PP Ed’s Blog: Former Winners’ Tunes/ Logan’s Publishers/ Uist & Barra History

Listening to part of the Former Winners’ MSR at the Northern Meeting this year I was struck by the number of comparatively easy tunes some pipers are submitting. All great tunes of course, but is Mrs MacDonald of Dunacht suitable for this level? And whilst I love Donald MacLeod’s music I’m not sure that some of the reels such as Drumlithie are as much of a test as, say, eight parts…

Australian PB Champs Results – WAPOL Victorious/ PBA President Responds to Recent Suspensions

Western Australia Police Pipe Band, P/M Jim Murray, took all the main prizes on the second day of the  in today’s Australian Pipe Band  Championships Grade 1 contest held in Sydney. They were placed first for the main contest, for drumming and dress & deportment. Grade 2 main prize and drumming went to the Pipe Band Club Australia. Held every two years, the Australian Pipe Band Championships is the country’s…

Angus Nicol 1933 – 2016

The death has been reported of Angus Nicol of the Highland Society of London. He was 83. Angus died peacefully at a hospice in London. He had been in poor health for some time. A self-taught Gaelic speaker and lover of pipe music, Angus was a fixture at all major piping events throughout his life. Of an Argyll family, he first attended the Argyllshire Gathering in 1936 aged three. In…

New Recordings from John MacDonald, Inverness

Piobaireachd lovers will enjoy the new additions to the PP Audio Archive added today, writes the Editor. They are of the playing of the celebrated master piper John MacDonald, Inverness. He gives us the ground and first variation of the Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon, and the grounds of the Wee Spree and MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart. Of the latter, I think it is fair to say that we would seldom hear the…

New Leading Drummer For Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band Announced

David Henderson has been appointed as the new Leading Drummer of the Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band following the departure of long time servant Eric Ward. A statement on behalf of Pipe Major Iain MacPherson and Niall West, Band Manager, was issued to Piping Press today. It reads: ‘Following consideration of several applications for the post, Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band are pleased to announce the appointment of…