PIOBAIREACHD CLUB
Meeting Report
Friday, October 19th, 2018
What a lovely sunny October we are having, made even better by listening to Piobaireachd at Ron Sutherland’s home in North Vancouver.
The first piper for the evening was Jack Lee and he played “Lady MacDonald’s Lament” . The piece commemorates the death of Sir Alexander’s wife, Lady Elizabeth Diana MacDonald in 1789. She had married Sir Alexander in 1768. Her mother-in-law was the beloved wife of MacDonald of the Isles, Lady Margaret MacDonald, the recipient of a Salute.
Next to play was Tori Killoran with “Beloved Scotland”. Tori recently returned from the Nicol-Brown amateur invitational competition. She placed 2nd in the MSR, 3rd in the 6/8 march, and 5th in the piobaireachd. In November, she will be heading to Ontario to compete in the George Sherriff Memorial Amateur invitational competition.
Kevin McLean stepped up with MacGregor’s Salute. The MacGregors’ Salute is also known as MacGregors’ Gathering. Although the composer is unknown, it could only have been one of the many fine Glen Lyon composers who proudly carried the name ‘MacGregor’ both before and after their name was proscribed by King James VI.
Jack Lee played “The Daughter’s Lament”. It apparently once carried the name, Lament for General Cleaver (the one and the same Bonnie Dundee, Viscount Graham of Claverhouse who was killed at the Battle of Killiecrankie, 1689). It has been suggested that the piece was renamed the Daughter’s Lament out of respect for Dundee’s widow who married Lord Kilsyth, another Jacobite supporter. She died in her first pregnancy in 1695. In a twist of fate, about 100 years later the embalmed body of Lady Kilsyth and her daughter were discovered when repairs were being made to the kirk in Kilsyth.
Edward McIlwaine played “The Desperate Battle” followed by “Lament for the Union”. The composer is not know, but according to Gesto the tune was also known as “The Curse of the Pipers”. Apparently pipers and many of their clansmen were much annoyed that as a result of the Union, Scots were no longer free to raid into England.
Tori Killoran closed the evening with “The Big Spree”. The club would like to wish both Tori the best of luck at the George Sherriff, and Jack Lee the best at the Glenfiddich championship. The latter contest will be live streamed, this coming Saturday (the 27th) in the wee hours of the morning. Live stream details can be found on the Piping Centre website. https://www.thepipingcentre.
