Lovely spring day here in Glasgow and all the better that the PT has gone to bed another deadline met. This issue we’ll have the winner of the John Young composing contest, the Guide to the Games, the 1749 bagpipe, plus all the usual goodies.
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Hector Russell has written: ‘Robert, the two tunes we talked about are both marches:- The Canadians Return and Leaving Monotick. It could be the case there exists, elsewhere, another of the Blind Piper’s tunes Johnny Blacks Black Reed. Otherwise the list so far is:- David Ross of Rosehall, The Detroit Highlanders, Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban, The Gareloch, Duncan Angus MacPherson, The Islay Ball, James MacMillan of Victoria British Columbia, Karnak Temple Shriners (Toronto), Leaving Gigha, Neil Sutherland of Lairg, Rory MacNeill, Verna Leith’s Wedding March. There is, out of interest an arrangement with seconds for:- The Battle of the Somme.’
Archie MacNeill was certainly a gifted composer so it may be that the missing tunes are of high quality. Anyone with info please email.
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Archie MacNeill will be the subject of a paper being given by Dugald MacNeill at the Piob Soc Conf. this weekend in the Birnam Hotel, Perthshire. The conference is sold out but still has room for day visitors. It will be a pleasure to welcome as many of you as possible to the CoP Lecture on Friday night. It always gets the weekend off to an interesting start and pipers are two of the very best currently gracing the boards. Fiona Manson and Innes Smith have both achieved notable success and have consistently been placed in the lists for the Gold Medal. It is only a matter of time before they get the ultimate prize I feel. The tunes they will play are MacSwan of Roaig, Black Donald’s March, Big Spree and the Old Men of the Shells. Admission is a mere £12 at the door and this includes refreshments and a whisky tasting. The lecture ‘Ceol Mor – a Living Legacy’ will be given by Dr JKS Frater the recent winner of the Archie Kenneth Quaich competition.
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I hear Ian McLellan is making good progress back home in Bearsden after his recent illness. Lack of space means that the second half of his interesting interview in the PT will be held over until May. I hope not too many readers are disappointed and best wishes to Ian.
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Donald McBride in the US has sent this re the recent CoP Radio: ‘Hey Rab! Glad you could use that photo of Boab. And those two marches you included in the programme of Bob playing? Arguably the best two marches I’ve ever heard. They’re great. I’ve got a recording of Bob playing the Ground and Variation of Mary MacLeod in Donegal that I’ll send you when I go over in August. Great stuff.’ On the photograph of RG Hardie that appears on the CoP Radio page Donald says: ‘As far as I know, that famous photograph was used as the advert for RG Hardie & Co in the 1950s and 60s and was originally part of a present along with a set of silver and ivory mounted pipes Bob gave to George Bell as a going away gift before he went to America from Bishopbriggs. And George’s son Duncan plays that set now. Great photo I have to say.’ Thanks for that Donald.
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Still on CoP Radio, listener Gordon MacRae: ‘Thanks for this podcast [March]. Enjoyed hearing some of Ian McLellan’s background. Gordon Walker’s performance was stellar. While I met P/M Hardie in his shop, on one occasion only, I never had the pleasure of hearing him play. This too was a treat.’
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Stuart Cassells is in teaching this week and has brought along copies of his new book which is available from the CoP Shop.
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Scott Williams in Nova Scotia has emailed: ‘Hello folks. I just wanted to remind you that our next group piping session is on Saturday, April 24th. We’ll meet at the Legion Hall on Main Street at 10:00 AM. I have a drummer coming to join us about 10:45 and we will try to do a little marching, first to the beat of the drum, and when we are ready, playing and marching (but that might be for the next time!!). Be sure to play your pipes or gooses this week so you and your instrument are ready for Saturday!’
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Will post from Birnam at the weekend if time.

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