William Donaldson unveils “Pìobaireachd (Pibroch) – The Classic Scores” online resource

Dr. William “Willie” Donaldson is known by name to pipes|drums readers for his articles, reviews and, perhaps most of all, the Set Tunes Series of more than 175 piobaireachds and each of their existing manuscripts he has painstakingly assembled and published exclusively here since 2001.

Now he has launched Pìobaireachd (Pibroch) – The Classic Scores, the authentic classical music of the Highland bagpipe, a website that recompiles the compositions and audio recordings from the Set Tunes Series, including updates and other resources.

A native of Aberdeen, he was a pupil of Robert Brown and Robert Nicol (mostly Nicol), the legendary “Bobs of Balmoral.” Donaldson’s knowledge of piobaireachd and his higher academic years at the University of Aberdeen uniquely equipped him to research and analyze the origins of piobaireachd.

This resulted in his seminal book, The Highland Pipe & Scottish Society, 1750-1950, in which he challenged the modern interpretation and standardization of the classical music of the Highland bagpipe.

Willie Donaldson’s contribution to Highland piping and Celtic music is profound. In many ways, his reasoned and soundly researched challenge to accepted piobaireachd norms was the beginning of a new enlightenment.

In 2001, a piper at any level who dared deviate from standardized piobaireachd settings virtually ended their chances of winning a prize and even put their reputation at stake.

Today, we enjoy hearing at the highest and lowest levels not only alternative settings to heretofore untouchable “classic” tunes, but compositions barely a year old. New life has been breathed into an art form that was, for all intents and purposes, moribund and stagnant.

We were pleased to connect with Willie Donaldson to discuss his work and his Pìobaireachd (Pibroch) – The Classic Scores resource for everyone from hard-core senior competitors and judges to the piobaireachd curious, and everyone in between.