Famous Pipers: Master Composer, P/M John McLellan, Dunoon

The recent WW1 commemorations brought to the fore some of the outstanding compositions by P/M John McLellan Dunoon. P/M McLellan was one of the truly great composers of pipe music with a host of melodies to his name, melodies that will endure as long as bagpipes are played. Just look at this sample list of masterpieces: The Road to the Isles (various names before being taken up by the sangsters and…

PP Ed’s Blog: Live in Ireland/ Angus Nicol/Wallace Success/ RSPBA Results/ South Florida

The Northern Ireland Branch of the RSPBA have sent this: ‘Live ‘back’ in Ireland 87 Concert at Belfast Waterfront Hall –  30 years ago, the soon-to-be World Champion Pipe Band, Toronto-based, 78th Fraser Highlanders performed and recorded the now-legendary ‘Live in Ireland’ concert. An all-star cast of guest players along with many of the original performers are once again coming together, for the final time, to celebrate the music of…

PP Ed’s Blog: US Sojourn Day 2 – Balmoral Classic Results/ Toronto Police Concert

Day two in Pittsburgh began with breakfast with Jimmy and Gordon Bell, illustrious sons of the late and equally illustrious George Bell, Bishopbriggs and New Jersey. I told them that  over the years I had been in regular contact with their father up until his death eight years ago. George had been taught by Bob Hardie in the Bishopbriggs Boys Brigade and in the Kenmure’s Pipe Band. Hardie would go…

PP Ed’s Blog: American Soujourn Day 1

Pittsburgh has indeed thrown off its smokey steel town reputation. Yesterday I was given a tour of the metropolis by Andrew Carlisle and saw for myself the parks, the clean rivers the clean air – a distinct turnaround from the days of belching chimneys and Scot Andrew Carnegie’s industrial empire. That empire has endowed the city with some magnificent buildings and universities however and everywhere you get the feeling of…

The Late Angus Nicol In His Own Words

Robert Wallace writes: A couple of years ago, when his illness first struck, I got talking to Angus about his life. My, how it was interesting! At the end of the chat I told him that he must write something down and, Angus being Angus, did just that – and for my benefit always with a piping bent. What follows is all the more touching now that he’s gone. I have appended a tribute…