Top 10 Piobaireachds!!
JOHN BROADWELL
piobaireachd's listed in descending order, best piobaireachd first.
1. "The Big Spree" It's anything but a spree, it's a wonderful sad,
evocative, haunting piece of music, definitely one to "feel" those emotions
in or sob your heart out to. Best recording I've heard is Donald MacPherson,
though Jack Lee also makes a splendid job of it in a Piping Centre recital
recording.
2. "MacDougall's Gathering," An insistent call to the clan that cannot be
resisted, very musical with some very clever phrasing, a tune that sings and
soars away. Bill Livingstone's playing and interpretation of this tune is
second to none.
3. "Macdonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament no.1" A tune not heard very often
nowadays with a lovely melody line in the urlar which carries strongly
through the whole tune. I only have one very old recording of this by
William M. Macdonald.
4. "Lament for Queen Anne" This is a regal, stately and grand tune, it just
moves along so full of grace it does seem to have a Royal feel to it, again
a lovely melody that grows on you the more you listen to it and absorb it's
beautiful music. Only recording I have is by Fred Morrison, where he has the
misfortune to break down in the crunluath variations.
5. "Battle of Auldearn no.1" A great tune with a feel not so much of
lamenting for the dead of the battle but as an inspiring incitement to great
deeds and a promise of a glorious death. I love this tune and have a
wonderful recording of Captain Gavin Stoddart playing this faultlessly to
win at a Glenfiddich championship.
6. "Lament for Donald Doughal MacKay" this is probablty the MOST popular
tune amongst top Piobaireachd players, a big tune in every sense of the
word, and one that just sings along on a well tuned pipe, full of expression
and life.
I have a good recording of Roddy MacLeod playing this on his peerless pipes,
but it has been done by others who also make a really good job of it.
7. "Rory MacLoude's Lament" Another tune that sings along with great melody
tinged with sadness, like MacDougall's Gathering it is cleverly written to
bring out the best of the melody, it's a tune that took a short while to
grow on me. I have good recordings of both Murray Henderson and Hugh
MacAllum playing this tune, both players do it splendid justice.
8. "Lady Annapool's Lament" A truly magical tune especially when you get
into the variations, as a pentatonic tune the melody line is quite exquisite
from such a meagre range. I have a very old recording of John Stewart
playing this with complete mastery, he really rattles along in the taorluath
and crunluath variations losing none of the clarity of the movements but
driving the melody notes insistently forward, beautifully played.
9. "The Desperate Battle" Another tune similar to the last one in that I
think the variations surpass the urlar in beauty and inventiveness, a tune
to soar away with "the birds" the high A's are pure magic. Great recording
of this tune by John D. Burgess.
10 "The Old Woman's Lullaby" I have loved this tune ever since I heard The
Invergordon Distillery "Pipes In Concert" LP record in 1966, the whole band
plays it with seconds. It's a great tune and I love it, I have trouble
memorising it for some strange reason but the melody develops along very
nicely but also very subtly. Good recordings abound of all the greats
playing this tune. Donald Macleod, Donald MacPherson, John D. Burgess,
Captain John MacLellan et al.
I would be happy to die listening to any of these tunes and I have missed
off other favourites such as Beloved Scotland and a nameless tune "Hihorodo
hao" as played so hauntingly and ethereally by Donald Macleod.
Would anyone else care to list their favourite piobaireachds and give some
indication as to why you love them.
To Ron T., and you thought you were a piobaireachd nut, well I have news for
you, there are two of us :-)
Happy piobaireachd to you all :-)
John B
James Hopkins
'Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute' as played by Stuart Shedden &
'Lament for the Earl of Antrim' as played by Mike Cusack.
Both tunes are from the Glenfiddich 25th Anniversary cd.
I am a compete novice in piobaireachd but these two tunes top my
narrow range of knowledge.
JH
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David G. Michels
slow in its progress, but it does remind one of bells in the steeple. The
ending is very building and uses a lot of varied fingerings--taorluath a mach as
well as the crunluath a mach.
Hugh Armstrong
David G. Michels <mic...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:39084E13...@sprynet.com...
Richard Wilson
thought it was a giant ugly monster of a piob. Those Crunluath Breabach
(sp?) really got me scared. But then I heard a tape of Robert Brown playing
it, and I could hear the melody very clearly. It's not a pretty piob, but I
like it. It's long, it's challenging and it's got music to it.
Just a couple of questions about it:
1) The Piob Society book that it's in (p. 137, vol. 5) has a crunluath a
mach written, but I don't play it. I play the Fogsailte (sp?) and then go
back into the ground. Does anyone play the a-mach?
2) I've got two different recordings of it, the Robert Brown one mentioned
above and William MacCallum playing it at the 94 Glennfidich (I think). I'm
not sure if MacCallum plays the Fogsailte in this recording, he seems to go
back into the ground early. How far do most pipers play?
I'm not going to change my interpretation of it, because between the tape of
Robert Brown and my instructor (RU Brown Society Gold Medalist [Adelaide]) I
don't think I can play it *wrong*. I'm just interested to see what everyone
else plays.
But you know, I'm a hack, so if you don't think a 17 year old novice should
talk about such a rich, intricate complex type of music such as
piobaireachd, then you should ignore this post all together ;0)
Rich
PS Battle of Auldearn (as played by Gavin Stoddart on Lismor's Piobaireachd
complilation) and MacKintosh's Lament seem very musical to my tin ear.
Seamus MacNeill doesn't rate The Glen is Mine very highly, but I like it.
Haven't found a recording of it as yet though.
Richard Wilson
> thought it was a giant ugly monster of a piob. Those Crunluath Breabach
I mean Crunluath Fogsailte. I coreected the error down the page.
Rich
Zudupiper
>
>'Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute' as played by Stuart Shedden &
>
>'Lament for the Earl of Antrim' as played by Mike Cusack.
But what about piobs that the average Joe can play? Tunes like Alasdair Dearg,
for example, or Old Woman's Lullaby, or a number of other ones.
Tunes that we can play for ourselves and enjoy them. Tunes that might not be
terribly complicated, but that are melodic and not too hard to express.
I hate to put it like this, but tunes that are the piob equivalent of "Brown
Haired Maiden" or "HIgh Rioad to Gairloch" or "Mairi's Wedding". As opposed to
tunes that are the piob equivalent of some of the heavy classic top-end
competition marches.
I'll vote for Alasdair Dearg. Even though it seems like a simple tune and only
takes up half a page in Kilberry, there's a lot to it and I seriously
underestimated it when I started playing it last fall.
Zu
Raistlin88
>
Oi, that tunes like budda!! (that's butter for those of you not familiar with
Saturday Night live)
RonTeague
wonderful tunes for Cheeze balls like me, i.e tunes for the low class
piobaireachd player. Great tunes which don't need a lot of skill.
1. Lament for mary MacCleod. GREAT TUNE. Wonderful first varriation. The
Breabach are first rate, actually the taor and crun are not quite a breabach
but close. Melodic to the core
2. The massacre of Glencoe.
Monster feeling tune. no dithis. only taorluath singling and dubling ans the
same for crun. It has an easy crun amach.
3. Lament for the only son. A patrick Mor macCrimmon tune, ( he is the champ.
wrote mary maccloud and lament for the children). A vary regular tune and
easily played. Vary full of feeling though.
4. MacIntoshes Lament. although it is irregular it isn't really hard. the
urlar and first two arriations are quite beautiful and lyrical. a must play
tune.
5. The old woman' lullaby. The Bob Brown versin will tear your heart out. The
Capt Jack MacLellan version is top notch. Easy to play and point.
6. Too Long in this condition. another maccrimmon tune. each varriation is
quite distinct and it is easy to memorize. it is lusty and easy to play.
7. MacCrimmon's Sweetheart. Al though the gaelic title is about a lost cow,
it gets lonley in the highlands, the tune is moderatly difficult but is in the
lovely key of D. Non piobaireachd fans, how many can there be?, love this
tune.
More later
Ron Teague the cheezy piobaireachd player
JOHN BROADWELL
piobaireachd's I like listening to :-) it does not follow that they are in
my repertoire, (though some are).
I have it in mind now to write another list of my top ten easy or easier
tunes, in the mode a' la Zu!!
I am intrigued to hear other views on my number one choice "The Big Spree"
or are people not familiar with it??
John B
"Zudupiper" <zudu...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000427231153...@ng-fk1.aol.com...
> >I feel compelled to add the following tunes to the list:
> >
> >'Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute' as played by Stuart Shedden &
> >
> >'Lament for the Earl of Antrim' as played by Mike Cusack.
>
jmari...@my-deja.com
low G's that are in the doublings of the variations. The urlar is very
pretty/ It's a great tune
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Chris Eyre
> But what about piobs that the average Joe can play? Tunes like Alasdair
Dearg,
> for example, or Old Woman's Lullaby, or a number of other ones.
>
> Tunes that we can play for ourselves and enjoy them. Tunes that might not
be
> terribly complicated, but that are melodic and not too hard to express.
Here's a few beautiful tunes in that category you could try.
1. The Company's Lament.
2. The Battle of Glenshiel.
3. Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament.
4. Lament for Donald of Laggan.
As for some of my top tuneful favourites.....
Corrienessan's Salute,
Salute on the Birth of Rory Mor
The Earl of Seaforth, Salute
The Young Laird of Dungallon's Salute
Rory MacLoude's Lament
Chris Eyre
Robert Barker
"RonTeague" <ront...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000427235425...@ng-co1.aol.com...
> Well the piobaireachd nut will have a go on this strand.
> wonderful tunes for Cheeze balls like me, i.e tunes for the low class
> piobaireachd player. Great tunes which don't need a lot of skill.
> 1. Lament for mary MacCleod. GREAT TUNE. Wonderful first varriation. The
> Breabach are first rate, actually the taor and crun are not quite a
breabach
> but close. Melodic to the core
Well, here's another vote for Lament for Mary MacCloud!
My other favorites include Cave of Gold, Kings Taxes, and Unjust
Incarceration.
BTW, I'm listening only at this point....
Bob B.
CLT
>I am intrigued to hear other views on my number one choice "The Big
Spree"
>or are people not familiar with it??
It is a very beautiful tune and deserves to be number 1 on someone's
list, although it didn't make my top ten. I also like the Little
Spress. Below is my list, but the performance is at least as important
as the tune itself. For me, William Barrie consistently has wonderful
expression.
1. MacCrimmon's Sweetheart - It can be tremendously moving. I've heard
several stories about it. I wish I knew the true one, but whatever the
story, it sounds like true love to me.
2. Lament for the Children - What an urlar!
3. Beloved Scotland - I can't get this tune out of my head.
4. Desperate Battle - Very nice urlar. The variations are what makes
it.
5. The Bells of Perth - You can actually hear the bells. Each variation
gives a different impression, but they are all bell-like.
6. Corrienessan's Salute - Very beautiful and salute-like. Peaceful
and grand.
7. MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament 1 - The high G in the second
and the third lines is the clincher. It is a very easy tune to
memorize.
8. The Old Woman's Lullaby - Peaceful at first. Then you can feel the
old woman getting her clutches on you.
9. Earl of Seaforth's Salute - Very nice mellody. I especially like
the Camerson style of playing this.
10. Lament for the Viscount of Dundee - Bill Livingstone does a
wonderful job of this.
Runner's up: The Sprees, MacLeod of Raasay's Salute, Too Long in this
Condition, Ronald MacDonald's Lament, Lament for D.D. MacKay, Prince's
Salute, Auldearn, Catherine's Lament, Black Donald's March
Chris Thomas
now, but was wondering what you thought of it.
Chris
Zudupiper wrote:
>
> But what about piobs that the average Joe can play? Tunes like Alasdair Dearg,
> for example, or Old Woman's Lullaby, or a number of other ones.
>
> Tunes that we can play for ourselves and enjoy them. Tunes that might not be
> terribly complicated, but that are melodic and not too hard to express.
>
TomandSuny
'Ceol Na Mara'- John M. MacKenzie
A very melodic urlar, almost like an air. And not too many difficult
embelishments so it is easy to execute with some practice.
'Salute to James Campbell"- A. Kenneth
Nice use of grips and echoing strikes in the urlar. The variations have an
interesting syncopation.
Michael New & Diane Rossmiller
> Pure indulgence this, ............... a list of my top ten favourite
> piobaireachd's listed in descending order, best piobaireachd first.
Current faves, in no particular order (I'd be here for hours trying to figure
the order out, and then I'd inevitably change my mind once the message was
posted):
The Old Men of the Shells
The Unjust Incarceration
Beloved Scotland
The Battle of Auldearn No. 1
Lament for the Children
A Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach
The Desperate Battle
Lament for Donald of Laggan
Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
Lament for Red Hector of the Battles
Auldearn No. 1 has shown up a surprising no. of times on this list - didn't
realize it was such a popular tune.
The Unjust Incarceration is a tune I became enamoured of after hearing Bob Nicol
sing the urlar and first variation on the Masters of Piobaireachd Vol. I CD.
Very beautiful, melodic ground if expressed correctly.
Lament for Red Hector of the Battles - Martyn Bennett plays the urlar
beautifully on his CD Bothy Culture. A much more musical tune than I had
previously realized, and one of the oldest tunes we have.
I'm surprised that The Old Men of the Shells hasn't appeared on more lists...a
big, complicated tune, but very musical.
I'm also surprised by how often The Old Woman's Lullaby has appeared - I'll have
to find a good recording of this and give it another listen...
Cheers,
Michael
Chris Eyre
Richard Wilson <ri...@echidna.id.au> wrote in message
news:3908f21a$0$15...@echo-01.iinet.net.au...
Fosgailte, actually.... :-)
Chris
James Hopkins
Perhaps I should have stated as well that the tunes I listed are
my favorites to listen too. Moreover, in my previous post, it
should read, "I am a COMPLETE novice", not "a compete novice". I
don't even play the stuff; just listen to it.
ccc31807
with about 20.
My favorite - Donald of Laggan. The third line of the ground is
the most evocative line in all music, IMO. This made some other
lists as well.
My least favorite (another thread) - Grain in Hides and Corn in
Sacks.
Grahame Davis
>
> Here is the piobaireachd nut's tunes for a moderate player rather than tunes
> for a beginner.
> 1. Lament for Donald of Laggen-not too long but has been called a masterpiece
> in mineture. a very satisfying tune to play. but needs good feeling for the
> music and an ability to transition to the brebach's. Patrick Mors tune. you
> can hear echos of Lament for the children in the urlar
> 2. A flame of Wrath for squinting patrick. Also not too long but needs the
> driving tempo and clear run down hand. A tune much cheezed up by fellow cheezy
> piobaireachd players. needs alot of crispness
> 3. MacLeod's Controversy another Donald MacCrimmon grouchy tune. also not long
> but can get you on crossing noises. Lots of high hand and low hand shifts.
> The shift from the urlar to taorluath is perfection.
> 4.Earl of Seaforth's Salute. Lots of rolling top hand work in the urlar and
> first two varriations. it needs a pipe which has the high A and high G in top
> form. it is lovely and the tune does indeed sparkel
> 5.the desperate battle or the birds fight. not hard to memorize and quite
> regular BUT it needs very crisp fingering.
> 6. Cha Till MacCrimmon: alovely tuen if abit depressed. Not hard to memorize
> but needs very good slowing down between movments to get the depressed feeling.
>
> more later on tunes for big dogs only.
>
> Ron Teague the Cheezy piobaireachd player
For my money....there's a really beautiful Piob. written by William
Barrie who lives in Canada. It's a 20th century work and the composer
is alive and well, so I hear. It's called Lament for Pipe Major Robert
Reid and surely must be one of the most beautiful pieces of music
written for the instrument in the last 700 years.
Grahame Davis in Tucson (7 Piper's Society)
RonTeague
Phillip Shields
cheers
PJ
Grahame Davis wrote:
RonTeague
home kids.
1. Lament for the Children, one of the longest melody lines in all of music.
2.Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon. MacKay got the most out of the instrument
with this one. The first varriation and doub. are with out parallel in piping.
3. Lament for Donald Dughal MacKay. yet another urlar which goes on forever.
a haunting melody line
4. Lament for the Harp Tree or Key. one of the oldest tunes and it goes on and
on and on. Bill Livingston has been quoted as saying " this isn't a tune it's
a career".
5. The Daugthers Lament. Lots of embari movments. Full of a lot of pathos
6. Lament for Vicount Dundee. What a beautiful urlar so lyrical
7. The little and big sprees. Two tunes full of remorse
8. Lament for the Old Sword. Not a difficult tune but needs a pipe in first
rate order as it uses every note but low G and moves throw all of the keys in
the pipe
9. Lament for donald Ban MacCrimmon. a tune of brutal beauty.
10.the Bells of Perth. it needs a superb technique
Ron T. The cheezy piobaireachd player
John Mitchell
> 1. Lament for the
> 2.Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon. MacKay got the most out of the
instrument
> 4. Lament for
> 5. The Daugthers Lament.
> 6. Lament for
> 7. The little and big sprees. Two tunes full of remorse
> 8. Lament for the Old Sword.
> 10.the Bells of Perth. it needs a superb technique
Curious, Is poib. just for the severely depressed?
This is about as exciting as a the top 10 country hits
from Tammy Wynette!
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RonTeague
beginner tunes: glengarry's lament it needs a little interpretation else it
sounds like a machine. Struan Roberts Salute. the urlar has been set to a 2/4
march so you get two tunes for the price of one
intermediate tunes: His father's Lament for Donald MacKennzie lots of
varriations to play with. the second variation uses a neet but odd F grace
note to good effect. This Glen is Mine. it seems like a very simple tune but
it takes some skill to get it right.The Groat--irregular to the bone but like a
Mozart melody full of surprizes. I got a kiss of the Kings hand.easy to
memorize but needs good timing.
Advanced tunes: the list could go on for ever
Richard Wilson
Take your round Irish Reels and your 180bpm and bury 'em along with your
Gibson pipes. By the way, I saw them on your website, such a waste of good
silver...;-)
Maybe we should start up a new group....
rec.music.makers.sophistication.bagpipe
Rich
BTW... I'm just stirring. I can just see myself getting flamed for a
joke....
John Mitchell <sunn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:390c4...@127.0.0.1...
Iain Macey
John Mitchell
>
> Take your round Irish Reels and your 180bpm and bury 'em along with your
> Gibson pipes. By the way, I saw them on your website, such a waste of good
> silver...;-)
I've got both barrels loaded and ready to go!
Hey I'm a fair guy with an abundance of appreciation for good humour,
would you like one barrel at a time, or just take both barrels in one shot?
People say I have great execution skills! LOL
> Maybe we should start up a new group....
> rec.music.makers.sophistication.bagpipe
Well, that might be the source of the problem right there!
Sophistication is a concept for those minds that deem it so.
Does it really take a sophisticated mind to truly appreciate that
type of note seduction or any other type of music that is rejected
by the mainstream?
With that logic, the mere fact that we all play pipes says we
all have sophisticated tastes in music since pipe music is rejected
by the general masses. Sure some will tell you they luv the sound
of the pipes, but just for the first 3 minutes.
For those of us pipers that just don't get it, I guess we are
in a class all of our own. Shunned by the general public
and also rejected by our own Piob. Luvin players too.
That makes us really sophisticated by your standards!
John Mitchell
I've got too much energy to burn to sit around
and listen to the morgue music. Maybe that's
because I'm more Irish than Scots.
JOHN BROADWELL
"John Mitchell" <sunn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> For those of us pipers that just don't get it, I guess we are
> in a class all of our own. Shunned by the general public
> and also rejected by our own Piob. Luvin players too.
>
> That makes us really sophisticated by your standards!
Oh no John, your not keeping the tag of sophistication, that belongs to "us"
piobaireachd luvvin minority types, who are rejected by the masses, "and"
the majority of pipe band players.
> I've got too much energy to burn to sit around
> and listen to the morgue music. Maybe that's
> because I'm more Irish than Scots.
And morgue music, well really!! standards are definitely slipping if we
cannae hae a guid greet!! :-)
Cheers
John B
JOHN BROADWELL
players which are listed in descending order (though I must confess after
the first three or four it gets extremely hard to differentiate and choose)
these are mostly suitable for the tyro piobaireachd player, like myself. I
have played through all of these on the chanter several times and am in the
process of trying to commit "The Company's Lament" and "Alastair Dearg" to
memory - no mean feat with my memory, it's like a sieve!! :-)
1. Lament for Mary MacLeod, a truly beautiful tune with a wonderful love
story attached, VERY suitable for old softies and romantics like me :-)
2. "Too Long in this Condition" something that could be said about me!! A
full weight Macrimmon tune, fit to be played at the Argylleshire Gathering
or the Northern Meeting, I heard it played at Oban in 1996. A lovely melody
which grows on you, it does need to be played well on a good pipe to fully
appreciate it's haunting beauty.
3. Salute on the Birth of Rory Mor MacLeod, a grand tune that is better for
being acquainted with, it took me some time for me to realise that what I
was listening to was wonderful, not a piobaireachd you can hear if you are
doing something else, it demands concentration and repays with pleasure.
4. The Company's Lament, this is a tune I am also learning, I have the urlar
off but a way to go yet!! I like the melody and it has some lovely triplings
in var.3
Seamus MacNeil quotes Joseph MacDonald as a source for this tune where it is
called "March for a beginner"
5. Struan Robertson's Salute, I heard a close friend play this and it has
been lurking at the back of my mind to bring it forward and learn it, it has
special memories for me :-) it's a good melody and a full of little
surprises!! Nuff said!!
6. Alastair Dearg, as Zu said, it's a very good tune and well worth the
effort.
7. MacKintosh's Banner, an easy tune but a nice melody, I love playing it.
8. Glengarry's Lament, another easy beginners tune, simple yet evocative
when played well.
9. Cabar Feidh gu Brath, thanks to Maeve, I have run through this tune again
and have gained a new respect for it, lovely melodic lines here, definitely
one to snuggle up to on a cold winter's night and composed by that peerless
piper Donald MacLeod.
10. MacCrimmons Sweetheart, a pretty melody as befits a pretty
...............................................sweetheart !! A cow, what
was Macrimmon thinking of, maybe it's best not to ask??
There are so many others, but most of these are good tunes to cut your piob.
teeth on.
When all is said and done, as with any other artistic endeavour, it's a
subjective matter and simply a reflection of an individual's good, bad, or
indifferent taste.
Piobaireachd is dead, long live piobaireachd!!
John B
Luramao
name of this tune: The Desperate Battle
The Birds Fight
The Desperate Battle of the Birds
My John Burgess CD calls it "The Desperate Battle of the Birds," and it
is one of my favorite tunes of any pipe music, but there doesn't seem to
be any consistency in what people call it. So, what is its real name,
or is it 3 names aka "Wearing of the Green/Rising of the Moon" ?
Cheers
Lura
Michael New & Diane Rossmiller
> Hi Lura, as far as I can tell it's "The Desperate Battle" (An cath
> gailbeach)
> whatever that is in Gaelic, this name is given in both Kilberry and the
> Piobaireachd Society collection. 7
Cath = fight, battle
gailbeach = terrible
Pronounced (approximately) An Ca Gelvach
Bear in mind, however, many piobaireachd are thought to have been renamed, or
the original names lost and replaced with another - so don't put too much faith
in most of them.
Michael
JOHN BROADWELL
gailbeach)
whatever that is in Gaelic, this name is given in both Kilberry and the
of birds gathering, probably villainous rooks, they meet, disagree and
battle commences, finishing off with a return to all the pastoral sounds of
the glen, or maybe that's all just an allegory for a real battle, the battle
of the North Inch at Perth in 1396! Kilberry explains that the slow
singlings represent preparation and "breathers" during the fight and the
fast doublings are the interchange of blows between the combatants. Could be
either rooks or people?? I was told as a youth that you could also hear the
sound of a piper within the tune inciting the clansmen to fight!! but I
dunno about that!
Whatever, it's a great tune with those wonderful high A variations.
John B
"Luramao" <lur...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:17385-39...@storefull-294.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
JOHN BROADWELL
Medal tunes for 2000, of which The Kings taxes is one. He says "The
Piobaireachd Society setting shows an "open" crunluath fosgailte as a
crunluath a mach. Players will be aware that this type of variation played
after a "closed" fosgailte is optional."
Kilberry does not show a crunluath a mach and this is the version I have as
played by Alastair Gillies.
Hope this helps, and by the way I think it's really great when young folks
such as yourself show an aptitude for the great music, it's all ahead of you
;-)
All the best
John B
"Richard Wilson" <ri...@echidna.id.au> wrote in message
news:3908ec61$0$15...@echo-01.iinet.net.au...
> Yeah, I'm learning The King's Taxes at the moment. When I first got it, I
> thought it was a giant ugly monster of a piob. Those Crunluath Breabach
> (sp?) really got me scared. But then I heard a tape of Robert Brown
playing
> it, and I could hear the melody very clearly. It's not a pretty piob, but
I
> like it. It's long, it's challenging and it's got music to it.
>
> Just a couple of questions about it:
>
> 1) The Piob Society book that it's in (p. 137, vol. 5) has a crunluath a
> mach written, but I don't play it. I play the Fogsailte (sp?) and then go
> back into the ground. Does anyone play the a-mach?
>
> 2) I've got two different recordings of it, the Robert Brown one mentioned
> above and William MacCallum playing it at the 94 Glennfidich (I think).
I'm
> not sure if MacCallum plays the Fogsailte in this recording, he seems to
go
> back into the ground early. How far do most pipers play?
>
> I'm not going to change my interpretation of it, because between the tape
of
> Robert Brown and my instructor (RU Brown Society Gold Medalist [Adelaide])
I
> don't think I can play it *wrong*. I'm just interested to see what
everyone
> else plays.
>
> But you know, I'm a hack, so if you don't think a 17 year old novice
should
> talk about such a rich, intricate complex type of music such as
> piobaireachd, then you should ignore this post all together ;0)
>
> Rich
>
> PS Battle of Auldearn (as played by Gavin Stoddart on Lismor's
Piobaireachd
> complilation) and MacKintosh's Lament seem very musical to my tin ear.
> Seamus MacNeill doesn't rate The Glen is Mine very highly, but I like it.
> Haven't found a recording of it as yet though.
>
>
>
alex_...@my-deja.com
Too Long In This Condition- I think this is the tune that made me fall
in love with piobaireachd. I love the eedrees (sp?) coming off high
A. I have to say I like the Kilberry version of this (as played by
Donald MacPherson on the piping center recital series) better than the
version that Jimmy MacIntosh published in the Voice.
I Got A Kiss of The Kings Hand- one of the finest tunes melody wise
that you can find; and the variations are easy, which is a plus in my
book :).
The Groat- A great "dark" tune. Lots of fun.
Lament For Mary MacLeod- Awesome; can't think of anything else to say
Clan Campbell's Gathering- Not usually a tune that makes the favorites
list, but I was playing it the other night and I realized that when
your pipe is set up right and everything is executed correctly, this
tune really compares to the "big" gathering tunes.
Lament For Patrick Og Macrimmon- Heard this on that Masters of
Piobaireachd CD, its technically amazing without sacrificing melody.
Lament for The Children- My favorite of the real classics of
piobaireachd, for some reason I enjoy it more than Lament for Donald
Dughal MacKay, call me a rebel
Thats all I can think of for the moment. One tune I have to say that
would make my least favorite list is MacIntosh's Banner. Does it sound
like the Piobaireachd version of that slow air "Sou-Gan" to anyone
else? :) Cheers,
Alex
Tom Glover
"The fields of Gold" is the most melodic sounding tunes I have every heard,
doesn't even sound like a piob. it is that nice.
"ccc31807" <ccc31807...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0fbcdbae...@usw-ex0102-084.remarq.com...
Peter Anderson
"JOHN BROADWELL" <crow...@dircon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:oI3P4.2810$fT4.2...@news.dircon.co.uk...
> Hi Lura, as far as I can tell it's "The Desperate Battle" (An cath
> gailbeach)
> whatever that is in Gaelic, this name is given in both Kilberry and the
> Piobaireachd Society collection. There is a story that it represents a
group
> of birds gathering, probably villainous rooks, they meet, disagree and
> battle commences, finishing off with a return to all the pastoral sounds
of
> the glen, or maybe that's all just an allegory for a real battle, the
battle
> of the North Inch at Perth in 1396! Kilberry explains that the slow
> singlings represent preparation and "breathers" during the fight and the
> fast doublings are the interchange of blows between the combatants. Could
be
> either rooks or people?? I was told as a youth that you could also hear
the
> sound of a piper within the tune inciting the clansmen to fight!! but I
> dunno about that!
>
> Whatever, it's a great tune with those wonderful high A variations.
>
>
I have two stories about this beautiful tune. The first is that Donald
MacLeod (wee Donald - Piper in the Nave tape) says that in his
interpretation it was a 'birds fight'. The second and far more humerous was
the talk given by William MacDonald (Benbeccula - schpellin-;) at the Piob.
Society Conference in 1998. He said the the Urlar was the two soliders
facing each other and sharpening their swords. Then you go onto the battle
with the cutting and stabbing and finally we have Mary. Mary used to go
around the battlefield after the fight robbing the dead. She had with her a
sock filled with a large stone and used this as she walked around swiping it
down onto the heads of those bearly alive.
Richard Wilson
> Medal tunes for 2000, of which The Kings taxes is one. He says "The
> Piobaireachd Society setting shows an "open" crunluath fosgailte as a
> crunluath a mach. Players will be aware that this type of variation played
> after a "closed" fosgailte is optional."
>
> Kilberry does not show a crunluath a mach and this is the version I have
as
> played by Alastair Gillies.
Thanks for the Piping Times quote, that helps to clear things up.
I was wondering, on your recording, does Gillies play the 'open crunluath
fosgailte' that MacRae talks about?
Thanks for the feedback,
Rich
Roger Whitson
> after a "closed" fosgailte is optional."
>
Just curious here, but since 'fosgailte' is Gaidhlig for 'open', how can you
have a 'closed open' crunluath? And consequently, wouldn't an 'open crunluath
fosgailte' be redundant?
Zudupiper
>have a 'closed open' crunluath? And consequently, wouldn't an 'open crunluath
>fosgailte' be redundant?
The "open" crun fosg has as the back part of the movement an edre-like movement
on the "melody" part (E and F gracenotes on say C, or whatever the "melody"
note is). The "closed" crun fosg has a true edre as the back end of the
movement (E and F gracenotes on loA).
I'm afraid this didn't really help explain it much, but if you look at
different tunes which have open and closed crun fosgs, it will be much clearer.
Zu
Roger Whitson
I wasn't questioning the movement, Zu, rather the terminology. I suppose once
things are Anglicized, they get confusing.
Thanks for the response.
Scott MacLeod
Thanks for this great conversation about people's favorite prettiest (in part) Piobaireachd,
In the Ligonier Highland Games, in western Pennsylvania in September 2022, I began asking friends and pipers their favorite prettiest Piobaireachd, and am developing a spreadsheet for this too - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aoyqEX0axA47tesdABfthYGKj_xzljddyR5FN1fisxc/edit?usp=sharing . In these regards, just created my second Scottish bagpiping album, "Honey Piobaireachd," seeking to find and playing prettiest Piobaireachd too - https://scottmacleodpiobaireachdscottishsmallpipesbagpiping.bandcamp.com/.
These top my list currently -
Donald MacKenzie, His Father’s Lament for
Beloved Scotland, I Leave Thee Gloomy
I got a Kiss of the King's Hand
Lament for MacSwan of Roaig
Lament for the Children
Struan Robertson’s Salute
The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute
The Desperate Battle (of the Birds)
The Lament for Mary Macleod
Lament for the Old Sword
Happy Piobaireachd playing & listening,
Scott
http://scottmacleod.com/piping.htm
Bagpiping label in daily blog -
https://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/search/label/bagpiping
PS
Bagpiping wiki subjects for open teaching and learning at MIT OCW-centric wiki World Univ & Sch
https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Great_Highland_Bagpipe
Pibroch, Piobaireachd or Ceòl Mór
https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Pibroch,_Piobaireachd_or_Ce%C3%B2l_M%C3%B3r
https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Bagpipe_Tutorials
https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Scottish_smallpipes_and_borderpipes
PPS
5 of my all-time favorite Piobaireachd classical #Scottishbagpiping pieces: The Desperate Battle (of the birds)I got a kiss of the king's handHis father's lament for Donald MacKenzie The Earl of Seaforth's SaluteBeloved Scotland, I Leave Thee Gloomyhttps://scottmacleodpiobaireachdscottishsmallpipesbagpiping.bandcamp.com/ ~
https://twitter.com/scottmacleod/status/1664621839736360964?t=BYuGD9NncqKr0VNzsbGtEQ&s=19
https://twitter.com/sgkmacleod/status/1664621910188081154?t=ywAdNTR4LM4R8FBLJVX3CA&s=19
https://twitter.com/WUaSPress/status/1664621984842432513?t=cEdEbjsYo1T78dTcd7LUTw&s=19
https://twitter.com/TheOpenBand/status/1664621683401977856?t=qW89R6HEK5BlU7xrjGC_RQ&s=19
*#ScottishSmallPiping album #2 #HoneyPiobaireachd (2022){@TheOpenBand (Berkeley)} @scottmacleodhttps://scottmacleodpiobaireachdscottishsmallpipesbagpiping.bandcamp.com/https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Pibroch,_Piobaireachd_or_Ce%C3%B2l_M%C3%B3r #SSPipes' album #1 "Honey in the Bag" (2020) 'Out of the Air' tune https://scottmacleodhoneyinthebagscottishsmallpipesbagpiping.bandcamp.com/track/out-of-the-air-j-scott-gk-macleod ~https://wiki.worlduniversityandschool.org/wiki/Scottish_smallpipes_and_borderpipes @WorldUnivAndSch ~
https://twitter.com/TheOpenBand/status/1662119965149806596?t=X62UnoQlENxHVn0Z4zRlFw&s=19
https://twitter.com/scottmacleod/status/1662119646923767812
https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/1662119830491676672
https://twitter.com/WUaSPress/status/1662120208310452225
https://twitter.com/sgkmacleod/status/1662120139544731648?t=7-dd1xfHyLPCfL9BcwmESQ&s=19
https://twitter.com/HarbinBook/status/1662120058271694850
Scott MacLeod
Top 10 Piobaireachds' pipers -
And here are the tunes I gleaned from your great collective Piobaireachd conversation (and added here too - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aoyqEX0axA47tesdABfthYGKj_xzljddyR5FN1fisxc/edit?usp=sharing) -
Top 10 Piobaireachds -
https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.makers.bagpipe/c/tHZPS2mbZMg
gleanings -
Donald MacKenzie, His Father’s Lament for
Beloved Scotland, I Leave Thee Gloomy
I got a Kiss of the King's Hand
Lament for MacSwan of Roaig
Lament for the Children
Struan Robertson’s Salute
The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute
The Desperate Battle (of the Birds)
The Lament for Mary Macleod
Lament for the Old Sword
MacDougall's Gathering
Macdonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament no.1
Lament for Queen Anne
Battle of Auldearn no.1
Lament for Donald Doughal MacKay
Rory MacLoude's Lament
Lady Annapool's Lament
The Desperate Battle
The Old Woman's Lullaby
'Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute' as played by Stuart Shedden &
'Lament for the Earl of Antrim' as played by Mike Cusack.
Bells of Perth
The King's Taxes Crunluath Breabach or Crunluath Fogsailte (Robert Brown playing)
Battle of Auldearn (as played by Gavin Stoddart on Lismor's Piobaireachd
complilation) and MacKintosh's Lament seem very musical to my tin ear.
Seamus MacNeill doesn't rate The Glen is Mine very highly, but I like it.
Breabach are first rate, actually the taor and crun are not quite a breabach
but close. Melodic to the core
2. The massacre of Glencoe.
Monster feeling tune. no dithis. only taorluath singling and dubling ans the
same for crun. It has an easy crun amach.
3. Lament for the only son. A Patrick Mor MacCrimmon tune, ( he is the champ.
wrote Mary MacLeod and lament for the children). A vary regular tune and
easily played. Vary full of feeling though.
4. MacIntoshes Lament. although it is irregular it isn't really hard. the
urlar and first two variations are quite beautiful and lyrical. a must play
tune.
5. The old woman' lullaby. The Bob Brown version will tear your heart out. The
Capt Jack MacLellan version is top notch. Easy to play and point.
6. Too Long in this condition. another MacCrimmon tune. each variation is
quite distinct and it is easy to memorize. it is lusty and easy to play.
7. MacCrimmon's Sweetheart. Al though the Gaelic title is about a lost cow,
it gets lonely in the highlands, the tune is moderately difficult but is in the
lovely key of D. Non Piobaireachd fans, how many can there be?, love this
tune.
1. The Company's Lament.
2. The Battle of Glenshiel.
3. Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament.
4. Lament for Donald of Laggan.
As for some of my top tuneful favourites.....
Corrienessan's Salute,
The Young Laird of Dungallon's Salute
Rory MacLoude's Lament
Cave of Gold
Unjust Incarceration
1. MacCrimmon's Sweetheart - It can be tremendously moving. I've heard
several stories about it. I wish I knew the true one, but whatever the
story, it sounds like true love to me.
2. Lament for the Children - What an urlar!
3. Beloved Scotland - I can't get this tune out of my head.
4. Desperate Battle - Very nice urlar. The variations are what makes
it.
5. The Bells of Perth - You can actually hear the bells. Each variation
gives a different impression, but they are all bell-like.
6. Corrienessan's Salute - Very beautiful and salute-like. Peaceful
and grand.
7. MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament 1 - The high G in the second
and the third lines is the clincher. It is a very easy tune to
memorize.
8. The Old Woman's Lullaby - Peaceful at first. Then you can feel the
old woman getting her clutches on you.
9. Earl of Seaforth's Salute - Very nice mellody. I especially like
the Camerson style of playing this.
10. Lament for the Viscount of Dundee - Bill Livingstone does a
wonderful job of this.
Runner's up: The Sprees, MacLeod of Raasay's Salute, Too Long in this
Condition, Ronald MacDonald's Lament, Lament for D.D. MacKay, Prince's
Salute, Auldearn, Catherine's Lament, Black Donald's March
'Ceol Na Mara'- John M. MacKenzie
A very melodic urlar, almost like an air. And not too many difficult
embelishments so it is easy to execute with some practice.
'Salute to James Campbell"- A. Kenneth
Nice use of grips and echoing strikes in the urlar. The variations have an
interesting syncopation.
The Old Men of the Shells
The Unjust Incarceration
Beloved Scotland
The Battle of Auldearn No. 1
Lament for the Children
A Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach
The Desperate Battle
Lament for Donald of Laggan
Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
Lament for Red Hector of the Battles
Auldearn No. 1 has shown up a surprising no. of times on this list - didn't
realize it was such a popular tune.
The Unjust Incarceration is a tune I became enamoured of after hearing Bob Nicol
sing the urlar and first variation on the Masters of Piobaireachd Vol. I CD.
Very beautiful, melodic ground if expressed correctly.
Lament for Red Hector of the Battles - Martyn Bennett plays the urlar
beautifully on his CD Bothy Culture. A much more musical tune than I had
previously realized, and one of the oldest tunes we have.
I'm surprised that The Old Men of the Shells hasn't appeared on more lists...a
big, complicated tune, but very musical.
least favorite (another thread) - Grain in Hides and Corn in
Sacks.
> in mineture. a very satisfying tune to play. but needs good feeling for the
> music and an ability to transition to the brebach's. Patrick Mors tune. you
> can hear echos of Lament for the children in the urlar
> 2. A flame of Wrath for squinting patrick. Also not too long but needs the
> driving tempo and clear run down hand. A tune much cheezed up by fellow cheezy
> piobaireachd players. needs alot of crispness
> 3. MacLeod's Controversy another Donald MacCrimmon grouchy tune. also not long
> but can get you on crossing noises. Lots of high hand and low hand shifts.
> The shift from the urlar to taorluath is perfection.
> 4.Earl of Seaforth's Salute. Lots of rolling top hand work in the urlar and
> first two varriations. it needs a pipe which has the high A and high G in top
> form. it is lovely and the tune does indeed sparkel
> 5.the desperate battle or the birds fight. not hard to memorize and quite
> regular BUT it needs very crisp fingering.
> 6. Cha Till MacCrimmon: alovely tuen if abit depressed. Not hard to memorize
> but needs very good slowing down between movments to get the depressed feeling.
Barrie who lives in Canada. It's a 20th century work and the composer
is alive and well, so I hear. It's called Lament for Pipe Major Robert
Reid and surely must be one of the most beautiful pieces of music
written for the instrument in the last 700 years.
3. Lament for Donald Dughal MacKay. yet another urlar which goes on forever.
a haunting melody line
4. Lament for the Harp Tree or Key. one of the oldest tunes and it goes on and
on and on. Bill Livingston has been quoted as saying " this isn't a tune it's
a career".
5. The Daugthers Lament. Lots of embari movments. Full of a lot of pathos
6. Lament for Vicount Dundee. What a beautiful urlar so lyrical
rate order as it uses every note but low G and moves throw all of the keys in
the pipe
9. Lament for donald Ban MacCrimmon. a tune of brutal beauty.
sounds like a machine. Struan Roberts Salute. the urlar has been set to a 2/4
march so you get two tunes for the price of one
intermediate tunes: His father's Lament for Donald MacKennzie lots of
varriations to play with. the second variation uses a neet but odd F grace
note to good effect. This Glen is Mine. it seems like a very simple tune but
it takes some skill to get it right.The Groat--irregular to the bone but like a
Mozart melody full of surprizes. I got a kiss of the Kings hand.easy to
memorize but needs good timing.
in love with piobaireachd. I love the eedrees (sp?) coming off high
A. I have to say I like the Kilberry version of this (as played by
Donald MacPherson on the piping center recital series) better than the
version that Jimmy MacIntosh published in the Voice.
I Got A Kiss of The Kings Hand- one of the finest tunes melody wise
that you can find; and the variations are easy, which is a plus in my
book :).
The Groat- A great "dark" tune. Lots of fun.
Lament For Mary MacLeod- Awesome; can't think of anything else to say
Clan Campbell's Gathering- Not usually a tune that makes the favorites
list, but I was playing it the other night and I realized that when
your pipe is set up right and everything is executed correctly, this
tune really compares to the "big" gathering tunes.
Lament For Patrick Og Macrimmon- Heard this on that Masters of
Piobaireachd CD, its technically amazing without sacrificing melody.
Lament for The Children- My favorite of the real classics of
piobaireachd, for some reason I enjoy it more than Lament for Donald
Dughal MacKay, call me a rebel
As Aye, Scott
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aoyqEX0axA47tesdABfthYGKj_xzljddyR5FN1fisxc/edit?usp=sharing
http://scottmacleod.com/piping.htm
https://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/search/label/bagpiping
--
Scott MacLeod - World University books
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>
> https://twitter.com/sgkmacleod/status/1664621910188081154?t=ywAdNTR4LM4R8FBLJVX3CA&s=19
>
> https://twitter.com/WUaSPress/status/1664621984842432513?t=cEdEbjsYo1T78dTcd7LUTw&s=19
>
> https://twitter.com/TheOpenBand/status/1664621683401977856?t=qW89R6HEK5BlU7xrjGC_RQ&s=19
>
>
>
> https://twitter.com/TheOpenBand/status/1662119965149806596?t=X62UnoQlENxHVn0Z4zRlFw&s=19
>
> https://twitter.com/scottmacleod/status/1662119646923767812
> https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/1662119830491676672
> https://twitter.com/WUaSPress/status/1662120208310452225
> https://twitter.com/sgkmacleod/status/1662120139544731648?t=7-dd1xfHyLPCfL9BcwmESQ&s=19
>
>