The passing of P/M Iain Murdo Morrison six months ago still resonates among those who knew him. Here reader Alasdair MacIver looks back on his time with the master piper. Alasdair is pictured above right with Iain Morrison junior playing at a house ceilidh in December 1990 as their proud tutor looks on. It has taken me some time to be able to write this. Iain Murdo Morrison was my…
Correspondence to Piping Press is always welcome. Recent letters are carried below. Subjects are this week’s article on the prospect of an Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting being held this year and Donald Shaw Ramsay’s comments on pipe marches. Firstly Bruce Gandy, Nova Scotia, one of the world’s leading pipers, on the uncertainty surrounding Oban and Inverness. Bruce writes: ‘Good article; hopefully this will push the promoters a wee bit…
The second part of the article from a 1960s issue of the Piping, Drumming and Dancing Journal by P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay, a brilliant player, pipe major and composer. Here he considers march tempi, and then offers an introduction to ceòl mòr or piobaireachd. Read the first excerpt here. How fast should a piper play? This again is a very controversial point, but try playing a march at a speed of…
We continue with part two of the history of one of Ireland’s most famous bands, Fintan Lalor, Dublin. In 1918 the Army Council of the Irish Citizen Army decided to reactivate the Fintan Lalor with Stephen Murphy as pipe major and in the council’s correspondence the title ‘Irish Citizen Army Pipers’ Band’ is used as much as the original one. An appeal for funds in 1919 brought donations from public…
The following is from the Piping, Drumming and Dancing Journal, 1960s. P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay was a brilliant player, pipe major and composer. Tunes to his credit include classics such as the 6/8 Miss Lily Christie, the 2/4 march Jimmy Young, and the hornpipe Tam Bain’s Lum. He won World Championships with the City of Edinburgh Police Pipe Band and came close to doing the same with the legendary Invergordon…
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