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Piobaireachd Society Announce Recommended Set Tunes for 2023

The Piobaireachd Society has instituted a new approach to the tunes it recommends for the senior competitions at the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting. Ronald McShannon of the Society’s Music Committee:

A. SENIOR COMPETITIONS

A new approach to setting tunes for the senior competitions is recommended for a trial period of five years.   The aim is to give competitors a wider choice of tunes while still ensuring exposure for the appropriate repertoire.   If deemed successful, the period may be extended beyond five years.

Competitors will submit six tunes from the list below.   Different tunes will be selected for each competitor for the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting in the same year.   The chosen tunes will be noted and competitors will not be permitted to submit these two tunes again for a period of at least five years.   

The list may be expanded from year to year on the recommendation of the Piobaireachd Society.  It is unlikely that any of the tunes will be removed from the list.



The Finger LockPS 1, K
In Praise of MoragPS 1, K
The Unjust IncarcerationPS 2, K
The Bells of PerthPS 2, K
Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmonPS 2, K
Donald Gruamach’s MarchPS 2, K
Colin Roy MacKenzie’s LamentPS 3, K
Lament for the Duke of HamiltonPS 3, K
Lament for the Earl of AntrimPS 3, K
Lament for the ChildrenPS 3, K
Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament   PS 3, K
Scarce of FishingPS 3, K
The Red Speckled BullPS 4, K
Beinn a GhriainPS 4
John Garve MacLeod of Raasay’s LamentPS 5, K
Mary’s PraisePS 5, K
Lament for the UnionPS 6, K
CraigellachiePS 6, K
The Daughter’s LamentPS 6, K
The Sound of the Waves against the Castle of DuntroonPS 6, K
The End of the Little BridgePS 8, K
Lady MacDonald’s LamentPS 8, K
Nameless Cherede DarieveaPS 8, K
The Laird of Anapool’s LamentPS 9
The Rout of the Lowland CaptainPS 9
MacLeod of Colbeck’s LamentPS 10
MacKenzie of Gairloch’s LamentPS 10
The Red Hand in the MacDonald’s ArmsPS 10
The MacLeans’ MarchPS 10
The Battle of WaterlooPS 11
Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s SalutePS 11
The MacDonalds’ SalutePS 11
Abercairney’s SalutePS 11
My Dearest on Earth, Give me your KissPS 11
Lament for the Harp TreePS 12, K
Port UrlarPS 12
Lament for AirdsPS 13
Lament for HughPS 13
Salute to MacDonald of StaffaPS 13
Good Health to You DonaldPS 13
The Sutherlands’ GatheringPS 14
Lament for King George III PS 14
Lament for Cluny MacPhersonPS 14
Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ SalutePS 14
MacLeod of MacLeod’s LamentPS 15, K
Farewell to the Queen’s FerryPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
Lament for John MacDonald, InvernessPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
Lament for Pipe Major Robert ReidPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
Salute to James CampbellPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
Salute to the MacCrimmon Cairn at BorreraigPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
The Phantom Piper of CorrieyairackPS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition
Roderick MacDonald’s SaluteDonald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition
A Son’s Salute to his ParentsDonald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition
The Edinburgh PiobaireachdJohn MacLellan Ceol Mor

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B. GOLD MEDAL COMPETITIONS

Sobieski’s SalutePS 5
The Lament for the Only sonPS 6, K
Queen Anne’s LamentPS 7, K
The Rout of the Lowland CaptainPS 9
The Black Wedder’s White TailPS 11
The MacDonalds’ SalutePS 11
Lament for the DeadPS 11
Abercairney’s SalutePS 11
MacKintosh of Borlum’s SalutePS 12
The Menzies’ SalutePS 15, K

Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play.

C. SILVER MEDAL COMPETITIONS

Weighing From LandPS 2, K
Welcome Johnny back AgainPS 9
Fair HoneyPS 9
Sir Ewan Cameron of Locheil’s SalutePS 10
Nameless, ‘One of the Cragich’PS 12
Nameless,(Hihorodo tra cherede che)PS 12
Salute to Young NeilPS 13
Lament for FinlayPS 13

Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play.

PS = Piobaireachd Society Collection    K = Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor

The Donald MacLeod and PS 20th Century Piobaireachd collections have been corrected and re-printed recently in A4 format and it is recommended that these be used as the sources for these tunes.

Competitors are not restricted to settings in the Piobaireachd Society Collection and Kilberry Book.   Those who wish to play alternative settings should submit legible scores, indicating the origins of the settings, to competition organisers along with their tune selections.

Altogether different tunes known by the same or similar names will not be accepted as alternatives. This announcement is without prejudice to any arrangements made by the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting.

For the Music Committee: Ronald McShannon, 2 Ascot Avenue, Glasgow, G12 0AX

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