By JIM McGILLIVRAY
When a piper tunes up—whether at the solo boards in Oban, on a street corner in Halifax, Nova Scotia, or in the electric intensity of the World Pipe Band Championships—they are stepping into a tradition built by giants. The marches, reels, strathspeys, jigs, and laments they play are not just notes on a page; they are the voices of composers who have shaped the very soul of Highland piping. These are the architects of our music, whose influence stretches from the battlefield laments of the Jacobites to the cutting-edge medleys of today’s top pipe bands.
Who, then, in my opinion, are the most important voices in our tradition? After careful analysis—balancing historical significance, modern influence, and the breadth of their compositions—here are the ten most influential composers in the history of Highland piping.
1. Patrick Mòr MacCrimmon (c.1595–1670)
The MacCrimmon dynasty is the stuff of legend, the name inseparable from the ancient art of piobaireachd. Of them all, Patrick Mòr MacCrimmon stands at the summit. As hereditary piper to the MacLeods of Dunvegan, he helped formalise the great music (ceòl mòr), taught at the famed Borreraig school on Skye, and composed some of the most profound laments ever written. His Lament for the Children—a masterpiece born of unimaginable loss—remains a pinnacle of the classical piping repertoire, an unbroken thread linking modern competitors to the 17th century.
Essential Tunes: Lament for the Children, I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand, Lament for Mary MacLeod, Lament for Donald of Laggan.
2. G.S. McLennan (1883–1929)
If there is a single figure who reshaped light music, it is George Stewart McLennan. A prodigy who performed for Queen Victoria as a child, McLennan revolutionized piping technique and composition, setting new standards for both precision and inventiveness. His Jig of Slurs is a dazzling display of technical fluency, while The Little Cascade and Inveran remain mainstays of solo and pipe band repertoires. His compositions push the instrument to its limits, and today’s top players still measure themselves against his music.
Essential Tunes: Inveran, The Little Cascade, Jig of Slurs, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran.
3. Angus MacKay (1813–1859)
A piper to Queen Victoria, the first to commit piobaireachd to staff notation, and a champion of the structured 2/4 march, Angus MacKay’s fingerprints are on nearly everything we play today. His landmark Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd saved dozens of great works at a time when oral tradition alone kept them alive. His Balmoral Highlanders march and settings of the great laments remain foundational to competition repertoire, ensuring his impact echoes across the centuries.
Essential Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, The Glengarry Gathering, The Abercairney Highlanders, The Duke of Roxborough’s Farewell to the Blackmount Forest.
4. Donald MacLeod, MBE (1916–1982)
Some composers leave a handful of great tunes. Donald MacLeod left us hundreds. A legendary Gold Medalist, and master teacher, his six books of light music and his volume of piobaireachd are essential learning for any serious piper. From the intricate Susan MacLeod to the driving Crossing the Minch, MacLeod’s compositions are an integral part of the modern piping landscape—technically brilliant, deeply melodic, and endlessly rewarding to play.
Essential Tunes: Susan MacLeod, Crossing the Minch, Dr. Ross’s 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering, Donald MacLellan of Rothesay.
5. Pipe-Major Willie Ross (1878–1966)
The teacher of champions: as principal instructor at the Army School of Piping, Willie Ross shaped generations of top players, setting a standard for technique and musicality that persists today. His five collections of bagpipe music remain go-to sources for competitors, and his compositions—particularly his marches—have become staples of the highest level of play.
Essential Tunes: Brigadier General Ronald Cheape of Tiroran, Leaving Port Askaig, Queen Elizabeth II’s March, Flight of the Eaglets.
6. John MacColl (1860–1943)
A composer whose 2/4 marches have defined the competitive idiom, John MacColl’s name is synonymous with top-tier piping. His Argyllshire Gathering and Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France remain benchmarks for soloists, and his mastery of phrasing and structure continues to shape how pipers approach the march idiom.
Essential Tunes: The Argyllshire Gathering, Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France, Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque, John MacFadyen of Melfort.
7. Gordon Duncan (1964–2005)
The great disrupter. Gordon Duncan redefined what was possible on the bagpipe, fusing folk, rock, and international influences into compositions that were at once infectious and ferociously complex. His tunes are now played in settings he might never have imagined—on festival stages, at piping contests, and by pipers who grew up idolizing his fearlessness. His music is the future.
Essential Tunes: Andy Renwick’s Ferret, Pressed for Time, The High Drive, The Sleeping Tune.
8. Peter R. MacLeod Sr. (1878–1965)
One of the most underappreciated masters, Peter R. MacLeod’s music is omnipresent in solo competition. His Hugh Kennedy is a staple, and The Conundrum is among the most creative marches in the repertoire. His attention to structure and melodic flow makes his compositions both a joy and a test for pipers.
Essential Tunes: Hugh Kennedy, John Morrison, Assynt House, Dora MacLeod, Major Manson.
9. William Lawrie (1881–1916)
William Lawrie’s brief but brilliant career left us some of the most beautifully crafted tunes in the repertoire. His Battle of the Somme is a world-famous retreat march, and John MacDonald of Glencoe remains a favourite of top soloists. Though his life was cut short by World War I, his music lives on.
Essential Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, The Braes of Brecklet, The Battle of the Somme, Captain Carswell.
10. John McLellan, DCM (1875–1949)
A composer whose music straddles both competition and cultural memory, John McLellan gave us some of the most evocative marches and slow airs in piping. The Bloody Fields of Flanders and Lochanside remain deeply moving pieces, often played at memorial events. His ability to craft a tune that lingers in the mind ensures his enduring influence.
Essential Tunes: The Bloody Fields of Flanders, The Cowal Gathering, Lochanside, The 51st Division at Beaumont Hamel.
Honourable Mentions
- Donald Shaw Ramsay: 10th HLI Crossing the Rhine, Old Adam, Mrs. Lily Christie, Jimmy Young.
- Iain Dall MacKay: Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon, The Unjust Incarceration, The Munros’ Salute, The Blind Piper’s Obstinacy.
- Roderick Campbell: Colin Thompson, MacKay from Skye, Royal Scottish Piper’s Society, Malcolm Johnston.
Conclusion
This is more than a list—it is the very foundation of Highland piping. These composers didn’t just write tunes; they shaped a tradition, crafting the soundtrack of a people, a culture, and a history. Their music is woven into the very soul of Scotland and into the fingers of every piper who lifts a chanter to play.
As long as Highland pipes sound over battlefields and parades, in competitions and quiet practice rooms, these composers will never be forgotten. Their legacy lives in the soaring phrases of a march, the intricate swing of a reel, the timeless sorrow of a lament. Their music does not belong to the past—it is alive, carried forward by every piper who plays their tunes. And as long as there are pipers, their melodies will never fade, only echo forward—bold, timeless, and unmistakable.
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Jim McGillivray is a renowned piper, instructor, and historian of Highland piping. He has won major solo piping prizes, including the Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness, and the Clasp at Inverness, authored two bestselling piping method books, and operates pipetunes.ca, one of the leading online resources for bagpipe music.