In the second part of the 2017 College of Piping Lecture, ALAN FORBES talked about the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society. At the start of Alan’s presentation, the audience was treated to a performance of Roddy Campbell’s Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society by Andrew Frater, Robert Frater and John Frater. The Scottish […]
1970-1971 By Jeannie Campbell MBE In 1970, the Gathering took place on August 26-27. The set tunes for the Open and Clasp competitions were The Big Spree (including tripling and Crunluath variations), Lord Lovat’s Lament, Craigellachie, Nameless (Hiharin Odin Hiharin Dro), Clanranald’s Salute and The Prince’s Salute. Four were to […]
1968 By Jeannie Campbell MBE For 1968, competitors in the Open Competition at the Argyllshire Gathering and in the Clasp Competition at the Northern Meeting were required to submit four tunes from a list of six. The tunes were: Mrs. MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute, Rory MacLeod’s Lament, MacDonald’s Salute, Lament […]
By Captain John MacLellan The year 1781 has much more significance to piping than the fact that it was the first time that a properly organised competition for ceòl mòr was held. As to the past, we can only surmise that competitions were held – none are on record. Apart […]
The MacDonald’s Salute is one of three compositions relating to the reconciliation between the MacLeods of Dunvegan and the MacDonalds of Sleat, following a protracted period of conflict between the two. The other tunes are MacLeod’s Controversy and The MacLeod’s Salute. The tunes are attributed to MacLeod’s piper, Donald Mòr […]
Today, we kick off yet another occasional series, this time on the tunes that are set regularly for the major solo piping competitions. The first tune to be discussed is Isabel MacKay. The tune was last set in 2016, although it is in the current CLASP list. Here to take […]
The first ‘Piper Above all Others’ competition was an invitational one that was held in Glasgow from the late 1970s to the early-mid 1980s. Andrew Wright won it in 1979, Donald MacPherson in 1980, Pipe Major Angus MacDonald in 1981. Fred Morrison won the 1985 one. The 1980 competition is […]
With the 2020 invitational solo piping competition organised by The Glasgow Uist and Barra Association coming up on March 7 at The National Piping Centre Otago Street, we found the following critique from the 1978 competition interesting. Competing that day were many who have become some of our leading judges […]
By John KS Frater Major General Charles Simeon Thomason, one of the leading figures of the great Highland bagpipe, died on July 12, 1911. The first President of the Piobaireachd Society (PS), he had become quite an obscure figure until fellow Sapper and piper, Brian MacKenzie brought him to life […]
By Peter McCalister For better or worse, tune settings in the Kilberry book, and in the Piobaireachd Society’s (PS) collection, have become known as the ‘usual’ versions – and other versions as ‘alternative’ settings. Why play an alternative setting of a tune? The PS has, over the last 80 years […]
