Pipes & Drums CD

Contents
  History 
 The Staff
  Hong Kong 2004
  USA 2000
  The Band 2004
  The Band 2002
  The Band 2000
  Pipes & Drums CD
  Beating Retreat
  Competition Results
  Pipe Band Scholarships
  Big Blaw
  1912 Recital
 Roll of Honour
  Reminiscences
  Images

Within a Mile o’ Edinburgh Town

Music of Spey (J Scott Skinner)

Fettes 125 (G Campbell, Fettes College Pipes & Drums)

The Rowan Tree

We begin the album with the tune that inspired the name for the CD, a traditional tune whose title appositely describes Fettes’ location in the north of Edinburgh. The second tune is a pipe setting of Scott Skinner’s composition for the fiddle. Fettes 125 was written by Gordon Campbell in 1995 to mark the 125th Anniversary of the founding of the school, and the final tune is one of the classic pipe marches.

The Steam Boat

The Bugle Horn

Major Bobby (P/M H MacColl MM, The Scottish Pipe Band Association)

Major ACW May’s Welcome (P/M H MacColl MM, The Scottish Pipe Band Association)

The Glendaruel Highlanders (P/M A Fettes, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

This set of two-parted tunes is a mixture of famous and less well-known marches. It is not thought that the composer of the last tune has any link with the College!

John MacColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage (P/M W Lawrie)

Cabar Feidh

The Rejected Suitor

Peter won a piping scholarship to Fettes at the age of 14 and was appointed Pipe Major at the unusually young age of 16. He has had a number of successes in the solo field. His selection is a classic March, Strathspey and Reel set.

The Banks of the Lossie (P/M D MacLeod MBE, Bagpipe Music Index)

The Festival March (R Ackroyd, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

These are two excellent tunes which have become popular with Fettes pipers. The composer of the second tune instructed the Fettes pipers and drum majors for many years.

Mrs John MacColl (J MacColl, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

The Highland Wedding (A MacKay)

Although only 16, James has already been a member of the band for six years and has won a number of prizes in junior competitions. He plays two of the classic competition marches.

The Glenfinnan Highland Gathering (P/M R Lawrie, Bayley and Ferguson)

Dornie Ferry

Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree (P Farquhar, Hugh MacPherson Ltd)

This is the band’s current competition set.

The MacLeod’s Salute (Donald Mòr MacCrimmon)

Whereas the remainder of the music on this recording is Ceol Beag (Light Music), Piobaireachd, or Ceol Mor (Great Music), is the classical music of the Highland Bagpipe and the oldest form of pipe music. In essence, Piobaireachd is a theme followed by a number of variations, each of which embellishes the theme notes in a different way. This tune dates from the beginning of the seventeenth century, one of three composed by Donald Mòr MacCrimmon, hereditary piper to MacLeod of Dunvegan, to mark the reconciliation with the MacDonalds of Sleat after several years of dispute and fighting. It is said to have first been played by Donald Mòr at the celebration banquet in honour of the MacDonalds at Dunvegan Castle. Niall plays Donald MacDonald’s setting of this tune.

The Scotsman (E Ropars)

Alan MacPherson of Mosspark (P/M A MacDonald MBE, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

Farewell to Camraw (P/M R Mathieson, ISA Music)

Molly Connell (J Wark, ISA Music)

The High Road to Linton

This is a typical selection played by pipers at Guest Nights and formal dinners. The pipers are James Henry, Andrew Hunter, Peter Nokes and Niall Rowantree.

9. Drum Salute (J Walker, Fettes College Pipes & Drums)

The drum corps shows off with this specially-composed piece by Jim Walker.

Muir of Ord (P/M GS MacLennan, The Gordon Highlanders)

The Earl of Mansfield (J McEwan)

Coppermill (M Grey, W Livingstone)

These three marches have been very popular with Fettes pipers in recent years. The first and second tunes are of Scottish origin, whereas the third comes from Ontario.

The Fair Maid of Barra (DJ Campbell, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

Tam Bain’s Lum (P/M DS Ramsay BEM, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

John Paterson’s Mare (arr. P/M D MacLeod MBE, P/M D MacLeod)

Troy’s Wedding (C Magee, IN MacCrimmon & RA MacLeod)

Niall is a piping scholar at Fettes and a top competitor on the solo circuit in Scotland, with a number of important prizes under his belt. He entertains us here with a slow air, hornpipe and two jigs.

The 10th Bn HLI Crossing the Rhine (P/M DS Ramsay BEM, Hugh MacPherson Ltd)

The Braemar Gathering (P/M GS MacLennan, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

These are two tunes from two World Wars. The first of these two excellent marches dates from the Second World War, whereas P/M GS MacLennan composed the second march in France in 1918, with the intention of playing it as his battalion of The Gordon Highlanders crossed the border into Germany. In the event, his Commanding Officer ordered him to play the regimental march, and this tune lay forgotten until its manuscript was discovered many years after the composer’s death. In 1950 the tune was entered by P/M MacLennan’s half-brother in a composing competition being run by The Braemar Gathering, in which it was placed first.

13. Highland Cathedral (U Roever & M Korb, ISA Music)

Niall Rowantree plays the solo for this popular and evocative air.

Wing Commander Andrew Murray (JWJ Gillespie, Fettes College Pipes & Drums)

Malcolm Thyne – Fettes College (AJG Hunter, Fettes College Pipes & Drums)

When the Battle’s O’er (P/M W Robb, Paterson’s Publications Ltd)

The first tune was composed by Jonathan Gillespie especially for this recording, to mark Andrew Murray’s contribution to the band over the past two decades. Band member Andrew Hunter composed the second tune to commemorate Malcolm Thyne’s retirement as Headmaster of Fettes in 1998. It was first played by the band on Founder’s Day that year. The final tune is one of the classic retreat marches.

Scotland the Brave 

Highland Laddie

These stirring tunes are traditionally played for the March Past at the end of Beating Retreat on Commemoration and Founder’s Day. Beating Retreat is the last event on Founder’s Day, the final day of the school year.