Editor’s Notebook: Peter MacFarquhar/ Joint Committee/ J MacDonald Chanter/ Solo Drumming

Reader Lawrence Macduff has forwarded this fine picture of Peter MacFarquhar, subject of our earlier story, and well known to pipers as the composer of the popular jig, Kenny Gillies of Portnalong. Lawrence writes: ‘Here’s the image of Peter and his second wife Jean, taken as I recall near Kensaleyre on July 4th, 1970, when I was visiting them at their home. ‘Peter, having retired from seafaring around 1969 (I…

South African Brothers to Publish ‘Binneas is Boreraig’ Using Conventional Stave

Piobaireachd or Ceòl Mòr, often thought of as the classical music of the Scots Highland Bagpipe, was for centuries passed from master to pupil by chanting the tunes to one another, writes Pat Terry. From about the year 1800, attempts were made to find suitable variations on conventional staff notation to record the music for posterity. One of the more highly regarded of these attempts was published in the 1960s…

John Macdonald, Inverness, and a Chanter Gifted by Major Manson

This story has a starting date. It seems that John Macdonald MBE (Inverness) was presented with a pipe chanter in 1942, some 81 years ago. He was about 76 years of age at the time and would have ceased playing in competition. I don’t know why he was presented with the chanter. Perhaps piping historians have the information. He was awarded the MBE in 1932 and died in 1953. Enter…

George Watson’s ‘Ceritas Banner’ Results/ Scots Guards Knock Out Result

The first George Watson’s College competition for the ‘Ceritas Banner’ was held at the Edinburgh school yesterday, November 26. Organiser P/M Ben Duncan reported: ‘It was a fantastic day of piobaireachd with some really encouraging performances across all events. ‘Fifty-two entered making for a healthy day of competition. The event was sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society, Kintail Bagpipes and our Watsonian community. We plan to hold next year’s Caritas Banner…

Day of Excellent Piping in Prospect in the Capital

Edinburgh is the place to be tomorrow (November 26) if you want to hear some excellent live piping and at the same time support the younger generation of players. Firstly George Watson’s College are staging their first ever ‘Caritas Banner’ contest for piobaireachd players aged under 18. It is sponsored by Kintail Bagpipes with a beautiful banner for the winner courtesy of the Piobaireachd Society. Scots Guards KO More excellent…