Bravo Dublin !

[Iain]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/worlds/2010/bands/

And Inveraray for the first time in the final ! Great playing !

Shotts..., first time I've ever seen two bass drums !

[EMDEE]

Things have certainly changed in the decades since I used to go to Cowal Games etc as a youngster and nobody other than Scottish bands had any chance of winning Grade 1!

The Novice Juvenile Grade was won by an Argyll band, Oban High School. I was passing through Oban town centre at midnight on Saturday and they were playing at Station Square. That gave a bit of a clue as to the day's result.

[Mary G]

Bit of a hiccup on the Grade 1 results: It was announced - and widely reported - that Boghall & Bathgate were third, when it should have been SFU. Pretty embarrassing for the top places in the top grade. The two bands were equal on points, something that is not uncommon. The normal way to fix this is by reference to the marks from the 'Ensemble' judge. Don't know what went wrong. So, EMDEE, no Scottish band in the top three either.

That said, Saint Laurence O'Toole were excellent, and nothing should distract from their strong, winning performances.

[Iain]

Things have certainly changed in the decades since I used to go to Cowal Games etc as a youngster and nobody other than Scottish bands had any chance of winning Grade 1!

The Novice Juvenile Grade was won by an Argyll band, Oban High School. I was passing through Oban town centre at midnight on Saturday and they were playing at Station Square. That gave a bit of a clue as to the day's result.

Quite true Emdee ! During my Pipe Major's course at the castle, part of my exams was the history of the bagpipe. (instructor John MacLellan) As such, I had access to a lot recorded archive music and interviews…, one of which was Pipe Major William Ross (my Regiment The Scots Guards) condemning the result of some competition somewhere. And in the interview, he mentioned that a lack of reasonable transport reduced the quality of the competition. Perhaps this was why the McCrimmon Family had so much success ?!!

http://eaglepipers.wordpress.com/about/ Stoddart with John MacLellan. (Stodart's son was with me in the band and he went on to direct the Tattoo for many years)

[EMDEE]

http://eaglepipers.wordpress.com/about/ Stoddart with John MacLellan. (Stodart's son was with me in the band and he went on to direct the Tattoo for many years)

Interesting link there. I had not heard of the Eagle Pipers for many years but was not aware of the re-forming of the organisation. My late father used to keep regular contact with George Stoddart and followed the activities of the Eagle Pipers with great interest although he lived in Campbeltown. I think their paths crossed during military service and they obviously retained a common interest in piping. I don't know if you are aware of the tune "Pipe Major Gavin Stoddart", a 9/8 march composed by my father in his later years, probably early 1980s?

[Iain]

I don't know if you are aware of the tune "Pipe Major Gavin Stoddart", a 9/8 march composed by my father in his later years, probably early 1980s?

No Emdee…, I left the army a few years later ! (although, I'd be extremely pleased to receive the music. info@danians.com) As for Gavin, (hope he isn't reading this) he was a skinny little "so-n'-so" at the time. (I do have other adjectives but I'll leave it at that) Then, a few years ago, I was watching the Tattoo on TV here in Belgium…, and there he was, being interviewed. It made me smile…, as he had taken on a lot of weight…, like me !

PS I'd be interested to see a 9/8 march..., perhaps you mean 6/8.

[EMDEE]

PS I'd be interested to see a 9/8 march..., perhaps you mean 6/8.

I'll arrange to send you a copy of the tune. It is in fact a 3 part 9/8. My father had a particular liking for 9/8 time and wrote quite a number of them, probably the best known being "Archie McKinley".

[EMDEE]

Iain

Copy of tune now e-mailed to you.

[Iain]

Iain

Copy of tune now e-mailed to you.

Hi Emdee…, and thanks ! Very kind of you ! A really nice tune…, you must be proud of your Father !

It's the first time I've seen a 9/8 tune…, and also the first time I've seen a 3-part melody. Quite unusual…, but since I've settled down here in Belgium, there's been many changes not only with the instrument, but also the musical presentation.

Something I don't understand is that the tune is titled P/M Gavin Stodart…, "Royal Highland Fusiliers." He joined the Scots Guards two years after me, and I was with him for about 8 years. Did he change regiments ?

Also…, I didn't know he had acquired the post of head of the Army School of Piping ! Unusual in as much as he wasn't a gold-medalist. It was Angus MacDonald who was our Pipe Major at the time…, and when I left the regiment, perhaps he tutored him to the "dizzy heights"!

Thanks again Emdee…, Iain.

[Iain]

Iain

It's the first time I've seen a 9/8 tune…,

Emdee…, Hi ! I didn't sleep very well last night because every time I woke up, I had 9/8 going through the head.

First thing this morning, I rummaged through the attic with 30-year layers of dust to find my old army music. Although I had well over 300 tunes memorized, not one was in 9/8…, nonetheless, I did find some retreats and jigs like Red Brae and Kenny would Dance with the Maid. If I look, there's probably more !

This is what happens when you get to my age ! And what's more, ..., now I think of it, I do believe I have a copy of a tune I took from a MacKay hand-written manuscript called the Spanish Waltz. (and I do believe it's in three parts !)

Now..., where did I put my false teeth and walking stick ?

[EMDEE]

Actually 9/8 is quite common in Scottish and Irish music. If I remember correctly "Kenny would dance with the maid" is a 9/8 jig of the type known in Ireland as a "slip jig", although they can also be found in English music e.g. the English jig "Sir Roger De Coverley". The old Scottish fiddle collections from the mid 1700s onwards contain dozens, if not hundreds of these tunes.

A well known tune in 9/8 metre is the hymn tune "Bunessan", possibly more easily identified as "Child in a Manger", or nowadays as "Morning has Broken", which is based on an old Gaelic air, although this particular air has more relationship to the 9/8 retreat march than the slip jig:

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/c/h/childman.htm

Here endeth the sermon.