DDD: Signature Tunes

July 13, 2012 on 9:51 am by Michael Grey | In Delightful Data of the Day, Solo Piping | Comments Off on DDD: Signature Tunes

Most musicians have music that is associated with them, either through performance or composition. For the pianist Glenn Gould, for instance, it’s his interpretation of Bach’s “The Goldberg Variations“.

For legendary Scottish piper, Willie Ross (1878-1966), it’s the march, strathspey and reel set: “Bonnie Anne’, “Balmoral Castle” and “The Grey Bob” [random: I’ve an Uncle Robert].

Willie is said to have told the well-known piping enthusiast, Major-General Frank Richardson, that he had won more prizes with the two-parted strathspey, “Balmoral Castle” than with any other.

I’d have to think he played it “twice-through” – at least.

That wouldn’t fly today in a strathspey and reel contest, by the way. Not recommended.

M.