Several responses to the Bob Hardie recordings and my comments thereon published earlier this week. I agree with the message that he rushed the crunluath doubling somewhat in his Corrienessan. Maybe he felt the drones were moving. Overall an excellent rendition though. Next up was Iain Bruce in Queensland who helpfully identified the air Bob played. Iain wrote: ‘It is Mull of the Mountains. It was often played by Bob…

One hundred years ago, in a large house in the Cairngorm woods, the finishing touches were being put to a book which was to alter the course of piping history. Sheriff Iain Grant, Music Committee Secretary for the Piobaireachd Society, was preparing to send off to the printer the first edition of Book 1 in its new collection. This was the Society’s second go at putting together a selection of…

The news that Balloch Games has been scrapped is both disappointing and bewildering. Disappointing because this was always a popular games right at the start of the Glasgow Fair holidays, this year on July 13. Balloch launched a full week of other piping competitions at the likes of Inveraray, Lochearnhead, Tobermory, Luss (before the day was changed), and the island games. It’s bewildering because the crowds at the wee town…