Category: Letters

New Contest to Honour the Memory of James Campbell, Kilberry

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

James Campbell had at least two discrete sets of ardent followers. To some, he was a doyen of the piobaireachd world, the son of Archibald Campbell of The Kilberry Book of Ceòl Mòr (who knew all of the tunes in that book off by heart) and a once regular judge of competition. To others he was a superb academic lawyer and much-loved Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, where hetaught Roman…

More New Contest to Honour the Memory of James Campbell, Kilberry

How Lanarkshire Bands Led the Way in the Development of the ‘Long’ 2/4 Competition March

Posted on      by      1 Comment

Yesterday’s story on the eight-part Maggie Cameron brought to mind an article I wrote 20 years ago about the development of Marches, Strathspeys and Reels from four to six and eight part mega pieces, writes the Editor. It was all to do with giving the pipe band more of a stretch. The top outfits were sick of puny wee Rejected Suitor and four-part Loch Loskin to say nothing of Charles…

More How Lanarkshire Bands Led the Way in the Development of the ‘Long’ 2/4 Competition March

The Blind Piper’s Eight Part Version of the Classic Strathspey Maggie Cameron

Posted on      by      2 Comments

I came across this while cleaning out some old piping manuscripts, writes Peter Aumonier. It is parts 5-8 of Maggie Cameron. As readers can see, the parts come from the pen of Archie MacNeill, the blind piper. It was given to me years ago by Jock Low at the Vancouver Island Piper’s Club, Victoria, British Columbia. By Peter Aumonier and Jack Lee Jock Low did the P/M course during WW2…

More The Blind Piper’s Eight Part Version of the Classic Strathspey Maggie Cameron

Editor’s Notebook: Lorient Festival/ Masters of Piobaireachd/ Churchill Pipes/ Melbourne/ Florida

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Thankfully this summer is shaping up to what we had back in the good old days of 2019. Lorient Festival, probably the biggest celtic music festival in the world, have sent their 2022 poster celebrating the ‘Year of Asturias’. The blurb reads: ‘THE PEAKS OF CELTITUDE! [sic] Immerse yourself in the valleys and mountains landscapes of Asturias. A southerly wind is blowing towards Brittany, spreading the warmth of the south…

More Editor’s Notebook: Lorient Festival/ Masters of Piobaireachd/ Churchill Pipes/ Melbourne/ Florida

Donald Morrison Archive: A Final Look at His Music, Newspaper Clippings and Letters

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

This will be our final instalment from Donald’s archive for now. It ties in neatly with the publication of his book of tunes announced last week (above). For earlier articles in this series type ‘Donald Morrison’ in our search field. We begin with another letter from Seton Gordon, the piping judge, naturalist and friend of royalty. It is dated November 6, 1973 and he writes to Donald from Upper Duntuilm,…

More Donald Morrison Archive: A Final Look at His Music, Newspaper Clippings and Letters