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This classroom is designed specifically for the novice piobaireachd student. To learn music of any sort, one must master good technique. Good technique is not simply one of playing the notes as written, but of doing so with the correct rhythm. Once mastered, tunes then can be learned, phrase by phrase, by understanding the melodic pattern. It is the intent of this classroom to introduce technique and structure concepts as needed using a tune as the backdrop for your understanding. As the degree of technique raises, so will the degree of difficulty of the tune. Lessons will be presented in the usual form - notes plus an audio compliment. Only when the lesson is learned completely, should a student proceed. This means being able to play all from memory with no assistance from the written score. This is fundamental to all good piping, just not piobaireachd. You are now ready to begin.
The Tunes for 2009 are now available on CD and can be ordered from the Captain's Corner
The Tunes on the 2009 CD
Cabar Fèidh Gu Bràth
In 1645 the MacLennan’s, as
usual were entrusted with the banner of Lord Seaforth, the MacKenzie Chief.
Around their standard, the famous "Caber Feidh," so called from its bearing of a
stag's head, a large number of them were cut down.
And so reads the history of
the Stag’s Antlers.
Cabar Fèidh Gu Bràth A Listen
By Patrick Og MacCrimmon
(1640 – 1735)
It is time that we
studied one of the great MacCrimmon tunes, The Lament for Mary MacLeod, composed
by Patrick Og MacCrimmon. In the succession of MacCrimmon hereditary pipers to
the Clan MacLeod in Skye, Patrick Og was the son of Patrick Mor. Born in 1640,
he became the MacLeod piper upon his father’s death in 1670. He had a healthy
life living to the old age of 95, bearing two sons, John (1695) and Donald Ban
(1710). Donald Ban fought against the Jacobites, being taken prisoner in 1745
and later being killed by a single shot at the Rout of Moy in 1746. It is in
this final year that Donald Ban composed the famous piobaireachd, MacCrimmon
Will Never Return.
Patrick Og was also a
composer, penning the tunes Lament for John Garve of Raasay and the Lament for
Mary MacLeod. The great historian Henry Whyte, aka Fionn, described Mary MacLeod
as a poet or “bardess” who also nursed several of the chiefs at Dunvegan. She
was born in Harris in 1569, and according to the late John MacFadyen (Piping
Times, January, 1953), didn’t take up the poetry and song composing till late in
life. She was banished by the chief of the Clan, Norman MacLeod, to the Isle of
Mull for “giving publicity” to one of her songs. She forgave MacLeod for the
banishment, but the embarrassment lasted all her life; so much so that upon her
death in 1674 (age 105) she pleaded to be buried face down in recognition of her
shame.
She was much loved for
her poetry where she often referred to Patrick Og. Hearing of her death, Patrick
Og composed this beautiful tune to celebrate Mary’s life.
In more recent times, The Lament for Mary MacLeod has been set as a tune
for major competitions by the Piobaireachd Society (Book 5, page 155). It
has been recorded by players of all levels. Martyn Bennett, prior to his
death at a young age, composed a suite for pipes and orchestra based on the
variations and ground of Mary MacLeod.
Lesson 1 Lament for Mary MacLeod
A Listen A Second Listen
Lesson 2 Lament for Mary MacLeod
A look at the ground - Understand the structure and technique before starting!
Lament for Mary MacLeod
Oral tradition in the Cameron style - slightly different setting - Line 3
Lesson 3 Ground - Lament for Mary MacLeod
Playing and memorizing the ground
Lesson 4 Variation 1 - Lament for Mary MacLeod
A New Method of Pulsing
Lesson 5 Variation 1 - Lament for Mary MacLeod
The Doubling - you will like the rhythm!
Lesson 6 Taorluath - Lament for Mary MacLeod
Lesson 7 Crunluath - Lament for Mary MacLeod
On a regular basis, you will be able to download recordings of tunes by some of the greatest piobaireachd players in the world. Allan MacDonald
One of the most knowledgeable and greatest exponents of Gaelic music and its cross pollination with piping, clarsach, fiddle and song, has to be Allan MacDonald from Glenuig, Scotland. He has several recordings with Margaret Stewart , combining vocal and pipe versions of many ancient melodies. Recently, a video of his was put on YouTube and it is well worth the look. He involves many different instruments in the playing of a theme inspired by Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament called Cumha Dhonnchaidh Mhicrath - King of Laois
Willie McCallum
Willie McCallum is arguably the king of the present day competitive piping scene. With 8 Glenfiddich Championships to his credit he has no peers. This impressive record also includes several runners-up. So whenever Willie is competing in a major event, you can rest assured that he will be in the hunt for the top prize. As with many of the top professionals, Willie has other interests as well. Along with Stuart McCallum of McCallum Bagpipes, he has designed and marketed the prize winning MC2 pipe chanter. An accountant with Strathclyde University he is also an ardent season's ticket holder for the Glasgow Rangers Football Club. Many fans were able to meet Willie last year when he competed in NYC at the Metro Cup - and just happened to be declared overall champion. It is sage advice from Willie that has become important for all my students. His response to the question "when is a tune ready to use in competition or for a performance?" was very simple:" When I can play it flawlessly 3 or 4 times in succession" I subscribe to this totally. As a pleasant follow-up to Colin MacLellan's Little Spree, I think you will find The Big Spree from Willie one of the finest listens to date. Many thanks to Willie for allowing the Corner to present his tune here.
Colin MacLellan
Colin MacLellan, holder of piping's most prestigious prizes, the Gold Medals at both Inverness (1982)and Oban (1992), is a world renown reed maker from Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a premier instructor at Winter Storm in Kansas City each January as his recording here will attest. He is playing The Little Spree on the practice chanter, part of his preparation for instructing at the KC event. Other recordings and lessons from Colin can be downloaded from his website. While visiting, check out his online reed service. I use his reeds as do many of my students - sound is superb and the service the best. Now for The Little Spree, some historians subscribe to the story that this tune was composed by a MacGregor chief about a blacksmith, a courageous warrior and equally dynamic drinker, causing him to tear up the town, so to speak, from time to time. However, if true, this story does not suggest the sadness that so many find in the tune - perhaps more a lament than a rousing "spree" song. The Captain's Corner thanks Colin MacLellan for his permission to present his tune here.
The Ground and Variation 1 Taorluath and Crunluath
Click to Download the Piobaireachd Society Full Tune (pdf)
Alasdair Gillies
"`Traditionally, the whirlpool sings Pos mi's posadh mi thee (Marry me and I will marry you). It was believed that if one entered its clutches, there was no escape. There is an old Gaelic song of the same title" Alasdair playing here is very special as he is the holder of the Gold Medals at both Oban and Inverness. In addition, he holds the record for Silver Stars for former winners' MSR at Inverness (11 and counting). Professionally, Alasdair teaches in the piping degree program of the Department of Music at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; this all following an illustrious military career as Pipe Major of The Highlanders in the British Army. The Ground and Taorluath Taorluath D and Crunluath
Whence Come We Today's pipers in Ontario like Bill Livingstone, Bob Worrall, Gail Brown, Chris Anderson, Michael Grey, Reay Mackay, and so many more were taught by the great John Wilson, who emigrated after WWII to Hamilton, Ontario in 1949. From his Saturday morning classes at Fort York Armouries in Toronto and his private tuition, came the foundation of Ontario's competitive piping scene. In some cases , like Bill Livingstone, these players rose to rival their teacher in Gold Medal glory. For many others, they took their spots as instructors and Pipe Majors of many of the province's top bands. In all cases, John's students are having a major impact on the piping world about them today. Now John Wilson came from somewhere and that was Roddy Campbell. At this point every bit of piping history starts to explode, because prior to Roderick Campbell, we are back to the great generations of Camerons ! Yes, Sandy Cameron, Donald Cameron and the Cameron school as so many talk about. This is where Roddy Campbell received his tuition.
Copyright © 2005 - 2010 The Captain's Corner |
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It was then that the MacKenzie’s last song of triumph was composed, one of the
finest rants in the language. It is called Caber Feidh, which means Deer Antler,
the badge of the MacKenzie’s; and the lyrics ridicule the surrounding clans
which had fled before it.
Alasdair
Gillies, a major player in the world of competitive piping for more than 20
years plays the Donald MacLeod composition,
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