TUNES.
Music from the pipes and drums breathe a sense of passion and pride to those who hear it. From funerals, to competitions or stage performances with the likes of the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, the Chieftains or the Piano Guys — we strive to balance the requirements of our performances with the skill level of our players.
Here is our 2020 repertoire:
General Band.
Amazing Grace
Colonel Forbes of Corse and Wings
Farewell to the Creeks
His Father's Lament for Donald MacKenzie
Killiecrankie and Aros Park
Military Medley:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, USCG
Slow Air Set:
The Irish Sea, Bells of Dunblane and The Rowan Tree Air
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G5.
QMM:
Sunset on the Somme
Castle Dangerous
Balmoral
G4.
Medley:
Bloody Fields of Flanders
Old wife of the Milldust
The Gathering
The Classical Bob
The Fiddler
Sleepy Maggie
Silver Spear
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MSR:
Captain Norman Orr Ewing,
Calum Campbell of Benbecula
HRH Princess Elizabeth's Reel
G3.
Altera Terra
Drew James McIntosh
Old Wife of the Mill Dust
Dr. JG Hunter of Aultbea
Pipe Major Donald Maclean of Lewis
MSR:
Father John MacMillan of Barra
Caber Feidh
The Grey Bob​
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Medley:
Cutting Bracken
John Roy Stewart
AA Cameron
Sandy Tony Cameron
Cutting Bracken Jig
Out of the Air
Pipes of Peace
Sailing on Top of the Waves
High Drive
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Massed Bands.
Green Hills of Tyrol and When the Battle's O'er
Scotland the Brave and Rowan Tree
High Road to Gairloch and Brown Haired Maiden
TUNE HISTORY.
Some history behind #TunesWePlay
THE ROWAN TREE
The name "rowan" is derived from the Old Norse name for the tree, raun. Linguists believe that the Norse name is ultimately derived from a proto-Germanic word *raudnian meaning "getting red" and which referred to the red foliage and red berries in the autumn. According to the Celtic tradition the ROWAN TREE would provide protection against evil spirits. To have one at home would bring good luck and to cut it would bring unhappiness - which explains its relative proliferation in Scotland. The origin of the melody is unknown but the lyrics are from 1822 and were written by Carolina Oliphant, also known as Lady Nairne. The Rowan Tree was also a favorite tune of Pipe Major Dave McKee Sr of Chicago's Stock Yard Kilty Band.
BALMORAL
The tune Balmoral was written by Sir Robert Bruce of the Gordon Highlanders. As a Scottish solider fighting in World War 2, Robert Bruce was captured during the Battle of Bataan in the Philippines along with many a fellow soldier. The Battle ended on April 9, 1942, when U.S. General Edward King surrendered to Japanese General Masaharu Homma; by this point 75,000 soldiers became Prisoners of War. What followed was one of the worst atrocities in modern wartime history—the Bataan Death March. Robert Bruce survived this march, laying the road to Balmoral — honoring his comrades who died along the way -- with his tune. WE play Balmoral to honor our fallen. In doing so we honor all those who gave their lives in services to others.
