Today we begin an occasional series looking at the stories behind some of our well known tunes. We kick off with Pibroch of Donald Dubh, an old tune that was originally a pibroch but which was developed subsequently into ceòl beag (there are excellent march, jig, reel, quickstep and hornpipe […]
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t start reading this blog yet. Go to Spotify and bang on this playlist here. No shuffling. Play as it is from end to end. At a volume that will get you an ASBO (that’s an Anti-Social Behaviour Order for those not familair with Scotland’s crime legislation). […]
Differences in playing styles is the subject of this opinion piece taken from the December 2004 Piping Times. By Duncan Watson A number of years ago while discussing the various aspects of The Unjust Incarceration with the late Donald Morrison, he related what I found to be an interesting story. […]
Few would dispute that the piping scene in Scotland has changed hugely since 20 years ago. In that time a significant swathe of pipers has emerged that have eschewed the world of competition entirely. Not because they’re not good enough – they most certainly are – but because the competition […]
Steven Blake, pictured, has been appointed as the new Director of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland (NYPBoS). Blake replaces Alisdair MacLaren who stepped down after a decade in the role to return to Australia. MacLaren was recently appointed the new Pipe Major of Western Australia Police Pipe Band. […]
More classic articles from our archives have been uploaded to the site today. From 1980-1981 Captain John A. MacLellan MBE published an introductory pibroch pieces that provide a sound explanation of the structure and notation of the music. The series was aimed at the junior piper but the information will […]
By Captain John A MacLellan MBE Piobaireachd, or ceòl mòr as many pipers prefer to call it, can be classified under various headings, all of which have some effect on the production of the music. Some of these classifications are more important than others. Probably of least importance, is the […]
By Capt. John A. MacLellan MBE We have seen in the previous article on the structure of piobaireachd how the various classifications which are part of ceòl mòr influence its meaning. Pipers do not necessarily recognise the same elements in a piece of music. To some, a lament may appear […]
Playing a piobaireachd By Capt. John A. MacLellan Now that the notation and structure of piobaireachd has been explained it is time to consider methods of producing a musical performance. The first consideration must always be the tuning of the bagpipe. As piobaireachd music produces many long notes it is […]
By Capt. John A. MacLellan MBE All piobaireachd available to pipers today, the exception of reprints, are abbreviated. Strangely, this innovation can be traced to Angus MacKay (just other example of his brilliant musical mind). His manuscript, as far as the piobaireachd volumes are concerned, is largely abbreviated. The piobaireachd […]
