In the final ever edition of the Piping Today magazine published in May 2020, a wide range of people were asked to give their 2020 vision for piping going forward. They were all sent a list of questions and asked to choose one to answer in no more than 200 words.
The questions prompted a wide range of interesting and entertaining answers, and we will share them on bagpipe.news over the rest of this year. To give the writers a chance to update their thoughts, we have asked them to write us a short and snappy postcard from 2022, letting us know their plans for this year now that piping is opening up again and life getting back to some normality.
Jack Taylor’s 2020 Vision
To look forward, look back.
1620: King James bans musicians from travelling through Gaeldom. The golden age of piobaireachd begins.
1720: Smallpox comes to Skye on a visiting ship and inspires Lament for the Children.
1820: Piobaireachd recovers after the ’45. The new-fangled light music is banned from competitions.
1920: The Great War and a pandemic are over. The Piobaireachd Society restarts its collection. Light music bounds on thanks to Willie Lawrie, John MacLellan and G S MacLennan.
2020: A pandemic unifies and terrifies a selfish and conflicted world. Piping controversies are stilled. Creativity flourishes amongst the increased call for laments.
2120: A pandemic and another global war are over. The Piobaireachd Society produces book 29. Light music is played by symphony orchestras, jazz bands and pop groups. Travel and social media restrictions allow local styles to proliferate. People go by bike to recitals in the local hall where they love hearing piobaireachd. The World Piping Organisation, 45 Roaig, Dunvegan, bans plastic reeds, bags, chanters, drones, mounts, drumheads… and has pronounced A as Bb. It regrets however that agreement has not been reached on whether bands should play facing each other or the audience.
Jack’s postcard from 2022
2022: I’m glad that the pandemic is settling. But so sad that another war is on us. Thank goodness for the things which cheer us – the music, the sport, the science, the arts. Let’s get out there, play tunes and share our stories.
Jack Taylor
