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Piobaireachd Club

Thursday, 19 November 2009 11:19

Piobaireachd Club

2005 / 2006 Meeting Reports
Oct 28 - Dec 9 - Feb 10 - Apr 7 - Oct. 28 2006

2004/2005 Meeting Reports:
Nov 19 - Dec 17 - Feb 18

Click to visit the Piobaireachd Club archive - reports from October 2001 to May of 2004

Here is a link to a brief history of the Club in Word format as provided by Ron MacLeod and Alex Galloway. HISTORY

Nearly everything on this web page is simply copied from emails sent by Ron MacLeod. I archive them here as a record for all of us. (Thanks very much for all your efforts in support of the club Ron )

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB
Meeting Report
February 25^th 2011

A bitterly cold day in February, but there was a warm reception at the Hilder family household for a fine night of piobaireachd.

Andrew Bonar was the first piper of the evening. Andrew played “I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand” which was the tune he played to win the silver medal at Inverness last summer. There are three possible stories associated with this tune. The first has it that Padruig Mor MacCrimmon was invited to play for King Charles II prior to the Battle of Worcester (1651). There is no indication that this is the tune that he played before the King. A second story is about a “King of Pipers” - John MacGurmen of Sutherland. There is no record of a well known piping family of this name, but perhaps this is an incorrect translation of MacCrimmon.

A Clan MacLeod story tells a different tale: Padruig Mor fought at Worcester where the Clan lost 800 men. He was taken prisoner by Oliver Cromwell’s Roundheads and later released. In 1661, after the restoration of the Stuart line of Kings, Padruig Mor went to London to attend the knighting ceremony for Ruaridh MacLeod of Talisker and Norman MacLeod of Bernera who had led the MacLeods at Worcester. It was at this time that King Charles II extended his hand for Padruig Mor to kiss. He composed this tune after returning home. The following snippet from a Gaelic poem of that period is linked to the tune:

He hath never blown in sheepskin,
Who received so great an honour
His hand to kiss the King extended,
And I kissed, I kissed, the King’s hand.

The next piper to play was Liam Hilder with “Too Long in this Condition”. Scott Wood followed with “The Lament for Mary MacLeod”.

Making his first appearance at the club was Aaron Stone. Aaron played “Lament for Captain MacDougall”. This tune is thought to have been composed by Ranald Mor MacDougall in honour of Captain Alexander MacDougall. Alexander was killed in Spain during the Peninsula war, circa 1812.

Another newcomer to the club was Alexander Schiele from the Seattle area. Alexander’s tune was “The Parading of the MacDonalds”. Little is known about this tune, but it likely refers to an assembling of Clan warriors on a large field. Thomas Budd followed with “The Duke of Athole’s Salute”. This tune was published in W. Ross’s book (1885) with an alternative name of “Inchburny Bride”. The tune has many similarities to Angus MacKay’s tune “The End of Isheberry Bridge”

Edward McIlwaine closed the evening with the magnificent “MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament”

The next club meeting will be on March 25^th at the home of Bob, Mary and Ed McIlwaine.

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PIOBAIREACHD CLUB

Meeting Report
December 3rd, 2010

The pre-Christmas club meeting was held at the home of Jack and Christine Lee. The pipers and piobaireachd enthusiasts were treated to many tunes and also a wide variety of tasty treats at Christine’s laden table.

First piper to play was Hal Senyk. Hal warmed up his instrument with a short tune called "Little Prince, You are my Favourite". He then played "Queen Anne’s Lament" which is also given the name "Day Yesterday, Here Yesterday" as per Colin Campbell’s manuscript. Queen Anne (1665-1714) was the daughter of James (II of England, VII of Scotland). She was unique in that she was the first Queen of Britain and concurrently she held the titles of Queen of France and Queen of Ireland. The composer of the tune is not known but probably was of the Jacobite persuasion.
Next to play was Connor Watt, who played the Donald MacLeod composition "The Field of Gold". Anny He followed with "The Finger Lock" and Kyle Banta played "Sir James MacDonald of the Isles Lament".
Brian Haddon played "Too Long in This Condition". There are a few possible origins of this tune. One refers to Donald Mor while in hiding from the MacKenzies and longing for Skye. Donald avenged the death of his brother, Squinting Patrick and went into hiding for 15 years (1605 to 1620) in the Reay country. Another reference is to Patrick MacCrimmon after being stripped of his clothes by the English at the battle of Sheriffmuir (1715).
Alastair Lee played "Park Piobaireachd #2". This tune is one of the oldest and is attached to a clan battle circa 1489/90. Daryl Techy played "The Field of Gold", a tune that was inspired by a field of buttercups. John Lee played "The Battle of Auldearn #1".
Matt Dolan stepped up with "MacFarlane’s Gathering". There is some confusion and dispute on the exact origin of this tune. The tune is also given the name “Togail Nam Bo” or “lifting of the cattle”. Clan MacFarlane would join forces with the MacGregors for the nefarious activity of stealing cattle. The dispute arises because of the similarity to the tune “Too Long in this Condition”. Archibald Campbell suggested that there was likely a tune by this name but it was lost and that this tune is a replica of “Too Long”. He also notes that some of the curious embellishments might suggest that this tune was adapted for a fiddle or piano.
Andrew Lee played "Mrs. Smith’s Salute", a tune composed by John Ban Mackenzie in the mid 1800’s.
Jack Lee followed with "War or Peace". This is an ancient tune much favoured by the Camerons during the 1745 uprising in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie. An outstanding playing of the tune came at the Battle of Waterloo. The 79th Cameron Highlanders formed a square to defend themselves against the charging French Cuirassiers, the proudest cavalry of the day. Piper Kenneth MacKay stepped outside the square and took up his pipe to play War or Peace. He marched around the square despite the repeated charges of the French cavalry, all the while playing War or Peace. The Cameron square held against the French cavalry and as the Duke of Wellington noted, their bravery may have been a significant factor in the defeat of Napoleon.
Ed McIlwaine closed the meeting with "Lament for Mary MacLeod".
Stay tuned for the next meeting date.
Many thanks to Ron MacLeod for proofreading and contributing further insight on the tunes.

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB Meeting Report October 22nd, 2010

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The birth of the piobaireachd club was Fall of 1990 so we were infact starting into our 20th year. The first meeting of the fall was held at the home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland in the highlands of North Vancouver. The first piper of the night was Jack Lee; Jack won the Clasp at Inverness this year which is considered by most to be the highest piping honor. Jack started the evening with a few stories of his travels from the summer and his experiences in the competitions. Jack warmed his instrument up with a relatively short tune: Lament for the Bishop of Argyll. Jack then played Mrs. MacLeod of Talisker's Salute - a rather lengthy tune said to have originated in the late 1700's. The Mrs. in question may have either been the wife of Col. John MacLeod or the wife of John's son Magnus. Colonel John MacLeod was the grandson of Sir Ruaridh of Talisker. The Talisker region on Skye is on the west side of the island and the name is synonymous with the whisky.

The next piper of the night, making his debut performance was Matt Dolan. Matt played the ground and first variation of MacFarlanes Gathering. Anny He followed with I'm Proud to Play a Pipe. Little is known about this tune but some called it "Hey for the Pipes" and others referred to it as "The Earl of Cromartie's Salute". Hal Senyk followed with Lament for the Viscount of Dundee. This tune has been one of the most popular ones at the piobaireachd club over the years.

Thomas Budd was the next piper and he played The Desperate Battle. There are at least three stories associated with the Desperate Battle of the Birds. The first links this tune to an arranged battle between feuding clans in the reign of King Robert III. The King ordered the clans inquestion to resolve their disputes by each selecting 30 men to fight to the finish. The tune is said to reflect the clash of arms and the birds sweeping down to get their fill. If this is indeed the inspiration for the tune it would have been in a much simpler form as this battle (c1396) was well before the MacCrimmon era. The second story tells of a wife who called on her husband to destroy his collection of birds; he did not and eventually the birds turned on the wife and pecked her to death! The third story is of a lady from Ardvrek castle (Loch Assynt, Sutherland) who liked toparty and keep the dancing going as long as possible. She ordered her servants to tie the beaks of the roosters so they could not announce the break of day. The servants returned with scars from their battle.

The sixth piper of the evening was Kyle Banta. Kyle played Sir James MacDonald of the Isles' Lament. Edward McIlwaine closed the evening with two tunes. Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonell of Glengarry and Lament for the Departure of King James II. James, II of Britain and VII of Scotland, was forced into exile in 1688. James was the last of the Stuart Kings.

The next meeting will be held at Jack Lee's home on December3rd at 7:30. Alex Galloway

PIOBAIREACHED CLUB

The next Piobaireachd Club meeting will be at the home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland.

When: Friday, October 22^nd, 2010

Address: 4169 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver.

Time: 7:30 P.M.

Featured Piper: Jack Lee

Jack won the Clasp this year at Inverness. Jack will play "MacLeod of Tallisker's Salute"

Friday, March 5^th , 2010

The First Club meeting of 2010, and while some may have stayed at home with post Olympic fever, those who attended were treated to not only nine piobaireachd but a vast array of cookies, cakes and goodies put on by Christine Lee and Lori Haddon.

Piper of the month, Andrew Lee, started the evening off with The Big Spree. This tune is one of the three “Spree” tunes; An Daorach Mhor (The Big Spree), An Daorach Bheag (The Little Spree) and An Daorach Mheadhonach (The Middling Spree). All three tunes were composed with a particular clansman in mind regarding his excessive drinking. A passage that accompanies the tune translates to “You are drunk; you’d better sleep”.

Next up, making his first appearance at the club, was Liam Hilder. Liam played “Lament for Donald of Laggan”. The tune was composed sometime after Donald Grumach MacDonald’s death in 1635 – he had lived for over one hundred years.

Brian Haddon followed with the rousing tune, “A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Padruig”. Anny He was next with “Lament for MacSwan of Roaig”. Annie has been a regular attendee of the club for a few years and now has an impressive repertoire of tunes under her belt.

Hal Senyk played next with a tune not heard at the club before – “The Bards Lament”. Based on its construction, Hal believes this tune to have come from the harp players. Edward McIlwaine then played “Lament for the Old Sword” and John Lee with “Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute” from the MacArthur MacGregor manuscript.

Closing off the evening was Jack Lee. Jack explained that this year at the Northern meeting (Inverness) and Argyllshire Gathering (Oban), the Clasp and Senior Piobaireachd pipers will submit four pairs of tunes. Each tune is shorter than most but the competitor must play their selected “pair” back to back. This evening Jack played one of his pairs including Nameless (A Lament), another tune from the MacArthur MacGregor manuscript and Lament for the Bishop of Argyll. Interesting to note that Jack regarded the first of these the most technical tune he has come across.

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB

The next meeting of the Piobaireachd Club will be held at the home of Jack and Christine Lee.

When: Friday, March 5th, 2010

Address: 19514 - 76 Ave. Surrey

Time: 7:30 P.M.

Featured Piper: Andrew Lee who will play "The Big Spree"
There will also be several younger pipers as is the annual tradition of club meetings at the Lee house.

A big thank you to Ron MacLeod who has managed the e-mail list for the Piobaireachd club since the club started to use e-mails. He asked if I would take on this task and I'm sure he will keep a watchful eye to make sure I cross my t's.

Alex Galloway

Friday, December 4^th, 2009

It was a sharp, clear evening outside and a warm, cozy venue inside. Mary and Bob McIlwaine put on a great spread, if one ignores the fact that the oatcake was not Raasay oatcake. Bob has no excuse as he has the recipe that is without an equal.

Alastair Lee led off with MacKay's Banner, a tune of ancient origin that celebrates a banner that is thought to have been flown by Iain Aberach and his MacKay clansmen at the Battle of Drum na Coup in 1433. Iain Aberach was standing in for his stepbrother Niall, 8^th Chieftain of the Strathnaver MacKays, who, six years earlier, was incarcerated by King James I on Vass Rock. Aberach's banner is now in the care and custody of the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh. The inscription on the banner is Biodh Treun, that is, Be Valiant. One might speculate that the tune originally would have been relatively simple in structure and that it would have been slowly transformed over the centuries to become the sophisticated, outstanding tune that we hear today.

Annie He followed with The Bicker. Thomas Budd with Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonell. Alasdair was a son of Donald Gruamach MacDonald of Laggan and brother of Isabella, wife of Ruaridh Mor MacLeod of Dunvegan. The composer is unknown but may have been a MacCrimmon.

Alex Galloway redeemed himself, at least in part after a long absence, with Lord Lovat's Lament, composed by Lovat's piper, David Fraser.

Andrew Lee followed with Lament for the Viscount of Dundee, John Graham of Claverhouse, known by some as the Hammer of the Covenanters. He fell at Killikrankie in 1689 after rejecting advice to stand clear of the Battle because he was considered to be the only hope the Jacobites had in their struggle to overthrow King William III and return James Stuart to the throne.

Ed McIlwaine stepped up to play MacLeod of MacLeod's Lament and followed with Lament for the Union.

Hal Senyk closed the evening with a variant of The Glen is Mine, of which there are at least four settings. Hal opted for the Peter Reid version which carried the title The Glen is Our Own, and All that it Contains. One can imagine the composer, young Iain MacPhÃ draig MacCrimmon tramping through Glen Shiel with the Earl of Seaforth, perhaps on the way to Sheriffmuir on a fine day. The scenery is inspiring. A good fight is on the horizon. The world is his oyster. What could be more exhilarating? The tune reflects a joy of living that young Iain was able to portray so musically.

We were pleased to have as our guest Dr. Gary West of Pipeline fame. Gary was in the area to give the Annual St. Andrews and Caledonian Society's Lecture at SFU's Harbour Center in downtown Vancouver.

Piobaireachd Club

Another wet and stormy night set the stage for appreciation of the warm hospitality of Ron and Eileen Sutherland on the evening of Friday, October 16th, 2009. Club members gathered with an expectation of a fine evening of the ‘great music’ and were blessed with some outstanding renditions.

Jack Lee led off the evening with a magnificent presentation of The Earl of Ross’s March. The tune is a powerfully expressed statement about the demise of a great Gaelic family. Jack paid full honour to that statement.

Annie He followed with The Little Spree. This young lady is making great strides in her piping.

Bob McIlwaine played Too Long in this Condition. This tune is of MacCrimmon origin. But which MacCrimmon? Some think Padruig Mor, others Padruig Og. Both suffered personal indignities, Padruig Mor at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and Padruig Og at the Battle of Sherriffmuir in 1719. However, there is a Gaelic rhyme that seems to fit the tune to Donald Mor while in MacKay country hiding out from MacKenzie, circa 1605-1620. His act of revenge for the murder of his brother, Squinting Patrick, took several lives in Kintail and forced Donald to leave Skye for about 15 years. He is said to have been seated outside the door of a MacKay home feeling sorry for himself. These words of a Gaelic rhyme tell the story:

S fada mar so, 's fada mar so,

'S fada mar so tha mi ;

'S fada mar so, gun bhiadh gun deoch,

Air banais Mhic Aoidh tha mi.

Too long like this, too long like this
Too long like this am I
Too long like this without bite or sup
At the wedding of MacKay.

Ed McIlwaine stepped up to play Lament for the Union – a cry of derision and sorrow? Not a tune that James VI would have cheered. As an aside, James VI commented on Highlanders as follows: As for the Highlanders, I comprehend them all in two sorts of people: the one that dwelleth in our mainland that are barbarous, and yet mixed with some show of civility; the other that dwelleth in the Isles and are all utterly barbarous.

Jack Lee then closed the meeting with the ground of The Bells of Perth and the ground and variations of MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute.
In the fullness of time their will be another meeting - the pre-Christmas meeting. Hopefully we will have a gaggle of young pipers demonstrating their skills. More on this later.

Greetings. The good news is that the next Piobaireachd Club meeting will be at the home of Ron & Eileen Sutherland, 4169 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C.

When: October 16, 2009

Time: 7:30 P.M.

Featuring: Jack Lee who will play The Earl of Ross’s March. Jack played this tune in the Clasp competition at the recent Northern Meeting, Inverness, and won 3^rd place.

Below are some notes about the tune. The other Ron

Iain MacDonald, XIth Earl of Ross, and Lord of the Isles, surrendered the earldom of Ross on 10th July 1476; the earldom was thenceforward inalienably annexed to the Crown. In 1493 MacDonald’s other title, Lord of the Isles, was assumed by the King and lingers yet in honours attached to the present Prince of Wales. However, the dream of a quasi-independent Lordship of the Isles lingered in the Western Isles for many generations. One source (Poulter and Fisher, 1936) attributes the tune to Donald Mor MacCrimmon who lived in the period 1570-1640. However, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the composer was an earlier MacCrimmon. The hero who is celebrated forfeited the earldom 94 years before Donald was born. A thought that comes to mind is whether this is one of the ancient tunes that may have grown over a period of time. It is not beyond credibility that one of Donald’s progenitors may have composed the original ground that subsequent generations expanded until Donald put the final touches to the piobaireachd we now know as the Earl of Ross’s March. Or, the inspiration for the piobaireachd could have been a bard’s tale told in poems and songs inspired by the demise of the Lordship, of which there must have been many as known Gaelic cultural practices of the time would indicate.

Speculation about the unknown and unknowable can lead to wild surmises about things that never happened, but, the mind does have a tendency to wander down uncharted lanes of thought.

From Andrew Wright, 13-09-05:

“The Earl of Ross’s March is also known as Kieundize - a corruption of the Gaelic Ceann na Deise or heads of corn. I think this is how it was titled in the Gesto book or the Gesto manuscript which was lost.

It is named as such in the music of Simon Fraser. If Fraser was correct, it could be a harvest tune perhaps something akin to Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks, although there is no relationships in the melody or the structure of the tunes.

Perhaps it was an old tune renamed. There are many tunes with two names - occasionally they contradict each other - a tune may be called a Salute by one and a Lament by another”.

Meeting 27-03-09

A hospitable host and the ‘great music’ – what more can a person expect in this life? Alex Chisamore once again played the role of host to perfection. The meeting at the J.P. Fell Armoury in North Vancouver was a joy to attend.

Kyle Banta led off with MacKintosh’s Banner, followed by Annie He with Catherine’s Lament.

Alan Bevan played A Son’s Salute to his Parents. Jack Lee was up next with Lament for the Bobs of Balmoral. Colin McWilliams closed the evening with The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute.

The tunes played by Alan Bevan and Jack Lee were composed by the late Pipe Major Donald MacLeod, M.B.E. Alan and Jack are two of eight pipers invited to compete at this year’s invitational Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. There are three separate competitions at this event: MSR; hornpipe/jig; and, piobaireachd. At least one tune of each tune-type in the MSR, hornpipes/jigs and piobaireachd must have been composed by Donald MacLeod. A piobaireachd tune is assigned to each competitor by mail a few weeks after they receive their invitation. The piobaireachd to be played were all composed by Donald MacLeod during the 20th century. In other words, they are free of traditional and somewhat fixed styles of performance leaving competitors with the challenge of applying their own musical creativity to Donald MacLeod's tunes.

Donald MacLeod was born in Stornoway in 1916 and died in 1982. Donald MacLeod became a superb piper, one of the best of many good pipers in the 20^th century. He was in great demand as a teacher and was a frequent visitor to piping schools and events in Canada. His personality was open and gregarious, that of a man who fully enjoyed life. He became a piper in the Seaforth’s in 1937 and P/M by 1941. In the disastrous early days of WW II, he was taken prisoner with many of his 51^st Highland Division comrades, escaped, and made his way back to Britain. In 1945 he piped his battalion across the Rhine, defying his commander’s orders not to do so. In 1978 he was awarded the Membership of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for outstanding service to piping.

Donald MacLeod was a composer of pipe music like no other in his lifetime, and few before. At least 27 piobaireachd and a rich stream of light music flowed from his creative brain. Listening to Alan Bevan and Jack Lee play Donald’s compositions highlighted the quality, glory and diversity of Donald MacLeod’s music. For myself, the opening line in the Lament for the Two Bobs of Balmoral will linger in my mind as the epitome of a Gaelic lament.

The complexity, challenge and beauty of A Son’s Salute to his Parents was for me a revelation of the profound nature of Donald MacLeod’s rare gift.

It is well that he lived and it is well that he left us this precious legacy.

Greetings, time for another Club Meeting. The J.P. Fell Armoury, 1513 Forbes Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. will be the place. Members who attended the Club meeting last April at the Armoury will recall a great setting for a pleasant evening of the ‘great music’.
Alex Chisamore has invited us back and we truly appreciate the invitation. The date will be Friday, March 27 and the time will be the usual -- 7:30 P.M.

The Armoury is at the junction of 15th Street West and Forbes Avenue. 15th Street crosses Lonsdale. If coming down Lonsdale from the Freeway, turn right onto 15^th Street and proceed west for 4 blocks. If coming up the hill on Lonsdale, turn left. What could be easier than that? Or does everyone have a GPS?

Jack Lee will play Lament for the Bobs of Balmoral.

Alan Bevan will play A Son’s Salute to His Parents.

Theses tunes were composed by the late P/M Donald MacLeod, Lewis

Plenty of room for others.

Regards, the other Ron

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB

MEETING 20-02-09

By virtue of a miracle, it was a clear and starry evening when members trooped to the McIlwaine residence for an evening of cèol mòr, the ‘great music’. The hosts were as generous as ever with heaps of oatcakes and scones along with other goodies.

Edward McIlwaine led off with Lament for Red Hector of the Battles. The tune is a tribute to a noted warrior, Hector MacLean, Chieftain of the MacLeans of Duart who was killed at the Battle of Harlaw, 1411. He was buried on the sacred Isle of Iona.

Hal Senyk came forward to play a tune never heard before at the Club - a pleasant but short Nameless tune from the last page of Angus MacKay’s treasure-trove. Hal went on to play I Am Proud to Play A Pipe. The origin of this tune is unknown as the Masters of earlier days did not pass on any historical information. It may be from the 18th century. Some have referred to the tune as “Hey for the Pipes’, others as “The Earl of Cromartie’s Salute.” A dearth of information about a tune’s history is not uncommon in the piobaireachd repertoire.

Anny He followed with Catherine’s Lament, another tune of uncertain origin. Club member Colin MacRae makes a strong case for calling the tune “Fraser’s Salute” as it was taught to him by teachers whose line reached back to Glenelg and the Bruce family who learned their piobaireachd from the last of the great MacCrimmon family of pipers and composers - Donald Ruadh.

Brian Haddon demonstrated with The Field of Gold that persistence and dedication is rewarded by a great leap forward in the playing of piobaireachd.

Thomas Budd played Lament for the Old Sword in fine style.

Hal Senyk returned with Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks. A tune that some suggest is a ‘harvest’ tune whereas others suggest that it has a connection to the time when Scots raided into England.

Bob McIwaine played ‘Lament for Mary MacLeod’ and did himself proud in the playing of this magnificent MacCrimmon tribute to the Skye poetess.

Edward McIlwaine returned to close the meeting with MacLeod’s Controversy, a tune attributed to Donald Mor MacCrimmon. It relates to a skirmish at Carinish, North Uist, in 1601 where Chieftain Ruaridh MacLeod and clansmen conducted a surprise raid on an undefended settlement of Macdonalds of Clanranald, tributary to Donald Gorm MacDonald of Sleat. It was but one of many tit-for-tat acts of warfare over a period of two centuries that had left the folk of both clans in utterly wretched condition. There is a close historic link with the incident that inspired another Donald Mor tune, Dispraise of MacLeod.

Greetings, an alert re the next Club meeting which will be held at the home of Bob & Mary McIlwaine, 3587 West 32nd Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. on Friday, February 20th. Piper of the Evening to be announced later.

Later;
Piper of the evening Ed McIlwaine will play Lament for Red Hector of the Battles, one of the older tunes in the piobaireachd repertoire.

Hal Senyk will make a welcome appearance. What he will play has not yet been revealed but he has been known to surprise us with a tune not heard previously at a Club Meeting.

Bring your pipe and you will find an appreciative audience.

Greetings, a note re last evening's meeting. Regards, the other Ron

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB

November 28, 2008

Another wet and stormy night in beautiful B.C. Is there something about a pending Club meeting that brings on the wind and rain? Perhaps the small Celtic gods were upset. If so, there was no evidence of that once inside the warm receptive home of Jack and Christine Lee.

The pre-Christmas meeting is always special for it is at this meeting that many young pipers are first exposed to a caring, supportive audience in the comfort and security of a house filled with friends. Where better to launch a career in piping?

Alan Bevan was first up with Clan MacNabb’s Salute, the tune he played to win the Gold Medal at Inverness this year. It is a long, long road to the Gold Medal – when Alan was a young pupil of Jack Lee he was chosen to be the junior piper-of-the month and the first piper to play at the inaugural meeting of the Piobaireachd Club on February 1^st, 1991. A long road indeed. Well done Alan!

The young pipers followed: Aidan Caves with Munro’s Salute; Brian Haddon with The Field of Gold; Anny He with Catherine’s Lament; David Stitt with The Massacre of Glencoe; John Lee with Tulloch Ard; and, Kyle Banta with MacKintosh’s Banner.

Jack Lee then took up son John’s pipe to play Lament for the Bobs of Balmoral. This tune was composed by Pipe Major Donald MacLeod, M.B.E. (1917-1982) to honour the memory of two excellent pipers and equally fine gentlemen, Pipe Major Robert Brown, M.B.E and Pipe Major Robert Nicol, M.B.E. The two Bobs were employed as pipers and ghillies on the Balmoral Royal Estate when, in 1928, King George V sent them to study under John MacDonald, Inverness. They remained under his tutelage until 1939. Donald MacLeod also studied under John MacDonald.

Jack introduced the tune by saying that he will be playing this Lament at the Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition, scheduled for early April, 2009. And, for the first time he will have a fellow British Columbian travelling with him – Alan Bevan is one of eight world-class competitors invited to this competition. This memorial to Donald MacLeod has been organized by the Lewis and Harris Piping Society since its inception in 1994. The venue is the Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. The 2009 competition will feature Donald MacLeod’s piobaireachd compositions.

A great disappointment was the unexpected absence of founding member Peter Aumonier. One can only surmise that somewhere in the murky denseness of deepest, darkest Ontario there is a lost B.C lad struggling to find the trail to the land of sunshine and ever-blooming lotus flowers (except when occasionally it rains).

Greetings, a short report on a performance that deserves better. Regards, the other Ron

Piobaireachd Club

03-10-08

Another dark and stormy night outside. A brilliant night of piping inside! The home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland was well stocked with people, sociability and enthusiasm.

First up was Andrew Lee playing the tune that won him second place in the Silver Medal Competition, Oban – Hector Maclean’s Warning, MacArthur setting.

John Lee followed with Tulloch Ard, the MacKenzie gathering tune.

Alastair Lee followed with The Desperate Battle of the Birds. Credit for composing this tune circa 1750/60 is attributed by many to Angus MacKay, Gairloch. A popular Gaelic poem of his time is thought to have inspired him. However, in true Gaelic style there are suggestions that the origin of the theme could be much earlier in time. This school of thought suggests that the theme may well reach back to the arranged Battle of the North Insh of Perth, 1396, where 30 men from Clan MacKay squared off with 30 men from Clan Chattan while the King looked on from wooden galleries erected to seat himself and his guests. The intent was to end a vicious and long-standing feud between the two Clan. A third inspirational candidate is linked to an incident at Ardvrek Castle where the Lady of the Castle was annoyed at the crowing of the roosters at dawn and sent servants out to tie their beaks and in this way silence them. The tune that sprang from this event is said to reflect attempts to woo the birds with soft words, followed by an explosion of concern that raised a storm of dust, noise and flying feathers from cackling hens, screeching roosters and screaming servants. All of which is reflected in the music. This latter tale, of which I only touch on, originated in Lewis in the late 15^th or early 16^th century and passed down orally before appearing in an article in 1959 written by the late Roderick MacLeod, first President of the B.C. Pipers’ Association.

Colin Lee then played Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg. This tune laments the demise of MacDonald of Islay, erstwhile Lord of the Isles. The Castle was their final refuge in their struggles with Campbell of Argyll. It was finally destroyed in 1647, 54 years after the MacDonald’s forfeited their title and prerogatives to the King.

Jack Lee played The Phantom Piper of Corrieyarrick, a tune composed by the late Captain John A. MacLellan. To put the matter briefly, the tale has it that a phantom piper, a relic of Montrose’s campaign against Campbell of Argyll in 1645, still haunts the difficult and treacherous Pass of Corrieyarrick over which Montrose force-marched his troops to totally surprise and rout Argyll.

A surprising and very welcome player was up next with Lament for the Old Sword. Kyle Banta has been absent from the piobaireachd boards for a time and it was a delight to see him back at it again. His tune has its origins in the pre-Christian time of the Ossian legends, circa 200-300 A.D. It was passed down by bards and eventually adapted for the pipe by an unknown composer. It celebrates the great sword of Oscar which, as the bardic story has it, came into the possession of the Lord of the Isles and later the King, only to be lost at Flodden Field, 1513 A.D.

The next meeting of the Club is scheduled for Friday, November 28at the home of Jack and Christine Lee. This will be the Christmas Special where we can look forward to the young pipers playing up a storm. More later.

Greetings, a great evening of piobaireachd on the near horizon. Come and enjoy. Regards, the other Ron

A Parade of Champions

Westcoast pipers took a significant number of prizes at the most prestigious competitions in Scotland this season of 2008.

Oban, August 27^thSenior Piobaireachd, Jack Lee came second

Silver Medal, Andrew Lee came second

Cowal, August 29^thGrade A – Jori Chisholm

Grade B – Alastair Lee, Andrew Bonar second, Colin Lee third

Inverness, September 4th & 5th

Gold Medal, Alan Bevan

Silver Medal, Colin Lee

Clasp, Jack Lee came second

Alan Bevan and the Lee family – Jack, Andrew, Colin, John and perhaps cousin Alistair - will be playing at the Club meeting 7:30 P. M. on Friday, October 3^rd at the home of Ron & Eileen Sutherland, 4169 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C.

John Lee will be attending the Nichol-Brown Invitational in New York on Saturday, October 11th. Ten of the finest amateurs across North America have been invited to contest three events : 6/8 marches, Piobaireachd and MSR. Iain MacDonald from Regina will be one of the judges.

Come and enjoy a great evening of the ‘great music’.

The tunes to be played will include (not necessarily in the following order):

Alan Bevan – Clan MacNabb’s Salute

Jack Lee – The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairrack

Andrew Lee – Hector MacLean’s Warning, MacArthur setting

Colin Lee – Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg

Alistair Lee – pending confirmation that he will be present

John Lee – Tulloch Ard

Meeting of April 25^th

On a fine Friday evening that gave promise of better weather to come, the Club convened in the Sergeant’s Mess of the J.P. Fell Armoury, North Vancouver. Pipe Major Alex Chisamore had kindly extended an invitation that was just too good to refuse. The hospitality was outstanding and the aura of the old Armoury (circa 1912) was inspiring.

Alex has been associated with the Armoury for the past 48 years. In recent time, he has been hard at it to create a Pipe Band. A great deal of time and effort has gone into creating the J.P. Fell Pipe Band, to recruit, train and develop a cadre of pipers and drummers. All praise to Alex for his good work. Two of his Band members led off the evening.

Adrienne Quane played the ground and a variation of the Battle of Waternish, a wild exultant tune that celebrates a MacLeod victory over invading Macdonalds. The piobaireachd may have been composed circa 1580 or so by Iain Odhar MacCrimmon or his son Padruig who would have been contemporary with the event. Some attribute it to Iain’s grandson Donald Mor MacCrimmon who was born about 12 years after the event.

Trish Chisamore then played MacFarlane’s Gathering in fine style.

James P. Troy had swept the professional board at the B.C. Pipers’ 76^th Annual Gathering in March. His prize in the piobaireachd was for his rendition of Hector MacLean’s Warning, the tune he played for Club members. A complex tune that reflects a complex, uncivil family and time, circa the period 1650-70. The composer is unknown. What is known is the brutal behavior of Hector, his father Ailean nan Sop and his grandfather Lachlan Cattanach (hairy or rough). Hector failed in an attempt to kill his nephew, the Clan Chieftain, and died for his failure. Ailean nan Sop’s specialties were robbery, piracy and murder. The term nan Sop can be translated as ‘a wisp of straw’ or as a ‘firebrand’. He had the uncivil habit of lighting straw at the mouths of caves to smoke out victims who were attempting to hide from him. Grandfather Lachlan had married a daughter of the Earl of Argyle and, when he tired of her, placed her on a tidal rock and left her to drown. When he eventually went to pay his respects to the Earl, the Earl heard him out and when Lachlan was through presenting his condolences, the Earl threw back a curtain and lo and behold! There was the daughter in all her glory - she had been rescued by a kinsman who happened to come by before the tide rose too high. Lachlan’s reaction is not recorded. Soon after, he was murdered in Edinburgh by Campbell of Cawdor, brother of Lachlan’s wife. The rock on which Lachlan’s wife had been abandoned is still known by locals as ‘The Lady’s Rock’.

Colin Lee played the Massacre of Glencoe, which he had played at the 76^th Gathering to take second prize in the piobaireachd. Andrew Lee, who was third in the piobaireachd at the Gathering followed with I Am Proud To Play the Pipe, played for the first time at the Club.

After a refreshment break, young Brian Haddon played Munro’s Salute.

Jack Lee closed the evening with A Lament for Angus Campbell. This is a twentieth century piece composed by Archibald Campbell, better known to pipers as Kilberry.

The date of the next meeting will be revealed in the fullness of time.

Another meeting come and gone with too few members showing up. A fine evening of cèol mor at the home of Mary and Bob McIlwaine where hospitality is, as ever, a joy to remember.

James Beaumont, once of Bo’ness, Scotland, led off the evening with The Stewart’s White Banner. This tune is of uncertain origin but deemed to be of the time of the Jacobite risings. But, which one? Some attribute the tune to the rebellions of 1717 and 1719. Others are convinced that the tune is linked to the rebellion of 1745/46. There is a story that each clan in turn would have the honour of carrying the banner when on the march. It may be that the tune was a standard in both eras. As to the banner, some say it was white, red and blue silk twice as big as an ordinary banner. More likely, however, that the banner was red silk with a white space in the middle, thus presenting the family colours. Prince Charles Edward Stewart’s banner was captured at Culloden and burned by the Hanovarians in Edinburgh along with the banners of 16 Jacobite families.

Andrew Lee stepped up to play Kinlochmoidart’s Lament #1.

He was followed by Alex Galloway with MacLeod’s Controversy, a tune that reflects the serious consequences that flowed from a raid by Chieftain Ruaridh Mor MacLeod on the undefended Macdonald hamlet of Carinish, North Uist in 1601.

Edward McIlwaine warmed up with the ground and variations of Lament for Patrick og MacCrimmon and then played that little jewel of a tune, Lament for Alisdair Dearg MacDonnell. Alasdair is thought to have been the first MacDonald of Glengarry to spell his name MacDonell. He was the son of Donald Gruamach (some might say “gloomy”, others, “dour”) for whom the piobaireachd Lament for Donald of Laggan. Alasdair preceded his father in death which is not surprising considering that his father lived for over 100 years. His sister Isabella, wife to Sir Roderick MacLeod Chieftain of Harris and Dunvegan, lived to 102 years of age. The tune was probably composed by Padruig Mor MacCrimmon.

Bob McIlwaine closed the meeting with Lament for Colin MacRae of Inverinate, a variation on the theme of the Lament for Duncan MacRae of Kintail. Colin, a descendant of Duncan of the Silver Cups, was born in 1776.

Greetings, good news. The next meeting of the Club will be on Friday, March 7th.
James Beaumont will play The Park Piobaireachd #2. Hopefully, he will be joined by a gaggle of pipers testing their tunes for the Annual Gathering, upcoming March 21st & 22nd. Bob and Mary McIlwaine will host the evening. Their address is 3587 West 32nd Avenue, Vancouver, B. C. (just east of Dunbar).
The usual starting time will take precedence over Highland time 7:30 P.M.
James Beaumont is from Bo’ness, close by Falkirk, Scotland. James won the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2007. He has recently moved to this area and, I believe, intends to make his home in Canada.
Come out and give James a warm welcome to the Club and to Canada.
Regards, the other Ron

Piobaireachd Club Meeting Nov 30 2007

Santa Claus came early this year. The annual Christmas evening of piobaireachd was held on Friday, November 30^th at the home of Jack and Christine Lee. As ever, Christine put a delicious spread of goodies on the table for all to enjoy, and enjoy it we did. Some will say that a few of us might have over-indulged in the awesome array of fine foods put before us, but that is the way of it.

First up to play was Alastair Lee with Melbank’s Salute. This tune was composed by John MacKay, Raasay, as a tribute to Kenneth MacKenzie son of Sir Alexander MacKenzie of Gairloch. In his time, Kenneth was well-known as a generous sponsor of piobaireachd. Alastair played this tune to win the Nicole-Brown Invitational Competition in Albany, New York in October.

Brad Haddon made his public debut playing Iain Dall MacKay’s composition Munro’s Salute and made fine work of it. If he follows through with his training we will have another exponent of cèol mor, the ‘great music’ in the field.

John Lee stepped out with the Desperate Battle of the Birds, a tune that carries at least three myths on its back. The one described herein goes back to the Battle of the North Insh of Perth, circa 1396. This was a battle arranged by King Robert III as a means of settling a long standing feud between two Highland Clans. Each Clan would put 30 men forward to fight to a finish. It is clear that one of the Clans was MacKintosh but the other is uncertain. Some suggest MacKay, but there is a strong case made by those who claim it was Cameron, given a MacKintosh/Cameron feud that spanned several centuries. The King had an arena set up with galleries for the guests; he sat on the field to act as judge. The King halted the battle when only 4 badly wounded Clan Chattan and one Clan MacKay (Cameron?) were still standing. The battle did not end the feud which carried on intermittently for over two more centuries. The piobaireachd is said to reflect the birds sweeping down on the corpses to get their fill. If this scene is indeed the inspiration for the piobaireachd, the tune would have been much simpler than what is played today, or, it may have been in the form of a Bardic song that inspired a later composer. An interesting side note is that because one clansman failed to appear, the battle was about to be called off. However, a member of the audience volunteered to stand in for the missing clansman, was accepted, and the battle proceeded to its harsh conclusion.

Erin Warkman played MacLeod of MacLeod’s Salute, Failte Ruari Mor as the Reverend Doctor Norman MacLeod heard it called when visiting the Dunvegan home of MacLeod in 1799. The tune is one of a trilogy composed by Donald Mor MacCrimmon to celebrate the end of 200 years of MacLeod/MacDonald feuding.

Colin Lee closed the evening with Corrienessan’s Salute, composed by Ruaridh MacKay in the mid to late 1600’s.

Notice of the next meeting will be revealed in the fullness of time.

The Club meeting of Friday, October 19th, 2007,
was convened at the home of Eileen and Ron Sutherland. As one has come to expect, the hospitality was generous and warm.
Jack Lee got the music off with a master-stroke. He played Craigellachie (known also as Grant’s Gathering) and followed immediately with Lament for the Laird of Annapool. This Lament was composed by Iain Dall MacKay to honour his second cousin Donald MacKay. Donald had become the Laird of Arnabol through marriage to Marion Munro who held the estate of that name. It is thought that “Annapool” is a corrupt translation of the Gaelic title. The tune is complex and, as Jack commented, one of the most difficult tunes to memorize but, the result is well worth the effort.

Andrew Lee followed with The King’s Taxes, a composition by Ranald Ban MacDougall.

Jack Lee returned to the floor to play The Daughter’s Lament. This is a difficult tune to pin down. It apparently once carried the name, Lament for General Cleaver, in other words, Bonnie Dundee. A tradition that no person should have more than one tune dedicated in his or her name is said to have led to the re-naming of the tune by a person or persons unknown to honour Dundee’s widow. After Dundee’s death, she had married the good Jacobite, Lord Kilsyth. Unfortunately, she died in her first pregnancy. She was buried with her unborn daughter in the Kilsyth kirk where her body was found 100 years later during repairs to the kirk.

Ed McIlwaine then took up Jack’s pipe for the final tune of the evening, Lament for the Children.

News about the next meeting will follow in the fullness of time. Queries can be directed to Ron Sutherland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or, Ron MacLeod at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Greetings, the Christmas Meeting of the Piobaireachd Club will be convened at the home of Jack and Christine Lee, 19514-76^th Avenue, Surrey on Friday, November 30^th at 7:30 P.M.

As is customary, this meeting will feature young pipers.

Alastair Lee will be the guest piper. He will play the John MacKay (Raasay) tune, Melbank’s Salute, a musical tribute to Kenneth MacKenzie who had an estate at Millbank, near Dingwall. In his time, MacKenzie was a generous patron of piobaireachd. Alastair won the Nicole-Brown Invitational Competition in Albany, New York in October with this tune.

Hope to see a good turnout to encourage the youngsters.

As to directions, take your chances on the following:

1. Those coming from Vancouver – I suggest the TransCanada (Highway #1) to 176^th Street; turn right and proceed south to 80^th Avenue; turn left onto 80^th Avenue and proceed to 192^nd Street; turn right onto 192^nd Street and proceed to 76^th Avenue; turn left onto 76^th Avenue and proceed almost to the end of the street.

2. Those coming from the south – take 176^th Street (Highway 15) to 80^th Avenue and turn right onto 80^th and proceed as above, (a bit longer but no kinks and turns). (192^nd is also good but there is a right-left jog at 64^th Avenue & Fraser Highway that may confuse some at night).

3. Those coming from the east via the TransCanada – take a left at the 200^th Street intersection and proceed to 80^th Avenue; turn right onto 80^th Avenue and proceed to 192^nd Street; turn left on 192^nd Street and proceed to 76^th Avenue; turn left on 176^th and proceed almost to the end of the street.

4. To those coming from the east via Fraser Highway – turn right onto 192 Street (at the juncture of Fraser Highway with 64^th Avenue and 192^nd Steet) and proceed to 76^th Avenue; turn right onto 76^th Avenue and proceed almost to the end of the street.

A good map is your best guide to secure travelling through deepest, darkest Surrey to the warmth of the Lee residence.

Regards, the other Ron

MARCH 23, 2007

It was a raw and rainy night but, once inside the home of Mary and Bob McIlwaine, the climate was definitely sunny and warm.
Colin Lee led off the evening with The Groat, a tune composed to celebrate the birth of an heir to a Highland Chieftan. A silver coin (groat) was offered at the christening, followed by an exuberant merriment that could go on for several days. A MacCrimmon tune attributed by some to Iain Odhar or his son Padruig Donn and by others to Padruig’s son Donald Mor.

Andrew Lee followed with the classic, Lament for Mary MacLeod, the Skye poetess who outlived the several MacLeod Chieftains she sang of in her poetry. A distant relative of Sir Ruaridh Mor, she sang of him thus:
With Roderick Mor, MacLeod of Banners,
In his house I have been joyful,
Dancing merry on a wide floor.
The fiddle-playing to put me to sleep,
The pipe-playing to wake me in the morning.
Bear my greeting to Dunvegan.

John Lee played the late Pipe Major Donald MacLeod’s Cabar Feidh gu Brath.

Hal Senyk played the ground of the Big Spree in the MacArthur setting. He followed with The Parading of the MacDonalds, played for the first time at the Club. Apparently the history of the tune is lost in the mists of time. An enjoyable tune that has a ‘lift’ that strikes a chord with the listener.

Ed McIlwaine followed with Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonell, the first of the Glengarry MacDonald to spell his name MacDonell. He was the son of Donald of Laggan and brother of I sabella who married Sir Ruaridh Mor MacLeod. The composer may have been a MacCrimmon but there is no certainty about that assumption.

Alex Galloway stepped up to play the ground of the Park Piobaireachd.

Bob McIlwaine closed the evening with the Lament for Sir James MacDonald of the Isles who died in 1678. This fine tune is attributed to William MacDonald of Vallay, better known in his time as MacDonald’s Tutor. William had protected the Sleat estate after the Battle of Killiecrankie where his brother Sir James had led his clan against the forces of King William III. William MacDonald made a deal with King William whereby he would take over the estate as Tutor and keep the peace, a role he played for several years until things had settled down and he was able to return the estate to his older brother, Sir James.

Fri. Dec 8, 2006
The meeting convened at the home of Jack and Christine Lee where the hospitality was generous and warm. As usual, the December meeting is given over to young pipers. It is with these young folk that the future of piobaireachd rests. Judging by the quality of piping, the future seems to be secure.
Anthony Low led off the evening with Munro's Salute and was followed by Alexander Jantzen playing the ground of Corrienessan's Salute. Both of these tunes were composed by a MacKay. Iain Dall honoured his patron and relative with the first; his father Ruaridh paid musical tribute to a corrie south of Tongue in the NW of Scotland, in a glen that was a favorite hunting ground of the Strathnaver MacKays. It appears that Ruaridh took his theme from a poem by his friend, the bard and harpist Blind Ruaridh Morrison. As was the custom of the time, Blind Ruaridh's poem would have been sung, thereby providing a theme for the piper.
John Lee played a strong Caber Feigh gu Bradh. Alistair Lee gave a fine rendition of Melbanke's Salute and was followed by Erin Warkman with the evocative Massacre of Glencoe, a presentation of which Erin can be proud . Tim Byron did justice to MacLeod of Raasay's Salute.
After an intermission to enjoy the overflowing table of delights, Kyle Banta led off with Lament for the Old Sword. The mythology of this tune reaches back to pre - Christian times on the westcoast of Scotland. Oscar, son of the bard Ossian, possessed a sword that few others could wield. Oscar was a prodigious fighter but, like most of his peers, died young. Oscar’s sword, so mythology holds, eventually passed into the possession of the Lord of the Isles and eventually to the Kings of Scotland only to be lost at the battle of Flodden Field. The composer is unknown.
Micah Babinski with Beloved Scotland and Chris Donald with Lament for the Rowan Tree closed off the presentations by the young folk in great style.
Jori Chisholm stepped up to put finis to the evening with the magnificent Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay, 15th Chieftain and first Lord Reay, 1590-1649. Donald the Dauntless, as his clansmen called him, lived a tempestuous life in tempestuous times. He raised troops and fought for three rulers - The Elector of Hanover and King Adolphus of Sweden in the 30 Years War in Europe, and, for King Charles I during the English rebellion. All of the rulers failed to compensate him for his services. He eventually lost all of his traditional lands. He died in Denmark in the service of the King of Denmark. The name Duaghal derives from his association with Denmark – ancient Danish Vikings were known to the Strathnaver folk as Dhu Ghalls, that is, black strangers. Some think the tune was composed by Iain Dall MacKay, son of an illegitimate daughter of Donald Duaghal. Others attribute the tune to Padruig Mor MacCrimmon who would have known Donald through a daughter of Donald who married into the family of Ruaridh Mor MacLeod.
During the evening, Jack Lee spoke briefly about his experience on the way to winning the Scottish Piping Society of London’s Bratach Gorm. The glorious Glazier’s Hall, scene of Jack’s first Bratach Gorm triumph, was not available. The substitute facility was makeshift. In fact, pipers for the final warm-up used a bathroom. Never mind, the honour is substantial, particularly when the competition features some of the best piobaireachd players in the world. To top it off, Jack gets to keep the 2006 banner.

Piobaireachd Club
On Friday, October 28, 2006, an elite group of Club members met at the home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland for a grand evening of music.
Jack Lee led off with Lament for Ronald MacDonald of Morar (1662-1741), a man known to his contemporaries as Raghnall MacAilean Og. He was the third son of Alan, 4th Chieftain of Morar. Ronald was known for his exceptional physical strength as well as for his musical talents. In addition to being called by his clansmen "The best piper upone the pipe now living", he was also a fine fiddler and harpist. He composed at least three piobaireachd that are still played - The Finger Lock, The Vaunting, and, The Red Speckled Bull. The composer of this fine tribute to Ronald MacDonald is unknown but it is generally assumed that it would have been a Clanranald piper.
Hal Senyk made one of his rare but very welcome appearances. He played two tunes in the Angus MacKay setting. He led off with Catherine's Salute (a rare tune about which, more later) and followed with Weighing from the Land. As to the latter, one source suggests that it was composed by a Mull piper - another suggests Uist. The unknown composer observed a shipload of emigrants leaving a Hebridian island bound for Charleston in the Carolinas and endeavoured to convey the strong emotions of the emigrants. In a common custom of the time, many would have plucked grass from their family graves to carry with them as a remembrance. Although those who emigrated before 1800 left voluntarily for the most part, they did so with heavy hearts, perhaps singing the Gaelic version of the following song, circa the late18th century:

We shall go to America
It is our destiny to go there;
A plague on the landlords,
With their greed for money;
They prefer flocks of sheep
To their own armed hosts.

Edward McIlwaine stepped up to play The Battle of Strome, a tune that celebrated the successful MacKenzie seige of Glengarry's Castle Strome in 1602.
Jack Lee closed the musical evening with The Big Spree, a tune composed on a MacGregor blacksmith. He was a man who was fearless and ferocious in battle but given to excessive tippling that would inevitably turn into a spree that rendered him temporarily helpless. Some credit a MacGregor Chieftain with the composition. However, it is more likely that it would have been one of the MacGregors of Glen Lyon, famous bards, fiddlers and pipers who provided hereditary pipers to the Clan Chieftain. By sheer determination the Glen Lyon family maintained their piping school despite King James VI's proscription of all things MacGregor.

The next meeting of the Club will be held at the home of Jack and Christine Lee, Friday, December 8th. This pre-Christmas meeting will feature the young pipers as has been the custom for many years. Details to follow.

To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
From: Ron MacLeod < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: Meeting report

Greetings, another great night of piobaireachd. Regards, the other Ron

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB
April 7, 2006

What a splendid evening for driving to Bob and Mary McIlwaine’s home to hear the ‘great music’. And great it was, to the delight of the many who turned out to enjoy the hospitality, socialization, and, most of all, piping in a relaxed setting.
Jack Lee led of with the monumental Lament for the Harp Tree, at 25 minutes, the longest tune in the piobaireachd repertoire. What an experience! The history of this tune is murky. Trying to unravel the story behind the tune is like trying to unravel a muddle in the middle of a dark room. However, it is not for want of trying by many experts in the field of cèol mor historical research.
There are at least three threads to the tale that I am aware of: One has it that the ‘tree’ is the frame of a harp and what is lamented is the demise of the traditional Gaelic harpist-poet-story teller, bard to Chiefs and recorder of heroic deeds and profound sorrows.
Another thread has it that there is a link to the Isle of Skye, to a place where pipers in a time long past were wont to meet to play in friendly competition. This site was called “Rudha Craobh nan Teud” – the headland of the harp tree. The lament in this story is for the forsaken meeting place as well as for the diminished art.
A more likely tale is posited by Bridget Mackenzie in her book Piping Traditions of the North of Scotland. Blind Ruairidh Morrison, harpist-poet-bard, friend of Iain Dall MacKay and his father, composer of the song/poem Corrienessan, is the source here. The story has it that two piobaireachds flowed from Ruairidh’s song – The Lament for the Harp Tree and Corrienessan’s Salute. The Salute was restored to what it may have been originally by the creative efforts of Dr. Charles Bannatyne in the 1920’s.
It is not beyond belief that these three threads are each in their own way woven into the fabric of the tune for it was in this period, circa the mid 1600’s - early 1700’s, that profound changes that left the Gaelic culture in tatters began an inexorable march through the Gaeldom of the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland.
Alex Galloway followed with In Praise of Morag. Andrew Lee with The Unjust Incarceration and Colin Lee with Salute to Lady Margaret MacDonald in the MacArthur style.
To close the evening, we had with us a wonderfully fine young piper who is over from Scotland for a two week visit – Callum Beaumont. He played Corrienessan’s Salute, the second piobaireachd to flow from Blind Morrison’s poem.
The date of the next meeting will be revealed in the fullness of time.

To: PiobI
From: Ron MacLeod < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: Meeting Report

Greetings, here is a report on Friday's meeting. Regards, the other Ron

PS the Annual Dinner of the BC Pipers Association will be on Saturday, March 11th. Contact Ron Sutherland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 604-988-0479 for information.

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB
February 10, 2006

The home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland was the setting for an outstanding evening of cèol mor. Those in attendance were obviously appreciative of the privilege of listening to the great music so well played.
Jori Chisholm was the featured piper. He led off with a splendid rendition of Lament for the Only Son. The tune is a poignant memorial to a beloved son, a memory long lost in the mists of time. But oh! the music. The music has not faded. Indeed, the music will never fade as long as there is a piper with the skill to honour the tune. There are two thoughts about who composed this lament. The most widely held view is that the composer was the great Padruig Mor MacCrimmon. The other view is that it is a MacIntyre tune, composed by either Donald or his son Robert, circa the mid 1700’s, that is, almost 80 years after the close of Padruig Mor’s reign as Scotland’s greatest piper-composer. An attribution of the tune to Padruig Mor refers to it as “Cumha an aona Mhic”. While it would be interesting to know for certain who composed the music, not knowing will never dampen the joy of hearing it well-played.
Andrew Lee played the Battle of Strome, a tune that flowed from a Mackenzie/MacDonald battle, circa 1602.
Jack Lee followed with a magnificent playing of the stately MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute. Angus MacKay, Gairloch, son of Iain Dall, was commissioned by John, XIth Laird of Raasay, to compose a tune to celebrate the birth of a son and heir after six daughters had been borne. Paradoxically, in the 1820’s, Donald MacDonald called the tune a Lament according to Kilberry who also noted that Sandy Cameron of the great Cameron family of pipers played the tune as a Lament. MacDonald and Cameron must have thought the music celebrated Malcolm, father of John, who gave over his patrimony to his son when he went off to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745/46. Malcolm died about the time that the tune was composed.
Jori Chisholm then closed the evening with a splendid presentation of The Old Men of the Shells, otherwise known as The Carles of Sligeachan. As I listened to the music, I could almost see the old men of the MacKenzies of Kintail seated in a circle, sipping the water-of-life from scallop shells, toasting their young men who had been killed in a trap sprung by the MacDonalds and all the while passionately cursing the perfidy of the MacDonalds of Sleat. The tune is another that flowed from the long and bitter feud between the MacKenzies and MacDonalds in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
The next meeting of the Club will be Friday, April 7th. Further details to follow.

To: PiobI
From: Ron MacLeod < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: Club Meeting

Greetings, a report on Friday's meeting. Regards, Ron

PIOBAIREACHD CLUB December 9, 2005

The Club met at the home of Jack and Christine Lee for the annual Christmas meeting. The atmosphere was festive. As one true believer put the matter, “What could be better? The music, the sociability, the warm venue, and the wonderful spread of goodies that Christine put on the table - there is nothing in this world like it!”
Twelve young pipers lined up to do the honours, from the youngest to the eldest, with a senior piper closing the evening. The influence of the list of tunes recommended for the 2006 Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting was evident in the selection of tunes played as the evening progressed.
Anthony Low got the meeting off to a great start with the ground and first variation of The Desperate Battle. Then, following in timely order came: Scott Wood who played Lament for the Old Sword; Chris Low with The Massacre of Glencoe; Kyle Banta with Catherine’s Lament; Erin Warkman with The Battle of Auldearn #1; John Lee with Too Long in This Condition; and, Griffith Gustafson with Sir James Douglas of the Isles Lament.
At this point there was a break to enjoy the delicious spread that Christine laid out.
Tim Byron got the second session off with The Massacre of Glencoe and Alastair Lee followed with MacFarlane’s Gathering. Then came four of the recommended tunes: Colin Lee with The Battle of Strome; Will Nichols with Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks; Andrew Lee with The Duke of Atholl’s Salute. Jori Chisholm put finish to the evening with Fair Honey.
The last two tunes are new to the Club, bringing the total number of piobaireachds played to 120 since the formative meeting 15 years ago. Mary MacLeod and Auldearn are the favorites, each having been played 11 times. Viscount Dundee and the King’s Taxes are next (7 times). followed by Glencoe (6 times) and Patrick Og (5 times).
As to the Battle of Strome, circa 1602, the tune arose from an extended feud between the MacKenzies and the Macdonalds of Glengarry in the late 1500’s and early 1600’s. The Castle of Strome was captured and destroyed by MacKenzies. Glengarry himself was killed in a battle fought from boats on Loch Carron. A sorry outcome of this feud was the burning of Cille Chriosd Church by Macdonalds, with the congregation inside, although there is some uncertainty about the latter point. The Battle of Strome was one in a long series of battles that followed on the demise of the Lord of the Isles, circa 1476, as Campbells and Mackenzies fought for dominance and Macdonalds and other clans struggled for survival.
The next meeting will probably be in February, 2006. Watch for a notice in due course.

Piobaireachd Club - October 28 , 2005

Those who gathered at the home of Ron and Eileen Sutherland enjoyed a wonderfully fine evening of cèol mor. It is an occasion like this that reminds the writer that living to an old age isn’t all downhill.

Colin Lee, fresh from winning the Nicol-Brown Memorial in Troy, New York, led off the evening with The Desperate Battle of the Birds. There are two well-known inspirations given for this tune. However, there is also a less well-known third source for which I draw on an article by the late Roderick MacLeod, a Lewis man. (He was a founding member and first President of the B.C. Pipers’ Association). His story is based on the folklore of Lewis. A lady of Ardvrek Castle, Assynt, was given to partying and liked to keep the dancing going as long as possible. One evening she ordered that the beaks of the roosters be tied so they couldn’t announce the breaking of day with their crowing, thereby bringing the dancing to an end. She sent a team of servants – piper, maids, shepherd, smith – to the henhouse to carry out her order. There was a terrific battle in the henhouse before the servants could capture all the roosters and tie their beaks. The dancing that night went on and on and didn’t stop until noon the next day. The tune that sprang from this event is said to reflect the attempts to woo the birds with soft words, the initial low key reaction of the birds to the intrusion, followed by an explosion of concern that raised a storm of dust, noise and flying feathers from cackling hens, screeching roosters and screaming servants. Just another heather myth in the jungle of piobaireachd mythology. This particular tale could probably have its origin in the late 15th or 16th century when Assynt was still in the possession of the Lewis MacLeods.

Jack Lee rose to play the Earl of Ross’s March, a tune attributed to Donald Mor MacCrimmon. The hero it celebrates forfeited the earldom 87 years before Donald was born. A thought that comes to mind is whether this is one of the ancient tunes that may have grown over a period of time. It is not beyond credibility that Donald’s grandfather (Iain Odhar) or great grandfather (Findlay of the Plaid) may have composed the original melody that subsequent generations expanded until Donald put the final touches to the major tune we now know as the Earl of Ross’s March. Speculation about the unknown and unknowable can lead to wild surmises about things that never happened, but, the mind does have a tendancy to wander.

Andrew Lee played Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks, followed by Edward McIlwaine with Lament for Mary MacLeod and Alex Galloway with MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute.

The next meeting of the Club will be Friday, December 9th at the home of Jack and Christine Lee. This is the Club’s traditional pre-Christmas meeting featuring the children. Details and map to follow in the fullness of time.

Piobaireachd Club - February 18, 2005

It was good evening of piping, hosted by Bob & Mary McIlwaine.

Jack Lee introduced his tune, Lament for MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart #1, by illustrating the difference between tune #1 and #2, the latter being considered a Salute. Like so many others, the origin of the tune is lost in the mists of time. There is a tradition that the tune was originally played as a lament for Munro of Foulis. Munro was killed at the Battle of Falkirk, 1746 while serving on the Government side; the tune was reputed to have been played at his graveside with many Jacobite officers in attendance. MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart, a highly respected man, was on the Jacobite side. He was taken prisoner, tried and hanged. Despite the uncertain origin, there is little doubt that the tune has a connection with the Jacobite uprising of 1745/46. It is a fine tune, grandly played by Jack.

Kyle Bantra played Lament for Sir James Macdonald of the Isles, Sir James was the 9th Chief of the Macdonald’s of Sleat (Mac Dhomnuill nan Eilean). In his time he was considered the inheritor of the Lordship of the Isles, a title forfeited in the late 16th century. He fought under the banner of King Charles I at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tune is credited to William MacDonald of Vallay (MacDonald’s tutor).

Andrew Lee presented a well-played Lament for the Viscount of Dundee.
David MacNeill followed with Glengarry’s Lament. Alastair Ranaldson MacDonell was the 15th Chief of Clanranald and 22nd from the founder of the MacDonald of the Isles line. A notoriously extravagant Chief, he left his estate with an enormous debt when he died in 1828. The tune was composed by his piper, Archibald Munro. It is said that it was played at his graveside by six pipers.

John Lee gave us the Desperate Battle (of the Birds).

Edward MacIlwaine closed the meeting with a wonderfully fine tune, not played at the Club before. The Lament for Rory MacLeod (usually presented as Rory MacLoud’s Lament) was probably composed by Patrick Mor MacCrimmon. Although there is no absolute certainty, Rory the Witty, the 17th Chief of the MacLeod’s of Dunvegan, is believed to be the Chief for whom the tune was composed. He died young in 1664, not yet 30 years of age. Of the other two Chiefs who bore the name Ruaridh, one was the great Sir Ruaridh Mor, Xvth Chief, who died in 1626. The other was the much despised Ruaridh, XIXth Chief, who turned management of the estate over to people who abandonded the Gaelic mode of life and turned Dunvegan into a fashionable English establishment. It was in this period that the Gaelic poetess Mary MacLeod was banished for not singing the Chief’s praises in her poetry – an unlikely candidate for a piobaireachd.

The date of the next meeting is yet to be determined. Contact Ron Sutherland, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Ron MacLeod at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ron MacLeod Email of Feb 7:
Greetings, the next meeting of the Club will be held at Bob and Mary Mciwaine's home,

WHERE: 3587 West 32nd Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.
WHEN: Friday, February 18th at 7:30 PM
PIPER-OF-THE-MONTH: Jack Lee
TUNE: MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament
CONTACTs Ron Sutherland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Ron MacLeod at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

See you there, regards, Ron

Greetings and best wishes for good health in 2005. Regards, the other Ron

Piobaireachd Club
December 17, 2004

It was another dark and stormy night. Have the Sassenachs put a curse on the weather for Club night? Anyway, the weather inside the home of Ron & Eileen Sutherland was balmy and conducive to some excellent piping.

Once again, the December meeting was dedicated to young players with a few older pipers getting in a blow as well.

Scott Wood got the meeting off to a fine start with the ground of Corrienessan’s Salute. John Lee followed with Munro’s Salute. When I listen to this tune, a picture that comes into my mind is of the Blind Baron, Robert Munro, sitting by a fireside in his castle listening to the blind piper Iain Makay play this tune. Iain had composed the tune to honour Munro, his patron of the time.

Kyle Bantra followed with Sir James MacDonald of the Isles Lament. Sir James was of Sleat, Skye. He died in 1678. The designation, Of the Isles (na’n Eilean), was how the Gaelic people referred to him. The title was a carry-over from the days when the Chiefs of his Clan had been called Lord of the Isles. The tune is attributed to William Macdonald of Vallay.

Chris Low played Munro’s Salute, followed by Colin Lee with Lament for Mary MacLeod and Ben Parsonson with Lament for the Old Sword.

Andrew Lee played a tune not previously heard at the Club – March for a Beginner. This tune, without grace notes, is in Joseph MacDonald’s A Compleat Theory of the Scots Highland Bagpipe, 1760/1763. It is a tune blessed with several names: The Black Watch Salute, Bengal Piobaireachd, Home Memories from Bengal. Joseph MacDonald served in Bengal with the East India Company and died there shortly after joining the army.

Hal Senyk gave a fine rendition of The Old Woman’s Lullaby. This is thought to be among the oldest of the tunes. Indeed, heather myth carries the tune back in time to harpists and, perhaps, to the pagan era. Some think it was originally a tribute to a Moon Goddess. In various mythology, Moon Goddesses are depicted as easily offended and prone to quick revenge for slights and neglect. Pity the poor wretch who offends her! Better to sing her praises and offer up a song in her honour.

Tyrone Heade played another tune heard for the first time at the Club – Lament for the Little Supper. This is thought to be another very ancient tune. The event that inspired the tune involved the Comyns and Clan Mackintosh circa 1430. The Comyns invited Mackintoshes to a reconciliation banquet. Their intent was to put them to death when a black bull’s head was brought into the banquet room. The Mackintoshes were warned beforehand and carried hidden arms to the banquet. As soon as the bull’s head came into sight, they turned on the Comyns and put them to death. This action broke the power of the Comyn family and brought an end to centuries of struggle between the Comyns and Mackintoshes.

Ed McIlwaine closed the meeting with the majestic Lament for the Earl of Antrim. It is an historical oddity that MacDonalds and MacLeods of Skye were induced by a progenitor of the Earl to give up their endless feud and join with him in warfare against Queen Elizabeth. This they did and fought side by side. On returning to Skye, they promptly resumed their feud. Donald Mor fought in Ireland with MacLeod’s troop. Whether the tune was composed by Donald Mor or his son Padruig Mor remains an open question. Some say that because of the style, the probability rests with Padruig. Others hold the view that Donald was still alive when the Earl died and he composed the tune. Whatever! It is a glorious piobaireachd that well deserves to be called The Great Music.

The date of the next meeting is yet to be revealed. For whatever information that may be available, contact Ron Sutherland, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Ron MacLeod at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

November 19 2004 - Piobaireachd Club Meeting report:

The November 19th meeting was hosted by Ron & Eileen Sutherland. A conjunction of events made for a small turn-out. The quality of attendees, however, was suberb.
Alex Galloway was the featured piper. He played the Battle of the Pass of Crieff. It was at Crieff that cattle drovers competing for the best grazing ground would indulge in some vigorous jostling. There is no known link between the piobaireachd and a warlike battle at the pass of Crieff. Just as there appears to have been no battle of warriors, there also is no pass at Crieff except that it is here that Highland drovers passed across the Highland Line into the land of the southerner. The discussion about the music did reveal that a battle had occurred at or near Crieff circa 962 A.D. Who fought who is unknown - in all probability rival Thanes competing for power. What is known is that the Great Highland Bagpipe would not have been dreamed of, let alone played at that early age. So, it would seem that this very fine piobaireachd arose from a much later local incident that has since faded from the collective memory, an incident as trivial perhaps as a drover's quarrel.
Bob McIlwaine followed with Lament for MacRae of Inverinate.
Alex Galloway closed the musical evening with Catherine’s Lament.
The next meeting will be December 17th (see below).
Contact Ron Sutherland at 604-988-0479, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or, Ron MacLeod at 604-538-5709, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEXT CLUB MEETING

The next meeting of the Club will again be held at the home of Ron & Eileen Sutherland.
The focus of December meetings has been and continues to be on the young pipers. Senior pipers may be allowed to respond to an inner call for a favoured tune.

WHERE: Ron & Eileen Sutherland’s, 4169 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C.
WHEN: Friday, December 17, 2004
TIME: 7:30 P.M.
FEATURED PLAYERS: Young pipers
TUNES: Various
CONTACTS: as above

regards, the other Ron

November 15, 2004

Good news! The Piobaireachd Club meets again!

WHERE: Home of Ron & Eileen Sutherland, 4169 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C.
WHEN: Friday, November 19, 2004
TIME: 7:30 P.M.
FEATURED PLAYER: Alex Galloway
TUNE: Battle of the Pass of Crief
CONTACT: Ron Sutherland at 604-988-0479, or, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bring pipes and present a favoured piobaireachd.

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