The Music Committee of the Piobaireachd Society has recommended the following set tunes for next year’s Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting:
GOLD MEDAL – Four (4) tunes to be submitted
The Finger Lock*
Pride of Barra *
Lady MacDonald’s Lament
MacDonalds Are Simple
Port Urlar
Lament for Airds*
Fare Thee Well Donald
Lament for Captain Donald MacKenzie
* Crunluath a mach required.
SILVER MEDAL – four (4) tunes to be submitted
Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg
Nameless, Hiharin dro o dro
Earl of Seaforth’s Salute
King’s Taxes
Beloved Scotland
Rout of Glen Fruin*
Battle of Bealach nam Brog
Farewell to the Laird of Islay*
Lament for the Iolaire
Lament for John Morrison, Assynt House
* Crunluath a mach required.
SENIOR COMPETITIONS – the same list as was used for 2025 will be used for 2026 and for 2027, when a review will take place. The list can be viewed on the News page of the PS website here.
Pipers are asked to submit six tunes from this list and are not allowed to submit a played tune again for at least five years. The Society recommends that judges/ promoters select a different tune for each event, Senior Piobaireachd or Clasp, in a given year.
The senior list contains 54 tunes, all the classic, lengthy pieces plus several modern tunes such as the Lament for Robert Reid and Salute to the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig and others by Donald MacLeod and Captain John MacLellan. Many are available through the Society’s revised 20th Century Piobaireachd Book.
Ronald MacShannon for the Music Committee writes: ‘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.’
The set tunes are chosen by sub groups within the Music Committee. The full committee, excluding competing members, then convenes to draw up the final lists. Competing pipers who are members of the committee take no part in any discussion on set tunes and are notified of them at the same times as the piping public.
- We are keen to hear opinions on the set tunes system and in particular the views of piobaireachd enthusiasts on the ‘long list’ approach for the senior events. Please share your views in our Comments section.
