite identify because they were played so differently - and how it someone who knew very well what was in the box - no casual opportunist here. finally dawned on him that these were all tunes from the old country, but fresh And the lesson? Never lose sight of your pipes even for a few seconds. and rejuvenated in their rhythmical tie-up with the dance steps. Here was a powerful re-integration which made complete sense for everyone to see. Very Fin also recounted that while playing a gig on Islay the dressing room turned cleverly, in the course of the programme the dancers also demonstrated how the out to be less than secure: a colleague had his camera and other items stolen. steps have changed, to give the more balletic, athletic performances to which we The lesson? Check the security of any place where you are performing and have become accustomed today. where you may have to leave valuable items - like pipes, of course.
As if to further emphasise the point, Allan Macdonald has been saying exactly And when playing in a crowded session, special vigilance is necessary if you the same things about the way piobaireachd is played today and how its very are among strangers. When someone picks up an instrument lying on a table nature was misunderstood by the so-called scholars of the last century until the and starts to play, who can tell if that person is the owner? pipe tune versions became so altered that they no longer resembled the original songs and rhythms which gave the music its sense and vitality. Jock Agnew also talked to Ray Stanard, the local police liaison officer, about personal and home security. And once we had overcome a couple of areas of He too has been working on putting the elements back together by re- misunderstanding: "Don t think there would be much call for thieves to steal interpreting how our great music is played. If anyone ever needed proof of the bagpipes in Essex...! " and " Of course if they see drums in the car....! " we veracity of Allan s views, here it was laid on a plate for them: put the rhythm established some useful points to consider:- back into MacFarlane s Gathering and you get Togail nam Bo - the cattle raiding song of the MacFarlanes, take the cadences away from Lament for the It could be of benefit if the pipemaker were to give each set a unique number, Children and play it with regard to the internal rhythms and you find the song mark or appearance. Preferably something that would show up in a photograph again - and what a beautiful, moving rendition we were treated to by Allan and and be noticed by lay persons as well as pipers. There was a warning, though, Mary Ann. against using an ultra violet marker - which, although invisible to the thief, Here are two men who have both spent a long time thinking about Gaelic culture could show up in sunlight and might detract from the value of the pipes. and in the end have come, separately, to the same conclusions. It is no accident that they have ended up combining their talents to bring this pretty revolutionary The owner of the pipes should take a good quality photograph of his/her pipes, view to the public and it is now up to us who play and sing and dance to learn with some familiar object alongside (a ruler, maybe) that would give a clear from them, and spread the word. idea of scale. This photograph, along with a description of the pipes and their identifying mark, could then be made available to the police should the pipes The festival continued for another week, but I was all piped out by that point. I ever be stolen. Ray told me that such information would go onto a national data look forward to next year s event though with enthusiasm, and if you have base which would be available to police forces up and down the country - never been to Glasgow in January, make a point of doing so - the weather though not overseas - and might allow ownership, for instance, of recovered might be cold, but the welcome is warm and the music will soon fire you up. stolen goods to be established. He warned that there might be some delay in
23 this information being entered onto the data base depending on pressure of work and police resources at the time. INSURANCE? We discussed the fact that most thieves (except in special cases; see the notes on Fin Moore s experience above), would not only be totally uninterested in Keith Amor has been an insurance broker at Lloyd s of London for 35 years, owning a set of pipes, but wouldn t know their value or how to convert them and in that period has placed most types of insurance and reinsurance business into cash - unlike boating equipment, for instance, for which special car-boot from many countries into the Lloyd s insurance market. He plays electric guitar, sales are available up and down the country. A common thief, who is nearly and was once a professional drummer in a band. (Keith has no links with any of always anxious to complete his villainy in a hurry, might see a box, pick it up, the organisations mentioned in this article.) and run, only later discovering that the contents were of no potential value (to him). The chances are he would then destroy or dump both box and contents. For most musicians, whether professional or amateur, their instrument is like a member of the family, but less argumentative, and losing it or having it So some practical ideas and suggestions that evolved during our conversation damaged, destroyed or stolen can be painful, particularly if that instrument also included: provides their livelihood. If any of these misfortunes should befall your • Take the pipes into the house (or building) if at all possible rather than instrument, could you afford to replace it? The cost of a new or replacement leaving them in the car. instrument is, of course, directly proportional to its quality. In other words you • If you must leave your pipes in the car for any period, leave them where pay for what you get and as most buy an instrument at the top end of their they cannot be seen e.g. in the boot, or at the very least covered with a budget, any loss is not merely inconvenient, but expensive as well! coat or blanket. Don t leave any items visible in the car (e.g mobile phone) that might It is a fact that most musicians find the subject of insurance boring (not • surprising really) and consequently, attract a break-in. most semi-professional and amateur musicians never specifically insure their instruments (I do not and I earn my • If circumstances permit, leave the pipe box open, and maybe the pipes assembled. A thief in a hurry is unlikely to stop and tidy them away, shut living as an insurance broker, which says much). But is this wise? Semi- professional and amateur musicians take their instruments to halls, other and secure the box, before grabbing the handle and making his getaway. people s houses and other venues to practice, and many play occasional or even Besides, if he sees what they are he may be totally disinterested anyway. frequent gigs. Thinking of what could happen during these activities should encourage us all to consider insurance. Many musical instruments are delicate Footnote - on Christmas Eve, 2002, my house was burgled. There were and easily damaged, particularly when being transported. They can easily be smallpipes (unboxed) with their bellows in the living room, and a host of dropped and damaged or stolen when you are otherwise distracted. Taking them instruments (pipes, concertinas, fiddles) under the stair. The thief disturbed on aircraft is not always easy - many airlines insist they are placed in the cargo them but never took any - preferring, instead, the lap-top computer which, I hold unless small; indeed, travelling on any form of public transport with a musical instrument can be an ordeal (unless you play a harmonica!) Taking these factors into consideration makes buying insurance appear a sensible option - I am even beginning to convince myselfl
The problem is that there are many schemes on the market and not all of them understandable to those not versed in insurance and even for some of us who are. I shall, therefore, attempt to simplify matters for the non-insurance-minded reader. Although the writer s main area of knowledge is the U.K. insurance market, I shall also attempt to cover some other territories in which many readers live.
The first thing to ascertain is whether your home contents insurance insurer covers your instrument in case of loss or damage. Some insurers, such as Norwich Union Direct for example (0870 5143 108 or www.norwichuniondirect.com), part of the U.K s largest insurance group, give specific mention to musical instrument cover in their policy. Norwich Union insure against. All Risks cover is the most comprehensive as it should cover Direct cover musical instruments up to 1,500 for loss or accidental damage against most eventualities, but even what so-called All Risks Insurance covers under the Contents section of their policy and your instrument will also be will differ between insurance carriers. At the other end of the scale, some covered away from home for these perils, as well as whilst in your vehicle, policies may only cover against theft. With All Risks, there will certainly be provided it is locked away from sight. However, this cover only applies if you some exclusions (war, terrorism and radioactive contamination are three general are not a professional or semi-professional musician, so if you fall into either of examples, although it must be said that these exclusions should not cause you these categories, you will need to consider specialist musical instrument cover. any sleepless nights!), but in any case, do ask to see the policy before purchasing You will probably find that your own insurer takes a similar stance to that of cover if you can, as coverage may not be as wide as you expect. Some insurers Norwich Union Direct, but you will need to make sure. Study your policy offer apparently free add-ons, but do remember that these are not without cost - documentation and if you have any doubts, contact your insurer or broker. Some insurance never is, no matter what the insurer says in its advertising, the price is insurers will want the instrument listed on the policy schedule if its value is over merely hidden. One way of keeping the premium down is to decide whether you a certain amount. Do remember that in the event of loss you may need to prove really need these add-ons. If you can do without them, get a quote from an your instrument s value, so do keep the receipt, if you have one, as this will insurer who charges for them as extras - that way you can compare like with make the claim process easier and faster. like and then decide whether you think they arc value for money.
If you are a "bedroom musician" who is unlucky enough to own an instrument In most cases an excess is required - this is the amount of loss you have to bear worth more than your household insurer will insure (perhaps Stradivarian before the insurer pays. This excess can be anything from 7.50% of the equivalent bagpipes?), or if you are a professional or semi-professional instrument s value and if you voluntarily accept a higher excess than the musician, then you should seriously consider specialist musical instrument minimum offered by the insurer, the premium should be less - very much like insurance to ensure that you are adequately covered in case of loss or damage. motor insurance. Some insurers even offer monthly premium payment terms, so that you can spread the cost. Unfortunately for the non-insurance minded musician living in the U.K., there are a plethora of schemes available. You can insure for all the eventualities I If you are a member of the Musician s Union, it is well worth getting in contact have already mentioned, plus many you would probably never think of! The with them as they are able to arrange a tailor made insurance policy at premiums charged will vary dependent on whether you use the instrument solely reasonable cost. Their website is excellent (www.musiansunion.org). The at home at one extreme or travelling the world with it at the other. In other Musicians Union website also contains a "stolen instruments" section where words, the premium is low for an amateur "bedroom musician" and increases for members can place details of their instrument. Other sites worth visiting for on semi-professionals and full time players. Some policies will pay out replacement line quotations are Musical Instrument Insurance UK (www.partysounds.co.uk value of the instrument if it is stolen or damaged within a certain time from it or by telephone on 08707 450359), Allianz Cornhill (www.insurancewide.com), having been bought. Some will pay for hiring a replacement instrument, which SISA UK (www.sisa.co.uk) and Musicguard (www.musicguard.co.uk or is very useful if you are a semi-professional or professional musician. There are telephone 02476 851000). All of these are reputable companies, so you should many variations of cover, and some insurers offer lots of "bells and whistles". have no problems in using them, but whichever broker or insurance company For example, the policy may include personal accident cover if you are injured you use, remember to make sure they are a member of the General Insurance whilst playing the insured instrument; public liability insurance, which in this Standards Council - the insurance trade s regulatory body - as this gives you litigious society may be very necessary if you play in public and drop your protection in the event of fraud or disputes. These companies all offer insurance heavy bagpipes on the member of the audience and cause injury! You can also at reasonable cost. For my own instrument, (an electric bass guitar, worth find musical instrument cover which includes legal expenses insurance, which around 1,000), I received a quote from Musical Instrument Insurance UK for a could be of help if you have a dispute with suppliers of goods and services premium of about 45 for 12 months cover including unattended vehicle cover relating to you being a musician, such as non-payment of fees or breach of and unlimited worldwide cover. At that price perhaps I should seriously consider contract by an agent, for example. getting insured!
Having read this far, the question you will be asking is "how much will Of course, not all bagpipe players live in the U.K. and those of you living insurance cost". For the reasons already mentioned, this, unfortunately, is not elsewhere will undoubtedly need to consider insurance for your instruments. easy to answer - there are too many variables. The cover given by your household insurer in your own country may well be Insurance is very much price driven - the more you want to include, the more it different than that available in the United Kingdom. However, there will costs. For this reason you must first decide exactly which perils you want to undoubtedly be similarities and the writer can only suggest that you study your 26 27 policy documents and ask the relevant questions. There are, however, schemes for musical instrument insurance in just about every country. For example, the Musicians Union of Australia has some very good schemes for members and it is worth visiting their website (www.musicians.asn.au) for information. The 21st Annual Competition 2004 MUA which has branches in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Held on SATURDAY 10th APRIL 2003 at St Anne s Community Centre, Tasmania and Queensland offers members a scheme underwritten by QBE The Cowgate, Edinburgh Insurance through Marsh Insurance, part of the world s largest insurance brokerage, offering worldwide coverage 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, for accidental damage and/or loss, fire, malicious damage, theft and whilst in INTERMEDIATE (2 entries) transit. Even if you are not a member of the MUA you can still insure through The Julian Goodacre Trophy - Judge: Julian Goodacre Marsh Insurance with QBE Insurance, although you will not receive the MUA discount. Marsh Insurance can be contacted on 1800 882 317 (toll free). 1st George Greig - The Celtic Society, Captain Grant, Murray s Interestingly, the writer has been unable to find specific musical instrument Welcome, The 72nd s Farewell to Aberdeen insurance on the list of insurances available from members of Australia s 2nd Jeannie Campbell - Flett from Flotta, The man from Skye, Alan National Insurance Brokers Association, so at the time of writing the only MacPherson of Mosspark scheme I am aware of is that through Marsh Insurance.
The situation in New Zealand is very similar to that in Australia in that the New PIPE AND SONG (6 entries) Zealand Musicians Union has an All Risks Insurance scheme for members only. The Jimmy Wilson Memorial Cup - Judge: Gary West Unfortunately, not being a member, I am unable to access details of their (www.talentonline.com.au or telephone 09 375 scheme from their website 1st Judy Barker - Maggie Lauder 2680), but I understand it is similar to that offered by Marsh Insurance in 2nd David Robertson - Westlin Winds Australia. It may be worthwhile contacting a local insurance broker, but if you 3rd Donald Lindsay - The Baron of Bradly are unsure which one is suitable or reputable, the Corporation of Insurance Brokers New Zealand will be able to advise you (www.insurancebrokers.org.nz or telephone 09 309 4343). NEW COMPOSITION (11 entries) If you live in the United States of America, you are spoiled for choice when it The London Trophy - Judge: Hamish Moore comes to insuring your instrument as there are many schemes available. Due to space restrictions I shall only mention the two best known. The largest company 1st Alex Barty - Raeburn Park dedicated to the needs of musicians is Clarion Associates Inc 2nd Donald Lindsay - Yah Yah Clink Clink (www.clarionins.com), who can cover your instrument for just about every 3rd George Greig - No Going Back eventuality, so you should find suitable cover, either online or by telephone - 1- 800 Vivaldi. Clarion have been in business for around 50 years and their policies are underwritten by the Royal Sun Alliance Insurance Company. The DUET FOR PIPES AND OTHER INSTRUMENT (7 entries) American Federation of Musicians (www.afm.org) offers a bewildering choice Dunfermline Tassies - Judge: Nigel Richard of insurances for the musician, as well as just about every other type of insurance you can think of, through Marsh Affinity Group Services, who are 1st Eleanor and Annie Rutherford - When the Boat Comes In part of the world s largest insurance broking group. Online quotes for cover are 2nd Judy Barker and Sally Thomas - Miss Isabella McKenzie available through the AFM website, but you must be a member. Sutherland, Horsbrough Castle 3rd Donald Lindsay and Stuart Letford - The Highland Wedding, If after reading this you are asking yourself "Is Insurance Necessary?" Just bear The Bride s Jig, Drops of Brandy in mind that insurance is totally unnecessary until you need it!
CS
28 29 SEASONED PIPERS (5 entries) Nigel Bridges says: Thank you to all those who helped out at the annual The Nigel Richard Trophy - Judge: Nigel Richard competition this year. We had a record number of entries and a very healthy audience. 1st David Hannay - The Old Bean Waltz, The Ass in the Graveyard 2nd Jim Buchanan - Westlin Winds, Aviemore The judges for all their hard work, impartiality and constructive comments: 3rd Jock Agnew - Dorrington Hamish Moore, Nigel Richard, Gary West, Julian Goodacre Alan Paul for once again keeping time for every class Nigel Richard for master of ceremonies and prizes NOVICE (3 entries) Alan Paul and Gary West for yet again recording the day s proceedings for The Heriot and Allan Quaich - Judge: Julian Goodacre posterity lain MacDonald for taking entry money 1st Jo Yoko Nanjo - Leaving Lismore, Mrs Hamilton of Pitcaitland Rona MacDonald for dealing with memberships, merchandise, raffle tickets, 2nd Tommy Duffy - Roses Blaw, For Pipes an A teas and prize giving. Not forgetting all those who contributed raffle prize - a 3rd Carolyn Francis - Trip to Cartmel big thank you. The raffle raised 80. Tony Laverick for calling competitors and being `the link man on the day. Kept it going smoothly. OPEN SOLO FOR SCOTTISH SMALL PIPES (11 entries) Stuart Letford and Tony Laverick for judging cards Colin Ross Trophy - Judge: Gary West Stuart Letford - again for photography Jeannie Campbell for fantastic teas and everyone who contributed baking 1st Peter McAlister - Cockold get out of the Amery, Elsie Marley, Lastly and most important of all thanks to all competitors including many new The Flaxen Lass of Always, Hands off my Bag ones, who turned out to make the LBPS annual competition an enjoyable days 2nd Lee Moore - The Emigrants, Duncan Johnstone, The Antrim Rose entertainment. 3rd Murdo MacLeod - Farewell to Govan, Three Sisters of Glencoe, Lady McKenzie of Gairloch, Sleep Sound in da Morning
DUET FOR PIPES (5 entries) Mains Castle Medals - Judge: Julian Goodacre Yah Yah Clink Clink Donald Lindsay 1st Peter McAlister and Scott Forrestt - London s Burning, The Banjo Breakdown 2nd Tom Dingwall and Jeannie Campbell - Major Ritchie, Sherrifmuir, The Man from Skye, The Steamboat 3rd Jock Agnew and Jim Buchanan - Song for Smallpipes
OPEN SOLO FOR LOWLANDIBORDER PIPES (3 entries Hamish Moore Cup - Judge: Hamish Moore
1st Julian Goodacre - I only want to be with You, The Flaxen Lass of Always 2nd Matt Seattle - Soor Plooms o Galashiels 3rd Malcolm Maclnnes - Leaving Lochboisdale, The Pipers Controversy, Donald Willie and his Dog, Foxhunter s Jig
30 Raeburn Park Alex Barty REVIEWS
Third Grand Concert of Piping bpipers from Ireland, Brittany, (Greentrax, CDTRAX 260) Toronto, Sardinia, as well as Scotland. This CD was greeted with The Third Grand Concert of Piping great expectation. Patrick Molard s took place in Edinburgh at the playing of Breton tunes on the Edinburgh Academy of Music and Scottish smallpipes stands out in my Drama in November of 2002. It was, mind as one of the high points of judging by this CD, as enjoyable an this very enjoyable recording. evening as ever. Ian Green of Greentrax Recordings deserves our Over the last six years I have waited thanks, along with The Lowland and in anticipation of the next Grand Borders Pipers Society, for Concert recording. It is impossible sustaining this excellent series of for LBPS members who live in the concerts and recordings over the UK to understand how important years. recordings like this are to members, like myself, who live on the other Greentrax released the first CD, side of the world. We are not likely called "Grand Concert of Scottish to experience the Society s social Piping" (CDTRAX 110), in 1996. It events, so recordings, publications featured six of Scotland s avant-garde and the web site keep us connected. pipers on Highland pipes, Border A long time coming, here is the third pipes and Scottish smallpipes, playing Grand Concert recording. tunes that ranged from the Lowlands to the Highlands, from the Outer The first thing that struck this Hebrides to the dance clubs of listener is how wide the net is cast, Glasgow, from the most traditional to what with some of the most avant- No Going Back Slow Air George Greig the wildest experimentation. It was garde Scottish piping, along side Greentrax s best selling piping medieval piping, Asturian piping, recording ever. Hamish Moore, who and some thrilling, highly individual had the idea for the concert, and Rona piping from Rory Campbell. MacDonald (Glasgow) pulled it off, and a new tradition seemed to have Finlay MacDonald and Fraser been created. Fifield start things off with three tracks that cut the edge. Fifield s Indeed, it was, for in 1997 Greentrax original composition, "Psalm", is a released a follow up CD called modern classic. The piece "Second Grand Concert of Piping" simultaneously lives comfortably in (CDTRAX 128) which featured the modern world even as it is
33 inspired by the traditional singing of tuned, balanced, warm, glowing. The their respective reeds into one sound psalms in Gaelic in the Outer There is a long abiding interest in chanter is steady, true and clear, well that is rhythmic, melodic, powerful Hebrides. Is this perhaps what it Asturian and Galician piping among up to the standard of his fingering. and sensitive. sounded like when several pipers many of us. Juan Munch is one of Rory sails through the tunes like a sloop in the whitecaps off Barra. played pibroch together three hundred the young talents bringing this music Many of the tunes will be familiar to This is piping at its most thrilling. The years ago? At the same time it boldly to the world s stage along with the Border pipe player with Bonny Miller, The Hungarian Waliz explores the unique harmonic powers Christina Patio and Susan Savanna . Ironically, in the first pressing of the ( in the sleeve of Scottish pipes with a very modern Simon Bradley, who seems to be at When I was a lady taste for dissonance and minimalism. home in just about any musical CD Cory is shown and listed as notes) and Lasses Make Your Tails If he were alive, I like to think that culture and tours the world with a playing the Highland pipes, when he Toddle in the line up- but these Iain Crichton Smith might find some variety of groups, joins Juan on is actually playing a Border pipe versions are far from ordinary with solace here for the bitterness he fiddle. Here is expert piping, made by Hamish and Fin Moore. Dave s exemplary skills matched expressed in his famous poem, "At beautiful music, but Juan seems to This excellent pipe does sound very note for note by Steve s melodic and the Highland Games," which begins, need a double espresso. He never much like a Highland pipe, so we rhythmic accordion playing. "Like re-reading a book which has reaches the same level of excitement can t fault Greentrax too severely for lost its pith." (SELECTED POEMS, as we hear in Christina s piping, for the mistake, which will be corrected All the tracks are played to a high Dufour Editions: Pennsylvania, 1970) example. It might be a question of in the second pressing. Does it standard of skill .... but two that MacDonald and Fifield provide a personal style and taste or it may matter? For now at least, Border pipe stand out for me are 3: The Bonny refreshing tonic to anyone fed up on have been an off night for him. tone and timbre are not as Miller/ Rusty Gully where Dave s standardized as Highland pipe sound, nimble flow effortlessly piping cliches. This is one of several fingers tracks that are worth the price of the The album finishes with Cory which this piper considers a good through these two great 3/2 album alone. Campbell playing four cuts, the first thing. Perhaps, the next Grand hornpipes and 10: Alloa House. I Stint saccompanied by Malcolm Concert will celebrate the diversity. dare anyone not to be moved by Anne Marie Summers and Stephen signature jazzy guitar. Cory plays Dave s low C pipes and the John Dally Tyler add the sound of English pipes very fast. Cory plays with a very temporary appearance of Bb whistle. through the music of 14 Century exciting, individual style. Cory Spain and Italy. On the one hand, it s plays with more rhythm than any As a fellow piper, my ear naturally about time this sound appeared on a pipe band drum corps. Although he homes in on the pipes, but on this album, you LBPS recording. But on the other careens dangerously towards the English and Border Music for cannot ignore the hand, the last time a Border tune monochromatic, especially when he Pipes Dave Faulkner and Steve flawless accompaniment of Steve Turner appeared in this series was Gordon plays melodically soft tunes at light Turner who s deceptively simple Mooney s two tracks on the first speed, his piping is more stunningly arranging style lets the music breath Grand Concert recording. Perhaps beautiful than ever. After wearing In true Ronseal style, this CD is with gentle chords, dancing rhythms the interest in Border piping per se is out the cassette tape of Cory s first exactly what it says on the tin! The and intricate harmonies. very slight in the UK? Moving recording, "Magaid a Phipir" prosaic title almost started me off on beyond this question, however, the (Lochshore, CDLDL 1250) I bought the wrong foot, but perseverance with I don t normally write such one- music here is very refined and some the CD, and have since given many the shrink wrap showed that this CD sided effusive stuff - but this album of the most pleasantly accessible on away as gifts. His subsequent is not only informative, but is full of really has caught my ear. I d recommend it to anyone interested the album. This bagpipe music will recording projects disappointed this beauty, creativity and thoughtfulness. in Border music without hesitation. impress even your most sophisticated listener, however, until now. Here Dave Faulkner (Border Pipes) and friends. Cory s bagpipe is mellifluous, well Steve Turner (accordion) entwine
34 35 Its brilliant. 1984 and are for "alternative mind is Ian McHarg (Scottish bagpipers" and attract over 100 smallpipes in A) and Aron Garceau The CD is available in the UK from: OK... so I can hear you thinking from players annually. The several types (guitar). Ian plays an upbeat Paddy s Ian Clabburn, 6 Greyfriars Road, here: "what s wrong with this represented in this collection include Leather Breeches plus two of his Daventry Northants NN 1 1 4RS. album?" Well ... only one thing Border pipes, (4 tracks - 2 by compositions - Mike and the Price 11.00 or from: really. The title. Its both wholly Moebius) Scottish smallpipes (4 Antipyper and Haggis the Cat. The Pipers Gathering CD accurate yet it completely undersells tracks), Uillean pipes (8 tracks) and Picking on other favourite tracks is clo Steve Bliven this great musical offering. Get a Northumbrian smallpipes. (3 tracks) difficult and would only further 49 Plains Field Drive post-it note and stick "MAGICAL" It is a fact that about half the music reveal this reviewers prejudices. I South Dartmouth, USA on the front and maybe it will match is played on Uillean pipes and the tended to home in on the non-Uillean Checks or money orders only for the contents! other half is fairly evenly divided piping tracks. If you want to hear $19.44 amongst the rest. lain Maclnnes and outstanding Northumbrian piping Available from 18 Breton Way, Fin Moore playing Hamish Moore s there are some great tracks by Dick Jim Buchanan Moretonhampstead, Devon TQ13 Border and smallpipes ably Hensold, Ian Lawther and Andy May. 8JA. Tel +44 1647 440020 13 inc represent the LBPS. The tunes Fin I thought a better balance might have p p. Cheques payable to David Moore plays are Back of the Change been achieved if other "alternative" Faulkner. House and Moving Cloud. Iain pipes had been included such as THE WAY HOME plays The Ewe with Crookit Horn, Cornish, French and Spanish By the Musicians of Road to the Vicki Swan "Sweet Molly", "Macphee s Reel ", examples, however it has all come Isles (Music Tree 1011 CD) Caber Feidh, Malcolm Curry by from North Hero past concerts so Willie Gray; Inver Lasses by Neil perhaps they were not represented. I `Road to the Isles is a Scottish Gow; Buntata s Sgadan by Allan look forward to future recordings Irish music dance group based in THE PIPERS GATHERING MacDonald and on a later track from this venue. Pittsburgh. The three musicians are Live from North Hero Murdo Mackenzie of Torridon by featured on this CD; George Robert Macleod; The Glasgow I have no hesitation in recommending Balderose on Smallpipes The 19 tracks on this album, lasting Gaelic Club by William Dunn and this enjoyable CD to LBPS members Highland Pipes, Colyn Fisher on about 70 minutes in total, were Duncan McGillivray Chief Steward but caution those who are not Fiddle Richard Hughes on flute, recorded live at the North Hero by James McGillivray. Matt Seattle aficionados of Irish piping, not that I vocals guitar. gatherings in Vermont during the gives a soulful rendering of his tune am being critical of the quality of 2001, 2002 and 2003 meets by Cay Lindisfarne on LBPS Chairman what is on offer, only the quantity. The group aims to provide a Wall of Living Traditional Nigel Richard s Border pipes. Matt Comprehensive notes accompany this representative introduction to Cecordings OO and is published by the told me the tune was by popular CD and include details of makers so Scottish Irish music for their Pipers Gathering Inc. which was request as he wanted to do that it is a shop window for those audience, `transporting the listener wishing to invest in new pipes and formed in 1999 to "promote the something different. He is backed homeward, back to the music s want to hear how they sound. music and playing of bagpipes in all by Nigel on cittern and very nice sources. As you d expect given this their forms through workshops, and fresh it was too. aim, the recording is very Check their web site at education, social and cultural out straightforward in style, and features www.pipersgathering.org for details endeavours". It is a non-profit Given that the recordings were all some good old standards like The of the 2004 meet and a wealth of organisation and contributions from made live at concerts in a tent the Irish Washerwoman, Erin Go Bragh, pictures past US citizens are tax deductible (!) The quality is uniformly of a very high information, of Scotland the Brave and others. This annual gatherings commenced in order. One track that stays in my gatherings and useful links. is by no means an `Irish Party
36 37 Album though, and the group: sort. His playing is lovely, with a repertoire as a whole has a surprising delicate touch that adds to all of the depth, including music from Allan tunes he plays. IainMacDonald, tunes learned via Maclnnes Hamish Moore, and George Balderose puffs up the Bordergood selection of Lowland Highland Pipes for Caber Feidh as a style music as well as fiddle music by March/Strathspey/Reel . It s well andScott Skinner Neil Gow, played, although seems to lack some original compositions too. of the energy vibrancy of his smallpiping. His second set, The group instrumentals arc g Grace The Minstrel measured in pace relaxed in style Boy/ The Wearing of the giving the album a mellow, easy Green Scotland the Brave isn t going feel. They arc played on flute perhaps so exciting for us pipers, but smallpipes fiddle, without any it s hound to be a crowd pleaser over differentother accompaniment. The in Pittsburgh! ainstruments often drop in out for few bars, giving a surprising variety The album finishes with a Weer 2004 areof textures. The arrangements enditionofCoffeegood Tea Jim Gilchrist speaking at the Burns Supper withoutloose and unfussy, and flow Tntxnn Fogg, as good an example as Photo Nigel Bridges rushing between the songs any of George s lively, engaging instrumental solos. style on the smallpipes.
Flautist Richard Hughes is also Potentially not a particularly me strong singer. The high point for exciting album The Way Home is is. surprisingly, his rendition of The ( held up by the quality of the the Mo Lark hi rning , which he put: musicianship. George s smallpiping across well, with a n attractively sty le is worth a listen. and the light smoky Irish-style delivery. The ;ow airy instrumental arrangements point is possibly The Land o the Leal a feel-good factor to much of the which plummets into a bit of a dirge album, Not a classic, but a good I like Richard s voice on all the listen for the most part, and a top songs, but the choice of repertoire enuinequality introduction to g r the arrangements sometimes let hilt Scottish Irish t aditional music for down, and the power of his delivery audiences over the water`. over is sometimes diluted by an reliance on a Scots or Irish accent. Donald Lindsay
wellThe solos are. on the whole, played. Colyn Fisher is a Scots fiddle of the Scott Skinner slow strathspey
Vicki Swan in harmony at a London meeting 38 Russel King, Neil Corbett Meetings and Events Sat-Sun 17-18 July - Part of the Dundee Scottish Music Summer School. A weekend of events devoted to the Lowland and Border repertoire for Border Pipes and Scottish Smallpipes with Matt Seattle, including a lecture, concert, workshop and masterclass. Information from: Emily Dewhurst Music Development Officer Dundee City Council Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee DD 1 4DY Tel: 01382 432473
LBPS Summer School. 2 nd to 6 August 2004, in conjunction with `Common Ground, Scotland at the Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, near Ayr. Tutors lain Maclnnes and Jock Agnew - smallpipes and Border pipes, with pipe maintenance and reed making. Contact David Hannay 01557 840 229. Website www.commongroundscotland.com gives some of the other activities taking place that week. Friday 13th August - LBPS related events at Piping Hot, Piping Centre, Cowcaddens Glasgow including lecture by Hamish Moore and CD launch. Saturday 14th August - World Pipe Band Championships, Glasgow Green, LBPS have a stand in tented village. All day. Sat 28th August - North Hero, Vermont. Tutors Include Fin Moore, Graham Mullholland and lain Mac Harg. www.pipersqatherinq.orq Saturday 16th October. NPS competitions, Chantry Museum, Morpeth
Saturday 13 h November - Collogue and concert, Glasgow (venue TBC)
Saturday 20 h November, Penrith, Cumbria- N.C.P. third piping day. Workshops for SSP, NSP, Border pipes, with Vicki Swan (SSP), Chris Ormston (NSP), Matt Seattle (Border Pipes) and others. Tickets 20. Further details from Richard Evans 016974 73799
EDINBURGH - the ALP (adult learning project) at Boroughmuir High School, Bruntsfield on Thursday nights. Smallpipe tutor Ewan Boyd. Visit the ALP website www.alpscotsmusic.org or phone 0131 337 5442
NORTHEAST ENGLAND. Ist and 3 rd Thursday of the month at the Swan pub, Greenside. Contact Steve Barwick 0191 286 3545.
NORTH CUMBRIA Pipers- meeting in Carlisle 2nd Friday of the month. Contact Richard Evans 016974 73799
LONDON. 3rd Thursday of every month, except July 8th August. 95 Horseferry Road. Contact Jock Agnew 01621 855447 LBPS WEB SITE www.lbps.net