Letters Archie’s MissingTunes Sir, In my quest to note all of the
compositions of Archie MacNeill, the blind piper, two have eluded me:The Canadians Return and Leaving Monotick. It could be the case that there exists elsewhere, a tune called Johnny Black’s Black Reed. If any reader knows of these three tunes I’d be delighted to hear from them. Archie’s tunes that I have so far are: David Ross of Rosehall,The Detroit Highlanders, Donald MacLean’s Fare- well to Oban,The Gareloch, Duncan Angus MacPherson, The Islay Ball, James MacMillan of Victoria, British Columbia, Karnak Temple Shriners (Toronto), Leaving Gigha, Neil Suth- erland of Lairg, Rory MacNeill,Verna Leith’sWedding March. There is, out of interest, an arrangement with seconds forThe Battle of the Somme. Hector Russell, via email.
Reid Recordings Sir, I emailed the College some time
ago regarding some archived recordings. I was interested in some recordings of players from the Cameron school. I was interested in Robert Reid recordings the College is rumoured to have. As you may or may not know,Willie Connell used to work the old Grundig recording machine while Reid played a piobaireachd.Willie told me that he
• We do indeed have many of the recordings of Robert Reid and we have
made at least one hundred recordings of Reid playing. Upon Reid’s death the recordings went to his son Robbie.Willie tried for many years to get a copy of the collection. I heard that upon Robbie’s death the record- ings went to Reid’s daughter who then donated them to the College. I know they were made as Andrew MacNeill mentions the recordings he borrowed in his talk about Robert Reid given at the Piobaireachd Society Annual Conference. He was supposed to talk to Robbie to obtain a copy of the collection for my teacher Jim Barrie. Andrew passed away before he got the chance to. I believe the recordings of Reid should be preserved before the old reel to reels deteriorate to a point where nothing is salvageable.Any help in the matter will assist in my piobaireachd studies tremendously. Ross McMahon, via email.
produced one CD from them. I understand the Piobaireachd Society may also have some recordings of P/M Reid in the Members’ Section of their website in due course, subject to permission. When this happens you will be able to access them for a small annual membership fee.There are issues of the PT which contain much information on Reid and if you wish we could look these out for you.The CD is available from the CoP Shop and might be a good start point for your studies . . . Ed.
GLAMIS CASTLE, ANGUS – Sunday 10th June Draw 10.30, entries by 10.15