It was the Eagle’s turn to host our friends and neighbours, The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society. The upstairs hall of the Scots Guards Association Club was full with an excellent turn out from both camps. An estimated figure of players taking the floor for the communal tunes was over 25, so it was ear plugs in and batten down the hatches.
After a few sets the floor was left to Pipe Major Dugald MacLeod and his charges to play a few tunes. John Fraser was on hand to help with the sound and direct the performance. ‘Jockbag’ does first class job and was in top form. The Royal Scottish started with a couple of 6/8 marches before going into a set of 3/4s, that included The Road to Passchendaele, composed by P/M Gavin Stoddart. A fine MSR followed and to conclude their spot they finished with the traditional Happy We’ve Been A’thegither.
The boys sprinted off the floor and headed to wards the bar for a well earned beer. It was perfect timing as the pies were fresh out of the oven.
While the pies were being served the Eagles tuned up and began the second half with some 3/4 marches starting with Castle Dangerous. The Eagle Pipers’ March started off the next set of 6/8’s, followed by Donald MacLeod’s, Ishabel T MacDonald. A quick tune of the drones and 3 lovely Gaelic airs followed. The Eagles finished their spot with 2-2/4 marches, The Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band and The Conundrum.
Luckily there were some pies left and it was time for some young blood to give the elder statesmen a rest. Thomas Fallon is one of the youngest members of the Eagles and is still at Stewarts Melville College He is a rising star and is doing very well in the junior ranks. He is also member of the junior band of the National Youth Pipe Band so we consider ourselves very lucky to have him in our ranks. Having settled the pipe with a slow air he started with a relatively new 6/8 from the pen of Dr Angus MacDonald, Dr Peter Pern. He followed on with a very nice MSR starting with Donald MacLellan of Rothesay. Excellent stuff.
The final tune of the night was from Dugald MacLeod who gave us the great piobaireachd , MacLeod’s Salute or The Rowing Tune. A MacLeod playing a MacLeod tune is not to be sniffed at.
The tune may have been composed about 1603 to Ruairidh Mór Macleod, Chief of the Clan, by Donald Mór MacCrimmon. The occasion being the end of a long feud between Donald Gorm and Ruairidh Mór. On a reconciliation being effected, Donald Gorn was invited by Ruairidh Mór to banquet in Dunvegan Castle. When Donald Gorm appeared in sight of the Dùn he was met by Macleod’s famous piper, Donald Mór MacCrimmon, who welcomed the Chief of the MacDonalds by playing “The MacDonalds’ Salute”, which tune he composed for the occasion. It was in connection with the same banquet that he played MacLeod’s Salute.
And with that we were done. President Douglas Gardiner gave the closing remarks and it is fact that when these two great piping bodies get together it is always a special and much treasured evening. This was no exception. Happy have we been all together indeed.
Slainte.
Euan Anderson
Hon P/M
The Eagle Pipers' Society, Edinburgh 