• PART 58 •
BY JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE.
1993 was the year of the boycott following a dispute over judging involved the new Association of Piping Adjudicators (APA) which was supported by the Competing Pipers’ Association (CPA) which had threatened to boycott events if the APA were not invited to judge. All the competitions that year were affected including the two major events.
The 1993 Argyllshire Gathering was on 25th and 26th August. On the first day the Gold Medal in the Great Western Hotel and the Silver Medal in the Corran Halls were both due to start at 9am but because the first five competitors in the Gold had called off the start was delayed until 10.30am. The Senior Piobaireachd was at 10.30 in the Regent Hotel and the two rounds of the MacGregor Memorial were in St Columba’s Hall at 10am and 2.30pm with the junior MSR held in the same hall at 12 noon. There were only four entries for the MacGregor and three for the junior MSR. The set tunes for the Gold Medal were The Prince’s Salute, Lament for Colin Roy MacKenzie, Lament for the departure of King James, The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute, Beloved Scotland, Lament for Captain MacDougall, MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament No. 2, Isobel MacKay, and four were required. Although there were 24 names in the programme only 12 played. The set tunes for the Senior were Lament for Angus Campbell, Salute to James Campbell, Salute to the Isle of Iona, Lament for PM Robert Reid, The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack, Roderick MacDonald’s Salute. Four tunes were to be offered. Eight competitors were listed in the programme but only two played. After the competition tunes had been played each of the competitors returned to the hall and played another of the set tunes, thus giving the audience the chance to hear four out of these little known pieces.
The set tunes for the Silver Medal were The Carles with the Breeks, Castle Menzies, Lady Doyle’s Salute, Clan Campbell’s Gathering, Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Lament, The MacLeod’s Short Tune. Four tunes were to be submitted. In the evening the Former winners MSR was held in the Corran Halls at 7pm. Although there were eight names in the programme only five actually played. On Games Day also the numbers were reduced. The A Grade listed 30 pipers but 16 of these did not play. The B Grade listed 27 pipers but again not all played. The judges were Kenneth MacDonald, Ronald Morrison, Andrew Pitkeathly for the A March, Seumas MacNeill, James Young for the A Strathspey and Reel, Ronald Lawrie, Malcolm McRae, James Burnet for the B March and Allan Beaton, Angus MacLellan, Donald MacPherson for the B Strathspey and Reel. The March to the field took place as usual and later in the day the Lochaber Schools Pipe Band and Oban Pipe Band played.
The Piping Times report
Despite the drop in numbers the report in the Piping Times gave a positive view: “August in Scotland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful times of year in one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Provided of course that the weather co-operates.
“This year the sun shone on Oban bay. The hills, the lochs and the islands were all doing their very best and (an added bonus) Oban was not so jammed full of tourists as it usually is.
“The strenuous efforts of the ACPA (it seems to be all one organisation nowadays, so we may as well lump them together) had reduced the entries, but not enough to have any serious effect on the competition. There was a surprising number of call-offs for an amazing variety of reasons but there was still a good entry of fine players. As a result, the standard of the competitions was well up to the previous years and the number of players in each event was able to be handled with comfort by the stewards. Members of the audience were also delighted not to have to sit for hour after hour in order to get the full benefit from any one event.
“Perhaps the ACPA, as we mentioned last month, has unwittingly done a real service to piping at the major meetings.
“The Silver Medal candidates had to submit four tunes from a list of six – all fairly easy and straightforward pieces. This was judged by James Burnet, Angus J MacLellan and Tom Speirs.
“The winner was Marion McVean from New Zealand. The other placings were – second Iain Plunkett of Paisley; third, Sergeant Niall Matheson, QOH; fourth, Sergeant Michael Elder, Black Watch; fifth, John Angus Smith from Feltham.
“The standard of the Gold Medal event was well above average and this was a case where it seemed that the favourite had come in first. He was Corporal Gordon Walker, RHF, playing the Prince’s Salute. Second was Angus MacColl with an excellent rendering of Macdonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament no. 2. In third place came Bruce Woodley from Canada and the fourth prize went to Willie Morrison of South Uist, now living in Glasgow. The judges were Ronald Lawrie, Donald MacPherson and Andrew Pitkeathly.
“The Senior piobaireachd event suffered from the fact that the set tunes were all completely new to the pipers. Usually, especially for the top pipers, set tunes contain a number which they have already played in the past, but this was not the case in 1993. As a result several of those who had entered obviously felt that they had not got four of the tunes off well enough to perform in public.
“The top prize eventually went to Arthur Gillies of Kilchrennan playing the Lament for Pipe Major Robert Reid. This was a real masterly performance by a very experienced piobaireachd player and well deserved the award of Grant’s Senior Piobaireachd Trophy and the A&SH Cup, together with the prize of £120. Second prize (£70) went to Andrew Wright of Dunblane who gave a very fine interpretation of the Lament for Angus Campbell, the tune composed by Archibald Campbell of Kilberry for his son. The judges here were Seumas MacNeill, Malcolm McRae and Ronald Morrison.
“The practice now at Oban is to have the march, strathspey and reel for former winners played off in the evening of the first day, in the Corran Halls. An almost capacity audience responded enthusiastically to the great playing which was heard on this occasion. Each piper, being a former winner of either the march or the strathspey and reel (or both), had submitted six marches, six strathspeys and six reels from which the judges chose a march, strathspey and reel (in any order), each tune to be played over twice.
“The winner was Willie Morrison with an absolutely outstandingly musical interpretation of Abercairney Highlanders, The Piper’s Bonnet and Doctor MacPhail. As well as the excellent instrument and technique, Willie gave lift to his tunes and was able to put some delightful expressive touches into every one of them.
“Not far behind came Angus MacColl with a first class interpretation of The Clan MacColl, The Caledonian Society of London and Mrs Macpherson of Inveran.
“Third prize went to Gordon Walker whose Mrs John MacColl was presented in true military style, followed by good playing of The Shepherd’s Crook and The Sheepwife. Some parts of his march suffered however from his determination to put expression before technique and – worst of all – the thumping of his feet on the platform distracted seriously from enjoyment in his fine playing. Especially when turning during the march the noise on the boards can only be described as ridiculous. Things improved a bit with the strathspey but the racket came back again with the reel.
In fourth place was Arthur Gillies with a good rendering of Leaving Lunga, Lady Loudon and The Rejected Suitor. The strathspey and reel tended to be a bit fast and rushed.”
Other results
The MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd – for pipers under 22 years of age who had not previously won this contest: 1. Fraser Bruce Walker, 2. Niall Stewart.
Junior March, Stathspey and Reel (local): 1. Tracy Brogan, Oban.
March ‘A’: 1. James Murray, 2. Alan Bevan, 3. Iain Hurst, 4. Donald MacPhee, 5. Bruce Woodley.
March ‘B’: 1. Marion McVean, 2. William Geddes, 3. Douglas Murray, 4. Kenneth MacLeod, 5. Darren Hood.
Strathspey & Reel ‘A’: 1. William Morrison, 2. Iain Hurst, 3. James Murray, 4. Alan Bevan, 5. Sgt Wilson Brown.
Strathspey & Reel ‘B’: 1. Allan Russell, 2. Andrew Hayes, 3. Neil Walker, 4. William Geddes, 5. James MacPhee.
Jig: 1. Insp Barry Donaldson, 2. Cpl Gordon Walker RHF, 3. Colin Clansey.
Local. March: 1.Garry MacEwan, 2. Gavin Davidson, 3. Derek Wilson. Strathspey & Reel-1. Garry MacEwan, 2. Derek Wilson.
Best Senior Piper: Arthur Gillies.
Best Military Piper: Cpl Gordon Walker RHF.
Best Local Piper: Garry MacEwan.
In addition to the above Angus J MacLellan reported on the events he had judged.
“Despite the present problems of the piping world, the Silver Medal at this year’s Argyllshire Gathering went ahead and was very successful. The programme showed a healthy entry of 24 for the event but on the day 15 came forward. The standard of playing was very good, with the prize-winners producing that little something extra on the day.
“The winner was Marion McVean from New Zealand playing Castle Menzies. The tune was presented in a very musical manner on an excellent sounding bagpipe, with some lovely touches in the taorluath and crunluath variations. There was a little sign of physical tiring in the crunluath a-mach but this had no effect on the tune.
“A very close second was Iain Plunkett from Strathclyde Police playing Lady Doyle’s Salute in a very competent manner. Variation one was slightly on the fast side but he finished the tune very strongly. His bagpipe was good though the chanter was on the harsh side.
“Third place went to Sgt Niall Matheson, Q.O.H., playing Sir James Macdonald of the Isles’ Lament. This was a good tune slightly marred by some tight technical work, especially the odd edre and some taorluath and crunluath movements.
“Fourth place went to Sgt Michael Elder, Black Watch, who played Castle Menzies – rather straight with very little change of pace throughout; and fifth was John Angus Smith, London, playing Clan Campbell’s Gathering. The tune was well played but the bagpipe was not quite balanced, the bottom hand being rather flat.
“Others who played well but had silly mistakes were Donald MacPhee, USA, and Douglas Pincock, Renton.
“This was a very enjoyable competition to listen to and all the competitors had taken the time and trouble to learn the set tunes but it appeared that many were playing them for the first time on the competition platform.”
“Strathspey and Reel B. There was an entry of 27 for this competition on a perfect day for Highland Games and in the event 21 competitors took part. Apart from the prize-winners, the standard of playing was not the best, with too many players having tight execution especially the round movements in the strathspeys, and GDEs in reels.
“The result was as follows: 1. Allan Russell, Kelty (Tulloch Castle, Cecily Ross), 2. Andrew Hayes, Canada (Arniston Castle, Miss Proud), 3. Neil Walker, Dunblane (MacBeth’s Strathspey, Grey Bob), 4. William Geddes, Dumfries (Highland Harry, Major Manson), 5. James MacPhee, East Kilbride (Shepherd ‘s Crook, Mrs Macpherson of lnveran).”
