Letters: Bruce Gandy on Oban and Inverness/ Duncan Watson on March Playing

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…

PP Ed’s Blog: Band MSRs/ Publishing Tunes/ Brass & Pipe Music/ PS Concert/ Alden Biesen

Listening to Field Marshal’s MSR from the All-Irelands last weekend, did I detect a very slight disconnect between drums and pipes in the last few parts of Pretty Marion? Wrong to make assumptions based on videos of course, all sorts of things get altered in transmission. I may be talking rubbish, but it would tie in with the ensemble judge placing them behind SLoT. Have a listen: Those who read…

PP Ed’s Blog: Concert formation/ PP New Look/ Band MSRs/ Gairloch Junior Festival

Well done to Chicago Highland Games and the Mid West Pipe Band Association for continuing with their successful concert formation at their recent contest. Everyone’s a winner with this, especially the audience and the judges. The Ross Bandstand (above) in Edinburgh yesterday had the same option for bands.  Boghall won G1 as expected with Skye second. G2 went to George Watson’s juvenile band (how good is this grade?) with Boghall…

PP Ed’s Blog: Judging Pupils/ Craig’s Book/Piob Concert/ Inverness Recital/ Black Watch Book

At risk of boring everyone rigid, myself included, I repeat again that I do not have any problem with suitably qualified individuals being part of a judging bench when they have a student playing provided the usual declaration of interest is observed. Senior pipers must judge AND teach if we are to keep producing our Gordon Walkers, our Stuart Liddells, the Angus MacColls.  However, it sticks in the craw rather…

Composer Charles MacLeod Williamson As I Knew Him

The following has been received from Steve Connor in Toronto in response to a recent letter regarding the composer Charles MacLeod Williamson.  It gives a fascinating insight into the composer’s character and musical inspiration…… By Steve Connor, Toronto I am responding to your enquiry about Charles MacLeod Williamson. I live in Canada now but knew Charlie probably better than anyone in the piping scene in the 1980s and into the…