PIOBAIREACHD CLUB
Meeting Report
Friday, October 4th, 2013
Ron and Eileen Sutherland graciously hosted the first club meeting of the new bag piping season.
Jack Lee was the featured piper for the evening. Jack was congratulated on his recent win of the senior piobaireachd in Oban, and also on receiving an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University. Jack played “Lady MacDonald’s Lament”. Lady Elizabeth Diana MacDonald married Sir Alexander MacDonald (the 9th Baronet of Sleat) in 1768. This piece was composed by Angus MacArthur, piper to Sir Alexander, and it commemorates her death in 1789. There is another piobaireachd titled “Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute”. This was written for Sir Alexander’s mother.
Thomas Budd stepped up next with “The Bicker“. Both a bicker and a coggie are drinking vessels; the bicker has upright handles while a coggie has down-turned curved handles. The composer is unknown. Kyle Banta followed with “Massacre of Glencoe“. The MacDonalds hosted the Campbells for 12 days, and then on February 13, 1692, the MacDonalds were slaughtered. The leader of the Campbell troop, Campbell of Glen Lyon was known as a man who, “Could smile, and murder while he smiled”.
Edward McIlwaine played “Lament for the Departure of King James II“, also known as Suibhal Sheumais. James (II of Britain and VII of Scotland) was forced into exile in 1688. Jack Lee closed the evening with “The Prince’s Salute“.
Jack Lee and Alan Bevan are both competing at the Glenfiddich invitational contest on October 26th. This event will be live streamed.
