pipes|drums begins 2009 Set Tunes Series
Dr. William Donaldson’s ninth Set Tunes Series, an analysis of the piobaireachds assigned by the Piobaireachd Society to pipers competing in the 2009 major solo competitions, starts today with Dr. Donaldson’s introduction to the series, which he calls “Lost Pibroch.”
Now numbering more than 115 piobaireachds, the annual Set Tunes Series started in 2000 and is well established as probably the greatest online resource of information on and settings of ceol mor.
In addition to pdf files of Donaldson’s analysis and reproduction of historical settings, audio files of will again be available, with vocal recordings of Donaldson illustrating the music he discusses.
The 2009 Set Tunes Series will comprise at least 12 piobaireachds, focusing mainly on the list of tunes set for the Senior competitions, including altogether new analyses of “Lament for the Harp Tree,” “MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament” and five substantially revised versions of tunes already published in earlier years: “The Battle of Waternish,” “The MacDonalds’ Salute,” “John Garbh MacLeod of Raasay’s Lament,” “Lament for MacLeod of Colbecks” and “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon.”
With the existing breadth of the series, many of the tunes set for the Gold and Silver medal competitions have been covered already, but Donaldson will provide analyses of those appearing for the first time, as well as illuminating updates based on new research.
The author of the seminal work, The Highland Pipe & Scottish Society, Dr. Donaldson was the first piping scholar to identify the power of the Internet when he brought heretofore inaccessible information on piobaireachd to pipers everywhere. For almost 100 years, many argue, the Piobaireachd Society controlled piobaireachd publishing and the release of information. He was a pupil of the legendary Robert Nicol for some nine years.
Since the start of the first Set Tunes Series in 2000, Donaldson insisted that the content be made freely available to all wishing to access it.
Approximately one tune will appear each week over the next four months, and we recommend that followers of the series set up an RSS feed so that they may be alerted when new installments are made.
We hope that you enjoy pipes|drums’ 2009 Set Tunes Series by Dr. William Donaldson.
Already looking forward to these. The ‘freely available’ aspect seems to sit nicely with the ultra modern Piobaireachd Society’s new website, where there is a wealth of information, a sound file library, articles, and manuscript sources to explore. Thank heavens piobaireachd can be accessed so easily these days.
Already looking forward to these. The ‘freely available’ aspect seems to sit nicely with the ultra modern Piobaireachd Society’s new website, where there is a wealth of information, a sound file library, articles, and manuscript sources to explore. Thank heavens piobaireachd can be accessed so easily these days.