It is just a week since the Silver Chanter and the important piping competitions held at Portree as part of the Skye Gathering, writes the Editor.
Entries for the Dunvegan Medal topped 29 and looking down the list it seems to me that it may be time for the promoters to limit these to those graded B+ upwards. This competition really is not for anyone below that standard. Pipers without a grade should still be admitted in my view but might be asked for some sort of track record before acceptance.
With a little filtering the standard of the competition will be maintained and a lengthy day for the judges reduced to more manageable levels.
The bid to attract former winners to play in the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp by significantly reducing the playing requirements does not appear to have been a success. One of the attractive features of Skye is that we hear the very finest MacCrimmon compositions played by top players. They all have the knowledge and ability to play these tunes so I don’t see the point in deviating from the MacCrimmon standard.
Both the winner of the Dunvegan Medal and the Col. Jock Clasp qualify for the 2026 Silver Chanter and it is to that competition we turn firstly with comment from adjudicator Dr Bill Wotherspoon….
Six players, all at the top of their game, all vying for major achievements in the forthcoming events at Oban and Inverness, it was sure to make an evening of piobaireachd bliss. The setting at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig ensured a relaxed and convivial atmosphere with a very appreciative audience.
The pipers all performed to an excellent standard, all the basic fundamentals were ticked, no pipes wandering out of tune, no fingering or note errors, execution spot on. It was down to the musicality that would determine the overall winner. As it should be. Tuning-up phrases are perhaps an irrelevance, but in a recital so very important in setting the scene, and I’d like to mention a couple that caught my ear, the second variation of the Children and the melodic variations of the Earl of Antrim. Marvellous!
First on Nick Hudson with Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon, a tune full of subtlety which he delivered with aplomb, some really nice touches in the first variation where the pendulum keeps swinging. The pipes could have benefited from richer sound, perhaps this is to come as the reeds mature.
Alasdair Henderson played the Kiss of the King’s Hand. A beautifully expressive ground, however particularly in the doubling of the dithis, a little languid for my taste.
Derek Midgley gave the Battle of Waternish full military honours with a spirited performance perhaps too overdramatic towards the end. 3/4 tunes like these are always difficult to phrase effectively so as not to segment the flow and he managed this very well.
Cameron Drummond played an outstanding MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament, full of verve and force, though, and this is a personal point of view, I like to hear the phrasing in the doublings although the rhythm should not be sacrificed. Wonderfully rich sound.
Angus MacPhee played the Earl of Ross’s March, a demanding piece of music. The scope for interpretative latitude lies in the ground and first variation. After that it can become repetitive, but nuances of expression need to be found.
Sandy Cameron with the Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck. A truly excellent tune from start to finish and a beautiful way to round off the evening’s entertainment.
My task was not an easy one, a balancing act of conflicting feelings, but in the end I was comfortable that I had made the correct choice.
And now Dr Jack Taylor reports on the Dunvegan Medal and Clasp….
Despite the stormy weather making travel difficult, 25 pipers competed for the Dunvegan Medal in Portree. Was this the first time that the medal has been won by a piper from Skye? Alistair Brown from Kyleakin played I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand with apparent easy musicianship and immaculate technique on a deep, resonant pipe. I wrote ‘Piobaireachd as it is meant to be played’. Alistair will be invited to play in next year’s Silver Chanter.
Angus MacPhee was a close second. Mrs MacLeod of Talisker was given an upbeat salute, but with no sense of rush or loss of control. The G to B figures in the ground were perhaps just overcut for my taste, and the crunluath singling took a few bars to settle from the tempo of the taorluath doubling.
Third was John MacDonald. He was drawn fifth but had to play second due to withdrawals – surely to be frowned on unless with good reason. John was well prepared however and his Waternish was solid, with maybe a slightly fast ground and a couple of small misses later in the tune.
Cameron May’s Lament for the Earl of Antrim was thoughtful, balanced and unrushed. The drones, whilst steady, sometimes seemed to drift from the chanter, and some crunluaths came in just a fraction early. Fourth place.
James Feeney was fifth with Rory MacLeod’s Lament. The ground could have been taken a fraction slower for me, the middle variations were exemplary and the pipe was sweet and true. Some crunluaths were just on the open side.
Near the prize list were Callum Wynd and Andrew Smith, also with Rory MacLeod’s Lament. Callum was cautious generally, and some Es between crunluaths were just on the long side. Andrew’s interpretation was lyrical and fluent but his chanter could have been brighter.
Andrew Hall played an excellent MacDonald’s Salute, no easy task, but small chips and chokes were enough to keep him from the prize list.
Steven Leask had a couple of small chokes and a rather prominent D in Earl of Ross’s March. Ben Duncan’s drones were not fully settled in Lament for the Children, and he didn’t quite catch that difficult 2nd variation.
Gordon MacCready’s Colbeck had an over-bold ground, Anna Kummerlöw rowed the boat pretty fast towards the end of MacLeod’s Rowing tune, Darach Urquhart’s Donald Duaghal felt unsettled until finally singing in the crunluath singling, and Jamie Hawke’s Patrick Og was marred by a somewhat open crunluath technique.
Jamie Elder had a fine MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute on a deep true pipe, but he went off at the start of the crunluath. Martin Kessler had a musical if cautious Groat, and fosgailte and crunluaths were tight.
Nick Hudson stopped after an uncharacteristic lapse in variation 2 of Lament for the Children. Susie Klinger had squeaks in MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart and stopped.
Gordon Barclay was slightly choppy in the groundwork of MacLeod of Raasay, Matt Pantaleoni had mistakes in Colbeck, Brodie Watson-Massey was just too slow in the singlings of MacSwan of Roaig, Teddy Krogh rushed through the King’s Hand. David Stulpner was rather careful with the King’s Taxes, and first and last on, Andrew Ferguson and Greig Canning, suffered wavering drones.
Jock MacDonald Clasp….I operated the timer so could enjoy listening without judgement. What was immediately obvious was that the vaulted roof and stone walls of St Columba’s Church gave a much better acoustic than the Gathering Hall. The individual sound of each instrument was clearly heard.
The 2025 Dunvegan Medal winner Alistair Brown played Colbeck. Again the deep pipe and natural musicianship were on display. The interpretation was smooth and subtle throughout, the technique assured.
The Red Speckled Bull (or Army) is a contrasting feast. Whether Bull or Army, in Colin MacLellan’s hands it was up for a fight. He gave an invigorating upbeat performance. ‘The Bull’ has few notes and much repetition, but there was no dullness here, and much enjoyment for this listener.
Then Mrs Macleod of Talisker; the feeling of salute is caught so well in that opening phrase, and Sandy Cameron kept this feeling up with a musical and thoughtful performance.
The Earl of Ross’s March; It’s dour, let’s face it. Enigmatic too, maybe. The music has to be wrung from it. Derek Midgley did just that. A masterful performance.
Finally that sweetest of tunes, Donald Duaghal MacKay’s Lament. Sarah Muir pulled out every last drop of pathos. The pipe was pure and true. Long notes were held that fraction longer, short notes were slipped between them. Taorluath and Crunluath variations were shaped to perfection.
Result: 1 Sandy Cameron 2 Derek Midgely 3 Sarah Muir
- Full senior results from Skye here. We are still waiting for the juniors.
