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COMMENT(S): pipetunes.ca presents . . . Tune of the Month
Published: January 16, 2010
Author: JanetteMontague | (report inappropriate content) |
| It just struck me this morning when I checked into this site, how important it is to have reminders around the place, of these 'greats' to keep the standards up and provide a bit of inspiration. Just looking at John McLellan's photo down there on the left hand side of the site, is a great reminder that the music actually matters - there's little to be gained from writing anything that ISN'T the best you can make it. Drift across to the bottom right and there's R.S.MacDonald - the same thing - a reminder- for me at least- that there's little point in churning out more and more of the same old thing -that to bring something different, fresh or innovative is a great thing. And there in the middle somewhere interviews with Colin MacLellan- each one like a smattering of gold dust - each one bringing a wealth of information about piping and its people, very much straight from the horses mouth. I'm already dreading the day when John McLellan's photo disappears from the site. At least the other two are still alive and one hears about them from time to time. We need a hall of fame. Or maybe a section in Madame Tussaud's waxworks museum, or more statues - no wait -something living - maybe scholarships in peoples' names. |
Published: December 23, 2009
Author: JimMcGillivray | (report inappropriate content) |
| Har de har har. Back in '42 I wasn't even a sparkle in my old man's eye! |
Published: December 23, 2009
Author: brucegpiper | (report inappropriate content) |
| JM, I know you're getting on a bit but surely to god you're not that old yet to be telling us you could have been involved with the printing of that back in 42?
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Published: December 23, 2009
Author: JimMcGillivray | (report inappropriate content) |
| Rod:
If you look at the fine print at the bottom of the newspaper piece you'll see where it says he writes the words first. Again, since JM was around when the piece was published and was likely involved in the publication, we might assume this is true. |
Published: December 23, 2009
Author: JanetteMontague | (report inappropriate content) |
| This was one of the tunes I encountered in the first week or two of taking up bagpipe playing, as it appears early on in the Piping Centre tutor. Inexperienced as I was in piping, I was coming to it solely as a musician, and it really stood out for me as being an incredibly lovely and 'musical' piece of music. I couldn't understand why the barlines had been put where they had (and hope it can be put right in future editions of the book), but that aside, the combination of the beautiful words and the way they fit with the melody was/is just music to the ears. I love the way he took care to indicate with a slur, where a syllable was to be sung over two notes. To my mind, you can really see the poet and the artist in the music, as he so carefully sculpts the phrases, exspressing the words through the rise and fall of the melody, and holding on to notes at the words he wants to emphasise. It's as if he wrote the music with a paintbrush. I wish you could buy 'I love John McLellan Dunoon' badges. I'd buy one and never take it off. Seriously, this tune is pure magic. |
Published: December 22, 2009
Author: RodMacLean | (report inappropriate content) |
| Just wondering - how do we know that he was a lyricist first? I'm not saying he wasn't but am curious as it seems to me equally plausible that the melody came first and he fitted words to it afterwards ... OR they came to him simultaneously. Also ... aren't pipers artists by definition? |
Published: December 20, 2009
Author: MichaelGrey | (report inappropriate content) |
| I've always found it interesting (in a big way) to know that McLellan was a lyricist first and maker of pipe tunes, second. A real lesson for us, I think: his tunes, even without his libretto, his words, all say something. This guy wasn't a piper - he was an artist. | |
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