Category: History

Analysis: A More Authoritative and Pleasing Way of Playing a Particular Crunluath Motif

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By Robert Wallace This article concerns the crunluath motif written in the Piobaireachd Society’s collection, before the 2019-2025 revision, as: What follows I first wrote about 22 years ago. I raised it again at the at the recent Piobaireachd Society Judges Seminar when discussing the tune, the Pride of Barra. The timing of this motif is important given that it features not only in the Pride of Barra – set…

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Grade 1 Numbers: Readers Have Their Say

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Last week in his Notebook, the Editor bemoaned the dearth of pipe bands entered for the Grade 1 British Championship (Ingliston, May 30). There are only nine, playing in this order: 1 SLOT 2 Police Federation 3 FMM 4 Shotts 5 Boghall 6 Fife Police 7 Inveraray 8 Scottish Power 9 Ravara. Given this low number in the grade, he once more urged a cap on numbers and also voiced…

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NZ Youth Band Album/ Wheel of Fortune Results

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A debut album released by the National Youth Pipe Band of New Zealand, ‘Bound by Sound’ comprises a ten‑track showcase of the country’s emerging talent, writes Liam Kernaghan. Recorded over three days in December 2025, the album blends the Scottish tradition with the modern Kiwi revival. Piping and drumming are booming again among young New Zealanders, and everyone on the album carries their own personal thread in that story.  ”Bound…

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Editor’s Notebook: Grade 1 Bands/ Scots Guards KO/ Scholarship/ Highland Pipers

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Knowledgeable attendees are reporting a very high standard of performance at last week’s band contest at Huntly, Aberdeenshire. I’m told four Grade 2 bands, Buchan Peterson, Grampian Police, Texo Deeside and Bucksburn, would not disgrace themselves in Grade 1. Given the dwindling numbers in that grade, this has to be good news. This week’s G1 draw for the British Championships at Ingliston on May 30 sports a grand total of…

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More on P/M Hugh MacPherson, Lochore PB

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I am currently helping retrieve historic data on two prominent juvenile pipe bands for a friend, and going through the archive I have coincidentally happened upon an obituary for Pipe Major Hugh MacPherson who featured in last week’s Piping Press.   I know that any additional historic information is worth preserving, so I’ve copied the piece and it is attached. It reads: By Iain Duncan ‘It is with deep regret…

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