Review: The Inaugural London Recital

As pukka piping dos go it would be hard to better the London Recital. Black tie, beautiful room, superb wines, Raasay whisky, and gourmet canapès, and – more important than anything – brilliant piping from the fingers of two of the best, Iain Speirs and Angus MacColl.

So here’s how it went. We gathered last Thursday evening in Dover House in Whitehall by kind permission of the Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander. The Pinstripe Highlanders, co-promoters with the Piobaireachd Society, piped us up the regency stairway.

By Robert Wallace

Champagne, chilled just right, and after some chat, an intro from micro organiser in chief, Gordon Tughan-Jones of the PinH. Lord Dalhousie had had pipers in the Scotland Office back in 1886, he said, it was fitting that they should be heard again on the thick government carpet.

Now a recital by seven pipers and two drummers from the 1st Battalion Scots Guards. The acoustic balance was nigh on perfect for the room. Why? Because Pipe Major Mitchell employed only one side drummer and a bass. Concert pipe bands take note.

A thoughtful selection of favourites, and we were on to the battalion dancers – much delight from the audience.

I leapt to my feet too, not to dance but to introduce the first recitalist, Iain Speirs. His pipe was perfectly set and fair enchanted we listeners, a full house from the Piobaireachd Society, Highland Society of London, Pinstripers, Argyllshire Gathering, London Scottish and SPSL.

I leapt to my feet once more when the light music was over to introduce Iain’s chosen piobaireachd, In Praise of Morag. Was Morag the family cow or Bonnie Prince Charlie? Did it matter?

I implored the audience, 70% non-piobaireachd, to stick with it, to listen to drone harmonics changing with chanter. I explained the theme and variation concept and the subtlety of fingering required for successful delivery of ceòl mòr. Iain, of course, gave us all of that. I do think they stuck with him. He finished to some serious applause.

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The interval, and the place was in vibrant spirits: isle of Raasay single malt whisky spirits, the champers, those canapès, that music. It could have run on and on but with military timing, Gordon’s assistant, Major Henry Edwards, ordered us all back into the performance room.

I leapt again, this time for Angus MacColl. Bedazzled by his dexterity in the ceòl beag as they were, I urged the audience to dial down for his piobaireachd, Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon.

The story of the blind piper and P Og hearing his own musical elegy seemed to strike home. Listen for the weeping note, the high G, I said, keep your concentration, here we have another master at work on an another masterpiece.

I check round the faces at the end of variation 1 doubling, yes Angus still has them, and on to a triumphant a mach finish and more serious applause.

Duncan Byatt, President of the Highland Society of London and adviser to the organising committee, led the thank yous, then a presentation bottle for the pipers, photographs and carriages.

The London Recital? That’s the way to do it.

• The inaugural London Recital held at the Scotland Office, Dover House, Whitehall, London, on September 25, 2025, sponsored by Isle of Raasay Hebridean Distillers and promoted by the Pinstripe Highlanders and the Piobaireachd Society. More photographs on the London Recital website.

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