Dunaber Musicbagpipes Archives

Glasgow in January: The Bothy Band & Altan

January 30, 2024 on 3:01 pm by Michael Grey | In Music, Photographs, Pipe Bands | Comments Off

That wise and great song-writer, Paul Simon, said that “music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die”. I’m not sure if in these words he referred to the music he made or if he was talking about the music he loved. I know the two are likely not quite the same; I’ll assume the later and bolt on a, “hear, hear!”. So, to be clear, I agree: music should grow and mature with you.
Continue reading Glasgow in January: The Bothy Band & Altan…

Be Thankful: New Year’s Eve, Central Hotel, Glasgow, 1929

December 31, 2023 on 5:30 pm by Michael Grey | In News, Photographs, Stories, Tips | Comments Off

For many of us, especially those living in the so-called developed world, 1929 was a watershed year. Among other things, this year marked the beginning of “The Great Depression” and, with it, real economic and social upheaval. It’s unlikely that your parents, grand-parents or great-grand parents – depending on your age, of course – were untouched by the significant fall-out from roiling economies and the resulting widespread feeling of human want across much of the world.
Continue reading Be Thankful: New Year’s Eve, Central Hotel, Glasgow, 1929…

Among the Best Ever Piping Events in Ontario: The 43rd Livingstone Invitational

May 15, 2023 on 12:35 pm by Michael Grey | In News, Photographs, Shout Outs! | Comments Off

My first time attending the annual Livingstone Invitational piping contest was in 1980. Then I was a kid in senior amateur solo piping – “grade one”. Like now, I was a keener. Loved the piping. Like now, I thought I knew a lot more than I did. I was then taught by Bill Livingstone, Jr. – so likely had a sort of Livingstone bias: his Old Man – the founder of the gathering – was a great character, and, I have to say, I’m grateful to have known Bill, Sr. a little.
Continue reading Among the Best Ever Piping Events in Ontario: The 43rd Livingstone Invitational…

John Wilson’s Finest Tune: Tom Kettles

April 30, 2023 on 3:59 pm by Michael Grey | In Music, Score & Sound File, Stories | Comments Off

In his autobiography, “A Professional Piper in Peace and War” (1979), John Wilson wrote that he considered his composition, the six-parted reel, Tom Kettles, his “finest composition”. It’s a technically tricky tune, full of interest – and original melody. As I’ve mentioned before, for me it straddles the line between hornpipe and reel, with maybe the reel vibe edging out that of the hornpipe by a hair. It’s a happy-sounding tune with a bright and lyrical – almost song-like – quality to it.
Continue reading John Wilson’s Finest Tune: Tom Kettles…

John MacFadyen plays “A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick”

November 28, 2022 on 4:58 pm by Michael Grey | In Music, Solo Piping, Video | Comments Off

Here’s another tune offering from the late John MacFadyen, the Donald Mòr MacCrimmon composition, Lasan Padruig Coagach, known to so many of us as, A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick. A singularly wild tune with nothing quite like it in our current repertoire.
Continue reading John MacFadyen plays “A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick”…

Great Piping: P/M William “Billy” Gilmour

October 29, 2022 on 6:47 pm by Michael Grey | In Music, Solo Piping, Stories, Video | Comments Off

I’ve known about Billy Gilmour and his marvellous musical abilities for almost as long as I’ve been piping. Early on in my musical education I luckily found myself in the orbit of The 48th Highlanders of Canada. Through my lessons with my great first teacher, George Walker, I landed in the band – yes, for a little while, but a great while.
Continue reading Great Piping: P/M William “Billy” Gilmour…

Worlds Week Beckons: Rottenrow, Glasgow 1992

July 31, 2022 on 6:46 pm by Michael Grey | In Photographs, Pipe Bands | Comments Off

The World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, is looming large. Its set to go August 12-13 – just days away. Starting around now pipers, drummers and their supporters from outside of Scotland have begun making their way through what we’ve heard to be an unpleasant steeple-chase of under-staffed airports and, likely, less-than-smooth travel experiences (an aside: I’ve travelled from YYZ to GLA twice since October of last year: all has been fine – touch wood – so good luck to all, there’s hope).
Continue reading Worlds Week Beckons: Rottenrow, Glasgow 1992…

A grade one medley: looking back to 1997

March 23, 2022 on 8:08 am by Michael Grey | In Pipe Bands, Video | Comments Off

Here’s another from the bag of newly-digitised video: from the grade one contest at the Highland Games in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. Here in full flight is the band I led at the time, the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band. Geoff Neigh and Willie Connell can be seen among the judges (both now, sadly, no longer with us).
Continue reading A grade one medley: looking back to 1997…

Mr. Donald Shaw S.S.C. (a very good person)

January 4, 2022 on 12:46 pm by Michael Grey | In Pipe Tune Score, Stories | Comments Off

While Shakespeare’s Juliet Capulet thought names were mostly irrelevant as “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” I’ve come to see that like most things in life, such things – names, for one – are seldom cut and dried. I’d have to think, for example, that it’s a good thing that your doctor understands the importance of noting the correct names in their script writing. To mix up, say, Viagra with Allegra might see stiff consequences: a potential hardship case for a person with a chronically runny nose. No. Names can matter.
Continue reading Mr. Donald Shaw S.S.C. (a very good person)…

In Praise of Ear Learning

December 1, 2021 on 4:57 pm by Michael Grey | In Solo Piping | Comments Off

It dawned on me as I waded through the day’s Duolingo French exercises: learning a language is easiest by immersion; that is, to be constantly around the sounds of the language. To live it, to learn what the sounds mean, what they represent. In childhood, for instance, I’d have to think it’s often the things done wrong that prove to be the speediest way to ingrain words. As goes the old axiom: we most often learn best from the mistakes we make: “Mon Dieu! Idiot! Le poêle est chaud ! Tu t’es brûlé la main !”.
Continue reading In Praise of Ear Learning…