Lament for a Piper

First posted Oct 28th, 2012 by newpiper

I heard yesterday that the man who gave me some chanter lessons before I got my pipes has died. He took my desire to learn seriously. He pushed me to get grace notes just so. He encouraged me to think I really could play. He spoke kindly of my early attempts on the pipes, which he heard here, on my blog. He was a lovely man, and full of funny stories which he used to tell me as I struggled through doublings and taorluaths, and I will miss him. Good bye, Willie Allan, and thank you.

I wrote this yesterday, then couldn't post due to internet problems. This morning I turned on the radio, earlier than normal, and realised I was still tuned to Four Extra, and as the radio picked up the station there were the Royal Scots Dragon pipes playing Amazing Grace, courtesy of Ewan McGregor on Desert Island Discs. A moment of serendipity. I stood in the kitchen and listened to the pipes and thought of Willie.

The tune is Bonnie Galloway, dotless, of course. 

Recording - Bonnie Galloway. Status - lost.