Culloden 05' is fastly approaching, I hope all is well with everyone.  I am planning on hosting a maintenence seasion for those pipers who wish to as in the past few years.  Pending on how many of us there are we should do a good gathering of the pipers again to make our presence know (like we're hard not to hear).  Are there new tunes that any would like to share to our growing repituar from previous years?  If anyone has ideas about harmonies (such as during amazing grace) and so on please come forward.  I'd love to hear any feed back that you guys have had from these last few years.  Also are there any new pipers to the ranks?

Owan

Owan,
     I am a new bagpiper and am not up to pibroch level yet, but do you know if there are any of the comonly played tunes that were tunes that would have been played during the '45? (off topic) I would also like to know if Clan Ranald or the other Macdonald units have websites. I have been trying to find info on the Macdonald units and I have not been able to find them on the net. Thanks!

Sam

Owan,
   Thank you for the info. I live in the Philly area, so im guessing im pretty far from you. My pipe instructer has a copy of that book, so I think I may ask if I can borrow it. It would be cool to be piper in a reenactment. I need to get people in my area into the time period. Thanks!

Sam

Ok all, it's nearing May, This is our role call for pipers for the event in PA, who will be there what tunes you've been working in the off season, how things are goign, the goods the bads, the things you wish people couldn't hear.

I am as rank an amateur/beginner piper as you will ever find, now trying to figure out how to play the HGP in a wheelchair.  But I do love to hear someone like Rick and Owan play anything anytime on the pipes.  It's in the blood, don't you know!  
That being said, my exposure to both the history and playing of "the big music" (piobaireachd), like my exposure to the making, and so much better, the drinking of "the water of life" (uisge beatha--single malt), especially from the distilleries on the Hebrides Islands where they make it with traditional smokiness and boldness, has caused me to acquire a taste for, OK, and addiction to the classical, traditional, historical and purist form of playing the Highland great pipes.  I have four CDs of nothing but ceol mhor, two of the masters, Bob Nichol and Bob Brown, that I love to listen to.  I have already picked out three piobaireachd tunes that I would like to have played at my funeral.  Woe to anyone there that hasn't acquired the taste!
I think that one of the things that appeals so much to me about piobaireachd is its adaptability to the mood of the occasion for the creation of the piece.  Nothing can express the grief and sorrow of mourners during the loss of a loved one as the haunting tones evoked in some of the great laments created centuries ago.  Dancing around an open fire at a ceileidh is no short exercise and requires no short reel or strathspey on the pipes.  And marching into battle was usually no short hop, requiring  the big music to get the blood up and keep it hot.
Also, the efforts of the Chief of Clan MacLeod to preserve and pass on piobaireachd by sponsoring the MacCrimmons to teach it to succeeding generations at his castle is a wonderful part of Scottish Highland history and tradition.  And the method of instruction, learning to vocally chant the tune to learn its tempo, mood, subtleties and variations before ever attempting to play it on the pipes, makes it one of the most unique methods of instruction in a musical instruments I know of.
So, play what ye will, lads, when we gather at Fort Loudon, it will all be just grand as far as I am concerned.  But I will be very happy to pay the piper his fill of uisge beatha who would be willing to play, and play well, some piobaireachd while we are there.  Anything will do, as time is getting short to be learning any new pieces of ceol mhor at this point.  

It was good to see you and Bill again, Owan.  Maybe next year we can get together a bit for some piping.  I succumbed to temptation this year and went down to compete in the games, so I'm not sure if you guys got togethr or not.  That tip about chilling down the plugs for the Omega reeds worked like a charm, thanks.  It really smoothed them out, even though that's directly opposed to what the manufacturer claims.