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 […]
Gordon Duncan (1964-2005) inspired a whole generation of pipers in his own lifetime in a way no piper has ever done before or since. As the December 2015 edition of the Piping Times stated, his influence on the current generation is apparent even though some are perhaps too young to […]
This recording was released a couple of days before the Glenfiddich and was made during lockdown by renowned Scottish multi-instrumentalist, Fraser Fifield. He also recorded, engineered and mastered it. At first glance, the title would suggest this is a recording devoted to ceòl mòr. It isn’t. Fifield refers to the […]
By Jeannie Campbell MBE In early 1851 members of the Highland Society of London met in the Freemasons’ Tavern in Great Queen Street to discuss the annual Scottish Fête at Holland Park. The previous gatherings had lost money and there were calls to reform the Society. A committee was nominated […]
1962 By Jeannie Campbell MBE After the 1962 Argyllshire Gathering the Piping Times carried a full report of the event: “Once again the summer games season reached its culmination in the middle of September, and once again, at the beginning of the second week of the month, all roads led […]
The subject of this attractive little tune was the eldest son of Donald MacDonald of Glengarry (‘Donald of Laggan’, the seventh chief of this powerful branch of Clan Donald) and Margaret MacDonald of Clan Ranald. Donald was aged 16 when Alasdair was born, in 1559 on Lewis. Alasdair’s epithet of […]
I became a Piping Times subscriber in 1974 although I had bought occasional copies before that whenever I was in a piping shop. I joined the College of Piping’s evening classes in 1976 after playing in a band for six years and was soon helping with the enrolment of pupils […]
Archie MacNeill (1879-1962), is probably best known as the composer of Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban, The Detroit Highlanders, David Ross of Rosehall and a few other great tunes that have stood the test of time. Archie, though, was an important figure in piping and, in fact, could be regarded […]
Who doesn’t love a good magazine? Colourful. shiny pages, interesting articles of easy-to-read length and pictures … lots of pretty pictures, if you’re lucky. Magazines have been printed for almost as long as the printing press has been invented. So for 500 years we’ve had the world’s cupboards, attics and […]
By Hugh Cheape No profession of substance and reputation can be without its magazine or journal. This supplies the focus and forum for discussion for an interest group and gives shape and expression to its identity. The Piping Times performed this function with its regular output of news and current […]
