Showing posts with label piper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label piper. Show all posts

Sunday 29 September 2019

Centenary Hamish Henderson at Edinburgh book festival 2019

Hamish Henderson
Like Burns before him, he looked to the traditions of the Gaelic and Scots ballads, and he gave expression to a nations heart. 

Spring quickens. 
In the Shee Water I'm fishing. 
High on Whaup's mountain time heaps stone on stone. 
The speech and silence of Christ's world is Gaelic, 
And youth on age, the tree climbs from the bone. 

A piper played in Henderson’s well kent and loved song Freedom Come All Ye,and we all sang along, The event was part of Edinburgh International book festival 2019,
Tonight was a tribute concert for Scotland’s great poet and song collector Hamish Henderson. 
On the centenary of his birth, poets have come together to celebrate his rebellious spirit and influence with a unique poem anthology. – THE DARG

Poet, translator, Highland folklorist, Henderson was part of the Scottish folk revival and a co-founder of the Edinburgh university’s Scottish studies. He was a campaigner for the Scottish parliament and guiding light behind the Edinburgh fringe festival.

I first saw photos of Hamish at the Old Fruitmarket venue Glasgow. I heard of his song, Freedom Come all Ye. That he had been a frequent visitor at Sandy Bells bar, Forrest road; a collector of Scots song and a co-founder of Scottish studies at Edinburgh university. I was also a frequent visitor at Sandy Bells back in the 80s, before I moved abroad.  

He became a folklorist and collector of Scots Bothy ballads and Gaelic song, to keep Scots voices alive. He spent years tracking down storytellers and folk singers with the American folklorist Alan Lomax. Together they recorded hours of traditional ballads, Gaelic work songs, children’s songs and contemporary folk songs from all over Scotland. His ambition was to record a people’s history before it has disappeared. To preserve the tales told around the campfires, tinker storytellers and songs of the singer Jeanie Robertson. .
Tribute concert for cemetery for Hamish Henderson

Our Oral Histories. Author, critic and broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove, (writing in the Sunday National 15.09.19 ) wondered, who will record the significant oral history of our vital Scots independence movement today?Who is there to collat our energetic indy movement – of all those who gave up so much of their time and energy to work tirelessly. All those how “gave up their jobs, rode Yes bikes, stuffed envelopes, designed flyers and pounded the streets.” 

He writes of the importance of such histories - “Oral histories require many volunteers, researchers and recorders willing to travel extensively… “Oral history is a collection of historical information using interviews with ordinary people who have unique perspectives on important events, first hand evidence of the past which captures people’s experiences and opinions often in ways that contrast with or contradict official history.”  It is “history from the bottom up, told by onlookers, joiners, unemployed – not through the eyes of the powerful. “

**Scotland present desire for our self-determination and independence has deep, creative and authentic roots because of visionaries such as Hamish Henderson. 

**Hamish Scott Henderson (1919 – 2002)grew up in a cottage in the Spittal of Glenshee. And like Burns his mother was s singer of Gaelic songs. He was also a soldier in the Second world war: He studied Modern Languages at Cambridge. In the years leading up to the war, as a visiting student in Germany, he ran messages for a Quaker organization aiding the Germans resistance and helping to rescue Jews. Later he moved to Edinburgh and frequented the folk bar Sandy bells.



**Biographer Timothy Neat  wrote in the Guardian March 2002, “Like Burns, Henderson was, first and last, a poet, and poetry was for them both language rising into song, responsible to moment, people, place and joy.” 
“The tryst of Hamish Henderson, who has died aged 82, was with Scotland. It was a meeting of high consequence - across the 20th century, in darkness and in sun, Scotland informed all that Henderson was as a man and a poet. “
“Not for Henderson Auden's conceit that poetry never made anything happen; he believed that "poetry becomes people" and changes nations, that poetry elevates and gives expression to the deepest and best being of mankind, that poetry is a measure that extends far beyond the written word, that poetry is pleasure and a call to arms.” Timothy Neat

As he states in his prologue to the Elegies: 
Let my words knit what now we lack 
The demon and the heritage 
And fancy strapped to logic's rock. 
A chastened wantonness, a bit 
That sets on song a discipline, 
A sensuous austerity. 

Freedom Come All Ye
Roch the wind in the clear day’s dawin
Blaws the cloods heelster-gowdie ow’r the bay,
But there’s mair nor a roch wind blawin
Through the great glen o’ the warld the day.
It’s a thocht that will gar oor rottans
– A’ they rogues that gang gallus, fresh and gay –
Tak the road, and seek ither loanins
For their ill ploys, tae sport and play
Nae mair will the bonnie callants
Mairch tae war when oor braggarts crousely craw,
Nor wee weans frae pit-heid and clachan
Mourn the ships sailin’ doon the Broomielaw.
Broken faimlies in lands we’ve herriet,
Will curse Scotland the Brave nae mair, nae mair;
Black and white, ane til ither mairriet,
Mak the vile barracks o’ their maisters bare.
So come all ye at hame wi’ Freedom,
Never heed whit the hoodies croak for doom.
In your hoose a’ the bairns o’ Adam
Can find breid, barley-bree and painted room.
When MacLean meets wi’s freens in Springburn
A’ the roses and geans will turn tae bloom,
And a black boy frae yont Nyanga
Dings the fell gallows o’ the burghers doon.

Tuesday 13 February 2018

‘Bothy Culture and Beyond’ Celtic Connections 2018

At a packed Glasgow Hydro, the audience was enthralled with a world premier performance of Martyn Bennett’s, Bothy Culture and Beyond, as part of Celtic Connections. The GRIT orchestra and was arranged and conducted by Greg Lawson.

Three years ago I went to the Celtic Connections opening concert Nae Regrets – and what a night it was!  The GRIT orchestra played Martyn Bennett’s first album (conducted by Lawson). Bennett composed Celtic fusion music that successfully mixed the old and the new, Celtic traditions along with electronic techno. He was known as the Techo Piper with his deadlocks and innovative playing. He sadly died young at 33 from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He performed at Edinburgh Hogmanay and T in the Park.

Aerial dancers All or Nothing
*Lawson introduced the players and the stage was set for an outstanding performance of pipes, dance and celebration. He told us, “To find identity, we need different perspectives (all welcoming Scotland) to find truth and embrace difference, so both sides are enhanced and everyone is enriched – an evolution.”  As well as classical and jazz musicians the orchestra featured renowned folk fiddlers  - Duncan Chisholm, Aidan O’Rourke, Chris Stout, Megan Henderson, Sarah Jane Summers, Charlie McKerron, Eilidh Shaw and Laura Wilkie

This concert was full of ‘joie de vivre’ and the drama of Scotland’s landscapes, from its tallest peaks to its rushing waters and in-between the cultural melting pots of her vibrant cities. Bennet’s music tells of youth, the ancient stone hilltop Bothys along with the rich cultural voices he inherited from his mother, folklorist Margaret Bennett.

Many tracks transcended time and place. The concert began with the sweeping Orcadian Strip the Willow. Then the concert was brought alive visually by aerial dancers All or Nothing who shimmied on hoops and ropes for Aye. There was powerhouse brass and Celtic whistles with Shputnik in Glenshiel. While others tracks had the ‘get up and groove’ to the pipes, such as on Ud the Doudouk.


Fiona Hunter haunting vocals were followed by the Glasgow chapel choir, who were eerily ethereal on Blackbird, when ancient voices met contemporary vibes. At this point stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill rode on his mountain bike around a track laid out around the arena, and then on the Skye mountain backdrop behind the stage.  (His ride of the Black Cuillin Ridge Skye, is sound tracked by Bennett’s Blackbird , 55m Views YouTube).


On the moving track Hallaig, Sorley Maclean’s poem was read by the actor David Hayman -
A wood going up beside the stream, Heartbreak of the tale.”
The crowd in the Hydro were all ages and danced and sang along to Bennett’s life-enhancing music. The set closed with the drama of the lone piper Finlay Macdonald for Waltz by Hector. 

Bennett challenged the norms – with whistles, brass, electronic beats and his chanter.

There were several web kent faces in the crowd  Well done to all the talented performers and to Bennett himself. This was the biggest audience I’ve seen at Celtic Connections and festival director Donald Shaw says he wants to focus on more larger scale productions.

Niteworks
**Skye outfit Niteworks played a blistering set of electronica meets  Gaelic voice to open the concert  - hypnotic. Ruairidh Graham, Allan MacDonald, Christopher Nicolson and Innes Strachan.

I’ve arrived at venues for sound checks when they are cold blue, empty – it’s a strange transformation. People gradually start to arrive – music is played as all changes to the vibrant joy and energy of reds and oranges. Those hilltops Bothys were like this too -  fires were lit, warm drinks were had and traditional songs were sung. It’s the all embracing warmth of the human connection and celebration. Why should we remember? Why does it matter? We live in glossy, shallow times. It’s important to look beyond – to seek truth.
What really matters in the end. On our journeys, over sea or land – to pause, to wonder, to seek renewals. To hope.. To seek shared human joy.  ‘Bothy Culture”

Seeking difference enhances perspective of who we are. ‘
Scotland does not want to silence ‘other’ voices but to embrace them – while we keep our rich heritage alive and well and so she sings for all. * I might have wished for more info on Martin Bennett himself with perhaps clips of him telling his colourful story in the interval before the GRIT performance.

(Scottish Independence is not about ‘identity’ – rather how we can embrace our past, have understanding and build a better Scotland for all.)


1.    "Aye?" (6:22)
2.    "Shputnik In Glenshiel" (5:50)
3.    "Hallaig" (8:19)
4.    "Ud The Doudouk" (5:44)
5.    "4 Notes" (5:55)
6.    "Joik" (3:26)
7.    "Yer Man From Athlone" (6:25)
8.    "Waltz For Hector" (9:20)
All or Nothing Aerial dance
Vocalist Innes Watson
Fiona Hunter vocals
Sorley Maclean’s poem, read by actor David Hayman

Sunday 31 May 2015

Folklorist Margaret Bennett


Her background is Glasgow, Irish and on her mothers side from Skye and the Stewarts. Her father was a piper.  
When she was young she was ill with polio and during that time heard stories from her grandfather. 

She went over to Newfoundland Canada with her father and discovered all these old Scottish traditions that had died out in Skye and in Scotland. She had trained as a primary teacher but now decided to become a folklorist and she has been teaching at the school of Scottish studies at Edinburgh university. There she worked with the Scottish poet Hamish Henderson who was always asking her to poetry readings.    

Her talented son Martyn Bennett went with her everywhere and heard as a child all these traditional singers and pipers. He had an excellent teacher at school and when he was doing his higher music students were allowed to play the Spanish guitar but NOT the Scottish pipes!  So he sat his higher music playing the pipes, one of the first to do so.

Martyn sadly died at the young age of 32. I was at the wonderful opening concert at Celtic Connections 2014 which was the first orchestration of Martyn's incredible Grit album - one of the best concerts I have been at. I wondered where he got all these references for his music as if he'd pluck them out of the air - now I know it was from his mother. She said in a recent radio interview that she tries to be thankful every day for the small gifts.  Things that rankle - let them go. 
Martyn Bennett was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music.


Friday 1 November 2013

Piper Finlay MacDonald and Shetland fiddler Chris Stout

Shetland Fiddler Chris Stout
Piper Finlay MacDonald


Piper Finlay MacDonald and Shetland fiddler Chris Stout played a blistering fun set at the opening concert for the 20th celebration night at Celtic Connections 2013 concert hall Glasgow. 

321 views

Saturday 19 January 2013

Celtic Connections 2013 20th Celebration concert, Concert Hall Glasgow

A stellar cast of Scottish folk artists took to the concert hall stage Thursday night for a 20th celebration concert of Celtic Connections. Some had taken part in the first ever Celtic Connections in 1994 - such as the talented singer Sheena Wellington and the New Rope string band. This was a quality line up with some of the best that Scotland has to offer as well as Irish singer Cara Dillon and American folk band Flook.

The concert was led by two accomplished musicians - piper Finlay MacDonald and fiddle player Chris Stout. Alongside Scottish pipers were some of the best from the present Scottish folk scene - including Eddi Reader, Michael McGoldrick, Phil Cunningham, John McCusker and Capercaille. 
We were treated to the traditional Burns song Westlin Winds tonight beautifully interpreted by Rod Paterson. Next was the singer Julie Fowlis who sang two Gaelic songs with her flowing and lovely voice. 
The folk band Flook had flown in from America and they joined Irish singer Cara Dillon on stage with her husband Sam Lakeman. Cara and her husband are a perfect musical partnership - Cara with her natural, quietly gentle yet strongly moving voice, while Sam accompanies with quality piano and guitar playing. She sang Avalanche and Parting Glass with Sam on piano. 

The New Rope string band provided a lighter set with some fun comedy routines as they sent notes flying in the air while beating themselves over the head!  Then folk singer Archie Fisher sang Song For A friend. 
Capercaille (Donald Shaw and Karen Matheson) finished the first half with a rousing set of Scottish tunes -  backed by the Scottish Power pipers.
For the second half we were treated to more fine playing from the pipers and fiddlers 
http://pkimage.co.uk/celticcelebrationconcert
Well loved Scottish singer Eddi Reader sang Willie Stewart and the song Mountainside. 

Accordionist Phil Cunningham was well received when he performed one of his own compositions with fiddle player, John McCusker. Also popular was Sheena Wellington, who sang a very personal version of Burn's best loved song My Love is Like a Red Red Rose.
For the second half of the concert Finlay MacDonald and Chris Stout were joined by a unique festival string ensemble led by Greg Lawson and along with the Scottish Power pipers they created a big wall of sound. After which all the singers took to the stage to sing Hermless.

The finale was what Donald Shaw, Festival Director, enjoys best – a traditional folk sessions of reels and jigs with all the folk musicians on stage and building to a full on flourish of energetic playing, enough to warm the coldest of hearts at this very cold time of year!      
This was a proud-to-be-Scottish night and an enriching concert to start the festival with!  It also gave a true taste of what the festival has to offer.