Friday 01/04/05

Today dawns wet and windy, a gale has sprung up overnight. A little drizzle falls as I make my way to the Caberfeidh Hotel, just off the Manor roundabout. It’s here that the Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition 2005 will be taking place. Donald MacLeod was a prolific composer of piping music. Eight world class pipers will be taking part. I have been warned that each piper has to play a pibroch, a piece of classical piping music, also referred to as Ceòl Mòr. It can last up to 30 minutes. It is basically a theme with variations. First of all, the pipes have to be tuned up, for which 7 minutes are allowed. A system of ‘traffic lights’ indicates to the player how much time he has left. Without transition, the player launches into the piece. This takes up the morning session, from 11 to 1.30 pm. The afternoon consists of lighter music, march, strathspey and reel. This is Ceòl Beag. A total of 6 pieces, 2 of each sort have to be played. Proceedings close with a hornpipe and jig. I arrive at 11.00 sharp and find mr & mrs Legge already ensconsed at the back of the hall for reasons of noise. The ‘fear an tighe’ (man of the house) introduces each player and his piece. One piece catches my imagination, the Lament of the Rowan Tree. When a house is built, a rowan tree is planted at the gable end to ward off evil spirits. It is a wise tree, for it is part of the joys (birth, playing of the children) and the sorrows (sickness and death) of the house. The people then leave for a better life elsewhere in the world, and the rowan is left behind to mourn the past. It stands there by the ruin, hoping for the occupants to return. There are 6 other pieces. When a piper appears in the door, he is immediately ushered onto the platform, because the pipes can’t be allowed to cool down. Slightly deafened, I hop out for lunch, and return to the Caberfeidh at 2.30 for the Ceòl Beag. The six pieces all flow into each other seamlessly, are not played in order on the sheet and I keep getting caught out as they finish when I think there is still 3 pieces to go J. Hornpipe and jig concludes proceedings, but one piper walks out in midflow after fluffing a grace note. With the clock at 6pm, the award ceremony follows. One piper is very jolly at that stage, drawling hellowww and having to be steadied as he staggers down the hall. He is well lubricated, shall we say. Proceedings close at 6.15, and I’m totally knackered. I sort of wobble through the town to collapse at mrs B’s. And then I also have yet to go out for food. I forego the ceilidh at 9.15. Normally, I am the first to go to a ceilidh, but not tonight. Mr & Mrs Legge do go, and return at 00.20. Singing not that good, but otherwise the party was ok. Follow the news closely, as the Pope is seriously ill. Wind picks up through the evening. Mrs B has had to save her daffs from being blown down the street.