Change of fortunes

I am still here....

The pipes one day, plot the next plans went belly-up almost at once. Initially it was in the favour of the pipes, which I played every day for a bit. It was too hot for the plot. Then it got too hot for pipes. And too humid: slightly damp fingers and chanter make it difficult to break the seal when you make the very tiny movements needed for grace notes.

When the Battle is O'er was one I tried forever ago. My teacher, as bored as I was with the Green Book tunes, suggested The Green Hills of Tyrol. I didn't know it. I didn't know A Scottish Soldier. I'd never heard of Andy Stewart. At some stage I discovered that the Hills were often played with the Battle, and I heard them together, on pipes, in Berwick on Tweed. Those were chanter days, long gone.

Recently I've come across this pair played with Magersfontein, and actually they are all one after the other in  my Seaforth Highlanders book. I'm skipping the Hills, but the Battle makes a nice intro for Magersfontein so I am thinking of reinstating it in my repertoire. I've discovered, as I play, that the low G graces on the low A's are really important. They give the tune...oh, depth, or gravitas, or something - just that momentary flipping through the lowest note, the note of gathering (according to The Big Music).

Off to Scotland soon, with my Monkey, and hope to play there, even if only to myself.