Spending spree

Yes, yes, I realise this wasn't the plan, but I can't be bothered to visit the plot this evening, and I fancied chatting about music. It's my blog - I make the rules, and break them!

I've had a bit of a spending spree of late. Currently listening to one new purchase: Canterach. As hoped it does feature the piping of Mr MacInnes. I was expecting to have to skip through the songs, but actually I've rather enjoyed the first one. There is a bit too much extraneous stuff going on - there's something that sounds a bit new age electric organ behind the strathspeys and reels, and on one track at least there is a <gasp> banjo. But they are good pipe tunes - some old favourites done in new ways and some tunes that are new to me. This CD also has Magersfontein, which will help me learn it. I was humming it as I left work today and fragment came when I tried to play this evening. Oh - and disappointment - it's played on whistle, not pipes!! Ah -no - here we go, pipes towards the end. Bliss.

I've also got The Royal Pipers' Society Recital, which has lots of new (to me) tunes, plus some old favourites, and tunes I know but have never heard on pipes. It has Flett with Waterloo. I thought I'd try that combination earlier, but just as at one stage my repertoire all began throw on D  half of it now starts with a triple A, and I was half way through the Whaling Song before I realised I'd got the wrong tune....

I've also ordered a book of Cape Breton pipe tunes. I've had to order direct from the publisher, who has answered my emails in person and been really helpful. Book has history as well as tunes. I found another Barry Shears title with another online book retailer, which I normally try to avoid in favour of Hive, which is small booksellers, but I had a gift token so... Hoping that will be here next week.