Book Release Video! (with notes)

August 26, 2021 on 4:59 pm by Michael Grey | In News, Video | Comments Off on Book Release Video! (with notes)

Thanks to all who managed to tune in Facebook to the kick-off of the publication of my book, “Grey’s Notes on a life around Bagpipes”! Even as a (sadly) virtual part of this year’s Piping Live! festival in Glasgow it turned out to be fun to put together – and – I hope time well-spent for viewers.

The program is still available. Here you go:

Grey's Notes – On A Life Around Bagpipes virtual book release from The National Piping Centre on Vimeo.

For those who’d prefer a program guide to the show:

00’45” – Hosted by Kris Bawden. Some banter with John Slavin, Piping Today magazine. How work with the magazine began; drinking in Babbity Bowster; stories behind some of the graphics.

11’00” – A couple of quick tunes from me: Pipe Major Duncan Nicholson (hornpipe), The Head Street Curtain Rustler (jig). Background is Westfield Heritage Village, Hamilton, Ontario.

13’52” – Master thespians at work: bringing the article “Angus Mackay on Trousers, Life and God” to life. Starring Gary West, musician, broadcaster, ethnologist – and actor.

24’00” – Colin MacLellan performing the ground and first two variations of the great piobaireachd, “Lament for the Children” (said Felix Mendelssohn, “…the finest single line melody in all European music … “). Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye provides the backdrop.

32’20” – A demonstration with tunes of a blog entry, “5 tunes I wished I’d composed”, starring the wonderful Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh (a former pupil!).

33’15” – The Brown-haired Maiden, clip from I Know Where I am Going (1945). Said Martin Scorsese, “Just when you think there is no more great films to discover in cinema a movie like I Know Where I am Going turns up …”. Full movie can be viewed here.

36’53” – Pipe Major George Ross’ Farewell to the Black Watch (Willie Lawrie)

40’10” – The Mist-covered Mountains (John Cameron)

43’14” – Susan MacLeod (Donald MacLeod), The Little Cascade (George S McLennan). I have no idea who the happy dancers are who joined in with Jenny but they were clearly having a grand time – no matter how out of time they were to Jenny’s tunes!

Thanks to Kris Bawden for hosting and to John Slavin, Gary West, Colin MacLellan and Jenny Hazzard for being such enthusiastic (and excellent) guests!

Oh, and you can order the book here.

M.