Category: Letters

Mystery Reel Played by Bob Nicol Revealed as a Composition of GS McLennan

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We had a very good response to to yesterday’s story on the playing of RB Nicol and in particular the unidentified tune mentioned. Thanks to everyone who took the trouble. Duncan Watson: Aha! That reel that Bob was recorded playing is called Anon and is a composition of GS McLennan. Anon spelled backwards comes out as ‘Nona’ which was the name of GS’s wife. He also composed a slow air…

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Editor’s Notebook: Practice Time/ Low G Taorluath/ Sgian Dubh/ Internship/ Coronation Tune/ Results 1996

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How many of you come close to following the guidance in this practice table? I suspect not many will manage the five hours a day. The maximum I could ever do, in say the run up to to Oban and Inverness, would have been two hours. For my pupils I recommend a minimum of an hour a day. This can be split into three sections: 20 minutes on the practice…

More Editor’s Notebook: Practice Time/ Low G Taorluath/ Sgian Dubh/ Internship/ Coronation Tune/ Results 1996

Editor’s Notebook: The Games/ Major Small/ Pretty Marion/ Festival Pix/ Book Help

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Nothing epitomises the romance of the games more than this old photograph from Glenfinnan in the 1970s. It shows the famous bench of Seton Gordon, Angus MacPherson, Invershin, and Col. Jock MacDonald, Viewfield, Skye, in confab. Combined ages not that far off 300. Clearly making notes after discussing the playing, but later just as likely to be talking of some arcane ethological phenomena (Seton was a renowned naturalist), a convoluted…

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1st Port Trophy/ Piping Live/ Results from Ireland

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The successful dinner and piping recital held in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1st Port Glasgow BB pipe band winning the 1972 World Juvenile championship raised a significant amount of money, writes Donald McRae. This has now been distributed. The two remaining Boys’ Brigade companies in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, each received £150 to further their good work, and the remaining sum was used to purchase a trophy…

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Northern Ireland Report: FMM’s Outstanding Tribute to P/M Frank Andrews

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On Friday April 28th the eagerly awaited Frank Andrews Tribute Concert took place at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena. There was an attendance of 600 and it was an outstanding success. I have attended the majority of the big pipe band concerts over the years, at the County Hall or the Waterfront Hall, and I would venture to say that this was amongst the absolute best. The star act was…

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