Category: History

History: Walter Drysdale and James Honeyman’s Lord Alexander Kennedy

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Following on from yesterday’s ‘Choice Tune’, Lord Alexander Kennedy, and a letter from Walter Drysdale, we have his obituary and additional information about the tune’s composer, James Honeyman, and its subject.  The picture above is of the 42nd Regiment (The Black Watch) in 1852, while stationed at the Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lord Alexander Kennedy was an officer in the regiment and James Honeyman a piper. It is likely Honeyman,…

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Choice Tune: Lord Alexander Kennedy by James Honeyman

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Our focus today is on the 2/4 pipe march Lord Alexander Kennedy. Now more popular with bands than soloists, it is nevertheless a classic of the genre. ‘Lord Alex’ lends itself to innovation and re-write, and many versions of the tune have appeared and been performed over the years. What I’m presenting today, however, is a copy of the original tune as written by the composer, James Honeyman, and passed…

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New Footage Added to PP Video Archive etc.

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We complete our feature on the life and times of the late P/M Alasdair Gillies with footage from his funeral held in Ullapool in 2011. Alasdair was laid to rest with many of the world’s top pipers in attendance and one, P/M Niall Matheson, played the Queen’s Own Highlander’s regimental piobaireachd  ‘Cabar Feidh gu Brath’ at the graveside. Read the earlier features on Alasdair’s life and times here. Listen to his…

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PP Editor’s Blog: Tying Bridles/ Florida Academy Sponsorship/ Brian Niven/ Structured Learning Vids

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Pleased to announce that Wm. Sinclair & Co. are to sponsor the South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy. Thank you! I think it is a credit to the Academy that so many leading piping firms are willing to support it. Wm Sinclair join RT Shepherd, D Naill & Co, McCallum Bagpipes, G1 Reeds and Pipe Dreams on our list of benefactors. The Academy runs from February 24 – 28 inclusive…

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History: Tales from the Castle and P/M Willie Ross

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If, like many, you enjoy piping history, you will read the following with avidity. It is from P/M Sandy Hain, formerly of Fife and now domiciled in Ohio, USA. Sandy ‘did the course’ at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle, 1950 -51. He has many stories of his time there with P/M Willie Ross, great piper and a great character (as you will see). We asked Sandy if he would…

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