P/M Willie Ross (1879 – 1966)
Born on 14th June 1878 at Camsorie, Glen Strathfarrar, which is in the Parish of Kiltarlity, near Inverness. He joined the Scots Guards when he was 17 years old and he became P/M when he was only 24. He was in charge of the Army School of Piping at Edinburgh Castle between 1919/20 and 1959. He was a most prolific composer (probably the most prolific of his time), teacher (there is a story that Willie used to reward his young piping pupils with squares of chocolate) and player.
Willie and his older brother Alec, who was also a Pipe Major in the Scots Guards, had an interesting musical background. Their mother, Mary Collie (1854-1944), came from Loch Monar up the glen, now flooded as a reservoir, and was a niece of Aeneas Rose (1832-1905) who was piper to the Duke of Atholl. It was Aeneas, Mary Collie and Willie’s father Alexander Ross (1854-?) who taught Willie piping. There is a story of Mary playing her concertina all night when the pipers were too drunk to play for the dancing. Willie married Edith Mary McGregor and was devastated by her sudden death in 1942. They had a son who died aged about 7 (probably of cystic fibrosis) and a daughter Cecily who won Mod Medals for her piano playing.
Willie and his older brother Alec, who was also a Pipe Major in the Scots Guards, had an interesting musical background. Their mother, Mary Collie (1854-1944), came from Loch Monar up the glen, now flooded as a reservoir, and was a niece of Aeneas Rose (1832-1905) who was piper to the Duke of Atholl. It was Aeneas, Mary Collie and Willie’s father Alexander Ross (1854-?) who taught Willie piping. There is a story of Mary playing her concertina all night when the pipers were too drunk to play for the dancing. Willie married Edith Mary McGregor and was devastated by her sudden death in 1942. They had a son who died aged about 7 (probably of cystic fibrosis) and a daughter Cecily who won Mod Medals for her piano playing.
His skill in setting tunes could be better appreciated but his five volume Collection was a great achievement. He did not have an easy time as an employee of the Piobaireachd Society. Willie died at the Earl Haig Home, 23 Minto Street, Edinburgh on 23rd March 1966, aged 87 years.
Box and Fiddle
Year 21 No 05
February 1998
Composers Corner
P/M Willie Ross
by Bruce Campbell
The latter half of the 18th century saw the birth of many destined to become excellent pipers and indeed it seems an era in which great solo players were much more common place than today. Players of the calibre of George S. McLennan, Jimmy Center, George Allan, John MacDonald, Robert U. Brown and Bob Nicol were all a product of this time, yet one name rises above the rest and somehow manages to sparkle amongst an array of genuine stars – Willie Ross.
Born in Glenstrathfarrer in 1879, his father was Head Forrester to Lord Lovat, and it was in these surroundings that he spent his formative years. Willie Ross’s maternal Grand Uncle, Aneas Rose, was a first class piper and during his school holidays he traveled south to Blair Castle for instruction in the art of the Highland bagpipes. Throughout his long life Ross was regarded as something of a practical joker and story teller and one of his favourite ‘stories’ was how he was taught all of his piping by his mother. In fact he received nearly all of his formal instruction from Aneas Rose.
In 1896 he enlisted as a piper in the Scots Guards and on his departure from his native hills and glens composed that lovely, haunting slow air ‘Loch Morar’. Clearly already he had considerable piping talent and it didn’t take long before he became a formidable force on the piping contest circuit. He won the first of his major prizes, the Gold Medal for Piobaireachd at the Northern Meeting in 1904, and added Clasps to it in 1905, 1906, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1919, 1923 and 1928. The Gold Medal at Oban was added to his list of successes in 1907 and further successes in the Oban Open Piobaireachd came in 1907, 1912 and 1928. In all he won a total of 11 Former Winners, March, Strathspey and Reels at either Oban or Inverness to prove he was as versatile in Ceol Beag as he was in Ceol Mor.
The Scots Guards recognised his outstanding talent and in 1905 he was appointed Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion in succession to Henry Forsyth who later became piper to the Sovereign. Willie’s younger brother Alick also joined the Scots Guards and when he became the Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion in 1911 they created history as the only brothers ever to serve as Battalion Pipe Majors at the same time.
Unfortunately Army Pipers have always had their bit of soldiering to do as well and Pipe Major Ross saw considerable active service, firstly during the Boer War and latterly in France during World War 1. In 1918 he was invalided out of the Army with severe rheumatism that he had contracted in France.
After the cessation of hostilities the Piobaireachd Society was keen to appoint Pipe Major Ross as their permanent instructor in succession to John MacDonald. A stumbling block was the requirement of the instructor, who was also responsible for the Society’s Army Class, to be in some sort of military service. However, this was overcome when Lord Lovat appointed Ross as Pipe Major of the Lovat Scout’s and so began a period of 38 years during which time the Army Class became established as the Army School of Piping with its permanent home at Edinburgh Castle. During that time Willie Ross gave instruction to all of the best pipers in the British Army as well as the Commonwealth countries. Included amongst his best pupils are Gold Medalists Donald MacLeod, John MacLennan, Andrew Pitkeathly, Donald MacLean and, of course, his boy prodigy, John D. Burgess whom he taught from the age of seven. All of these men went on to become champion pipers in their own right and two of them, John MacLennan and Andrew Pitkeathly, became Directors of the Army School of Piping.
The five books of light music published by Patersons as the Pipe Major W. Ross Collection of Highland Bagpipe Music is considered to be the finest pipe collection ever printed. Many of Ross’s own excellent compositions are included and his settings of the classical style Marches, Strathspeys and Reels are considered by today’s leading players as standards. Of his own tunes ‘Leaving Port Askaig’, ‘Corriechoillie’, ‘Captain Norman Orr Ewing’, ‘Brigadier Ronald Cheape of Tororan’, ‘Centre’s Bonnet’ and ‘John Morrison of Assynt House’ are all well played by soloists and bands alike.
D. R. MacLennan once said of his playing, “he had good, crisp fingering, he could tickle the chanter”. This sums up the playing of a man who played at breakneck tempos, yet always cracked his notes and embellishments in with stunning accuracy. The old 78 rpm recordings of his playing are now collector’s pieces although a compilation tape was released some years ago by Piping tapes – the brainchild of a former pupil John MacLellan. Appropriately enough the cassette is simply called ‘The Legendary William Ross’.
In 1945 Pipe Major William Ross’s services to piping were recognised by his investiture as a member of the Order of the British Empire. In the years up to his death in 1966 he was known affectionately as Willie Ross, the Castle. A great man and a great figure in piping.
Box and Fiddle
Year 21 No 05
February 1998
Composers Corner
P/M Willie Ross
by Bruce Campbell
The latter half of the 18th century saw the birth of many destined to become excellent pipers and indeed it seems an era in which great solo players were much more common place than today. Players of the calibre of George S. McLennan, Jimmy Center, George Allan, John MacDonald, Robert U. Brown and Bob Nicol were all a product of this time, yet one name rises above the rest and somehow manages to sparkle amongst an array of genuine stars – Willie Ross.
Born in Glenstrathfarrer in 1879, his father was Head Forrester to Lord Lovat, and it was in these surroundings that he spent his formative years. Willie Ross’s maternal Grand Uncle, Aneas Rose, was a first class piper and during his school holidays he traveled south to Blair Castle for instruction in the art of the Highland bagpipes. Throughout his long life Ross was regarded as something of a practical joker and story teller and one of his favourite ‘stories’ was how he was taught all of his piping by his mother. In fact he received nearly all of his formal instruction from Aneas Rose.
In 1896 he enlisted as a piper in the Scots Guards and on his departure from his native hills and glens composed that lovely, haunting slow air ‘Loch Morar’. Clearly already he had considerable piping talent and it didn’t take long before he became a formidable force on the piping contest circuit. He won the first of his major prizes, the Gold Medal for Piobaireachd at the Northern Meeting in 1904, and added Clasps to it in 1905, 1906, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1919, 1923 and 1928. The Gold Medal at Oban was added to his list of successes in 1907 and further successes in the Oban Open Piobaireachd came in 1907, 1912 and 1928. In all he won a total of 11 Former Winners, March, Strathspey and Reels at either Oban or Inverness to prove he was as versatile in Ceol Beag as he was in Ceol Mor.
The Scots Guards recognised his outstanding talent and in 1905 he was appointed Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion in succession to Henry Forsyth who later became piper to the Sovereign. Willie’s younger brother Alick also joined the Scots Guards and when he became the Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion in 1911 they created history as the only brothers ever to serve as Battalion Pipe Majors at the same time.
Unfortunately Army Pipers have always had their bit of soldiering to do as well and Pipe Major Ross saw considerable active service, firstly during the Boer War and latterly in France during World War 1. In 1918 he was invalided out of the Army with severe rheumatism that he had contracted in France.
After the cessation of hostilities the Piobaireachd Society was keen to appoint Pipe Major Ross as their permanent instructor in succession to John MacDonald. A stumbling block was the requirement of the instructor, who was also responsible for the Society’s Army Class, to be in some sort of military service. However, this was overcome when Lord Lovat appointed Ross as Pipe Major of the Lovat Scout’s and so began a period of 38 years during which time the Army Class became established as the Army School of Piping with its permanent home at Edinburgh Castle. During that time Willie Ross gave instruction to all of the best pipers in the British Army as well as the Commonwealth countries. Included amongst his best pupils are Gold Medalists Donald MacLeod, John MacLennan, Andrew Pitkeathly, Donald MacLean and, of course, his boy prodigy, John D. Burgess whom he taught from the age of seven. All of these men went on to become champion pipers in their own right and two of them, John MacLennan and Andrew Pitkeathly, became Directors of the Army School of Piping.
The five books of light music published by Patersons as the Pipe Major W. Ross Collection of Highland Bagpipe Music is considered to be the finest pipe collection ever printed. Many of Ross’s own excellent compositions are included and his settings of the classical style Marches, Strathspeys and Reels are considered by today’s leading players as standards. Of his own tunes ‘Leaving Port Askaig’, ‘Corriechoillie’, ‘Captain Norman Orr Ewing’, ‘Brigadier Ronald Cheape of Tororan’, ‘Centre’s Bonnet’ and ‘John Morrison of Assynt House’ are all well played by soloists and bands alike.
D. R. MacLennan once said of his playing, “he had good, crisp fingering, he could tickle the chanter”. This sums up the playing of a man who played at breakneck tempos, yet always cracked his notes and embellishments in with stunning accuracy. The old 78 rpm recordings of his playing are now collector’s pieces although a compilation tape was released some years ago by Piping tapes – the brainchild of a former pupil John MacLellan. Appropriately enough the cassette is simply called ‘The Legendary William Ross’.
In 1945 Pipe Major William Ross’s services to piping were recognised by his investiture as a member of the Order of the British Empire. In the years up to his death in 1966 he was known affectionately as Willie Ross, the Castle. A great man and a great figure in piping.