On Saturday 28th June the band headed to Grant Park, Forres, in the north of Scotland where they scooped 2nd place overall at the 2014 European Pipe Band Championships.
Returning to this great venue for a second year confirmed it to be one of the best organised around, so credit to all the organisers and volunteers for all the hard work and effort they put in to achieve this, the bands really do appreciate it!
It was the Medley discipline at Forres for the Grade 1 contest and the band was delighted to ‘air’ its new No. 1 set. The tunes were as follows: Neil (Tetris) Johnston, The Shaggy Grey Buck, Flame of Wrath for Patrick Coagach, Struan Robertson, Ant-Seann Cailleach, Kennedy’s Favourite and Reprise of Flame of Wrath.
The band won the ensemble section and was only one point away from winning overall. This has given a huge confidence and morale boost to all the players as the season progresses. You can listen to the performance again courtesy of Dronechorus, so thank you again to him.
This new selection of tunes has caused great discussion and debate and the band have received loads of positive feedback and comments from their peers, spectators and adjudicators alike, some of which can be seen below:
Why 2014 Is a Great Year For Medleys
This year the Big Music is back, but the Power are taking it to a whole new level. Not only is Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick used as a slow air, but the band return to the tune at the medley’s climax using later variations (including crunluath-a-machs) as counterpoint – a fantastically cool effect I’ve never heard attempted by anyone else. Flame of Wrath is far from being a beautiful tune like Lament for Mary MacLeod, but its aggressive tone works for the effect the band are trying to pull off. After the arresting counterpoint in the reprise, some might feel ending the medley by playing the ground one last time sounds a little anticlimactic, but hey – that’s exactly what piobaireachd does, and it’s only right that the band stick to the principles of the music they’re presenting.
Views from the Circle 2014
Pictured below - Pipe Major Chris Armstrong collecting the bands overall Runners up trophy and Drum Major Billy Jordan receiving his prize for finishing 4th in the Adult Drum Majors final.
Congratulations for course to the winners, Inveraray & District who won their first ever major championship, a great achievement so well done again to all involved!
The full Grade 1 result was as follows:
1st Inveraray & District – Scotland
2nd ScottishPower – Scotland
3rd St Laurence O’ Toole – Eire
4th Field Marshal Montgomery – Northern Ireland
5th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia – Scotland
6th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia – Scotland
Best Drums – St Laurence O’ Toole