Box and Fiddle
Year 18 No 07
April 1995
Price 70p
16 pages
7 month subscription £8.00
Editor – Ron Ramsay, 48 Hospitalfield Road, Arbroath, Angus, DD11 2LS
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Margaret Smith, Smeaton Farm Cottage, Dalkeith, Midlothian, EH22 2NL
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Well, here we are at the last issue of the 19th year of the B&F and my first year as Editor.
I remember when I was approached by Doug and the other members of the Committee to take on the job as Editor and after some persuasion I finally succumbed, but in all fairness, Doug did point out that it was a fairly demanding job, and he was not kidding as I found out, but I must say that I have enjoyed the challenge, sometimes though, about the 15th of the month, I start to wonder, ‘will I have a paper’, ‘do I have enough material’, ‘will I get it out on time’ but up until now, you, the readers and advertisers have come to my rescue, and there’s nothing more uplifting when you come home from work and find a pile of correspondence. (Okay there are some other things far better but it sounds good!)
I take this opportunity of thanking my wife, June, for assistance, Margaret Smith for the smooth administration and Committee members for support, but most of all I thank the Club scribes who send in the reports, photos, etc., and all the advertisers for their support, and all who have contributed to the paper. It is very much appreciated.
Although the price of newsprint has increased I have decided that the price of the B&F should remain at 70p and the advert rates, status quo.
Remember to keep the reports, news and photos rolling in for the September issue.
Ron Ramsay
Musselburgh Festival 1995
by Neil Copland
Saturday, 4th March, 1995 and all roads led to Edinburgh – but not all for a certain bi-annual rugby match. Some people were heading for the 21st Annual Accordion and Fiddle Championships organised by the N.A.A.F.C. in the Brunton Halls, Musselburgh.
A number of hiccups threatened to derail this year’s event e.g. that rugby match causing accommodation problems for competitors and visitors, and the bad weather later in the day which looked at one point as if it could result in the evening concert and dance resembling something like the ‘Marie Celeste’! As far as the competitors and adjudicators were concerned however, the biggest problem was the lack of heating in the complex which was due to an overnight heating breakdown the previous evening. This undoubtedly had an effect on some competitors’ performances (certainly early in the day) but all were at the same disadvantage in this respect and there was nothing that the Festival Committee could do to resolve the problem any quicker than the Brunton Hall staff were doing.
Enough of the moans! – what were the highlights of the 1995 Festival?
Although entries were generally down this year (and this was most noticeable in the Trio and Band sections) some sections did record an increase over 1994 entries. The standard of playing, however, certainly could not be described as down, and all of the adjudicators commented on the tremendously high standard of playing from all competitors throughout the day.
As a result of rescheduling of halls and the timing of some sections it was possible to restore, for the first time in many years, an instrument park and practice room. This move was very well received by competitors. Another move this year was the use of the Brunton Hall Box Office for all concert and dance ticketing arrangements. This resulted in less congestion at the Festival Office, and hopefully a more efficient service was thus provided.
Ken Mutch and the BBC team were once again present to record the evening concert and interview some of the day’s ‘celebrities’ and their present was gratefully welcomed by the Committee. From a personal point of view, the highlights of the concert were the play-off for the Senior Accordion (Pipe Music) Championship, where the standard of playing was even better than it had been earlier in the day, even allowing for the increased pressure on the players, and the two youngsters from Ayr, Brian and Craig MacDonald, who in the words of compere Andrew Nairn were “9 and 10 years old and had won a barrowload of trophies during the day.” Andrew was very politely but firmly advised that they were “8 and 9 years old and had won 3 cups and 6 shields”. Mum has even been told to put all the best china into the ‘wheelie-bin’!!
Following the highly entertaining concert, Gordon Shand and his Band took centre stage for the ‘Grand Dance’ – and that is exactly what it was. A superb sound and with the floor full for every dance, it looked as though the Committee had yet again ‘got it right’ in their choice of band.
In concluding, I would like to thank all of the Festival Committee, the many helpers, adjudicators, teachers, parents, Festival supporters and most importantly, the competitors for their support in thus again proving the Musselburgh Festival is the ‘Friendly Festival’. Without them there would be no Festival. It was nice to arrive home shattered but satisfied that yet again, a successful and enjoyable day hah been had by all who attended.
1995 Prize List
Junior Accordion
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo – Pentland Cup
1) Brian MacDonald
2) Gemma Paterson
3) Craig MacDonald
12 and Under 16 Traditional Solo – Jim Johnstone Cup
1) Gordon Fraser
2) Robin Hamilton
3) Fraser Burke
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music – Bill Black Cup
1) Gordon Fraser
2) Alexander Lindsay
3=) Claire Morrison & Janette Morrison
Junior Traditional Duet – Angus Howie Cups
1) Laura McGhee & Stephanie Brough
2) William Paterson & Gordon Shaw
3) Brian & Craig MacDonald
Overall Junior Accordion Champion – Alex Little Memorial Trophy
Senior Accordion
Senior Traditional Accordion Solo – Clinkscale Cup
1) Pauline Bradley
2) Alasdair MacCuish
3) Iain Anderson
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo – Bill Powrie Memorial Cup
1) Iain Anderson
2) John Burns
3) Colin Brown & Scott Gordon
Senior Overall Accordion Champion - The Bobby MacLeod Trophy
Iain Anderson
Open Buttonkey Accordion Solo – Windygates Trophy
1) Alexander Lindsay
2) Ian Greig
3) Norman McKay
Trios – Jimmy Blue Trophy
1) Muriel Johnstone
2) Wendy Godfrey
Bands – Overall Winner - Iain MacPhail Cup
Mhairi Coutts
Band – Rhythm Section - Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy
Wendy Godfrey
Own Composition – Willie Wilson Cup
1) Alex Morrison
2) Donald MacLeod
3) Bob Edwards
Under 12 Classical Solo – Kelso Cup
1) Ritchie Craig
2) Craig MacDonald
3) Brian MacDonald
Under 14 Classical Solo – Aberdeen Cup
1) Jill Blackburn
2) Jill Craig
3) Fraser Burke
Under 16 Classical Solo – Dundee shield
1) William Paterson
2)
3)
Open Classical Solo – Clinkscale Shield
1) Ross Lowthian
2) Ian Shepherd
3)
Under 13 Classical Duet – Beith and District A&F Club Cups (Willie Wilson Memorial Trophies)
1) Craig & Brian MacDonald (Ayr)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Duet - Alex MacArthur Cups
1) Vicki & Jill Craig
2) Jill Blackburn & David Nisbet
3) Jane Waddell & Claire Rennie
Open Classical Duet – Dunfermline Cup
1) Kirsty MacDonald & Brian Aitchison
2) Janet Steele & Mark King
3) Sarah Armstrong & Kirsty MacLean
Classical Polka
Under 10 Classical Polka Solo – The Todhills Trophy
1) Brian MacDonald
2) Craig MacDonald
Under 14 Classical Polka Solo – Newtongrange Shield
1) Jill Blackburn
2) David Nisbet
3) Fraser Burke
Open Classical Polka Solo – Tign-Na-Gorm Cup
1) Elizabeth Flanagan
2) Sarah Armstrong
3) Ross Lowthian
Fiddle Sections
Under 12 Fiddle Solo – NAAFC Musselburgh Festival Trophy
1)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – MSR – Strathspey and Reel Association Cup
1) Laura McGhee
2) Jane McLeod
3) Natalie Wood
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Dougie Welsh Cup
1) Laura McGhee
2) Susan Gowans
3) Jane McLeod
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR – St. Boswell Cup
1) Susan McIntosh
2) Mhairi Skinner
3) Annabel Gillan
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Ron Gonella Cup
1) Mhairi Skinner
2) Susan McIntosh
3) Dick Rutter
Overall Fiddle Champion - The Angus Fitchet Trophy
= Susan McIntosh / Mhairi Skinner
Open Fiddle Groups – Lesmahagow Quaich
Tayside Youth Players
Youngest Girl Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Gemma Paterson
Youngest Boy Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Brian MacDonald
A Tribute to Iain McLachlan - Obituary
by Peter Shepheard
With the death of Iain McLachlan, at the age of 67, at his home in Creagorry, Benbecula, Scottish traditional music has lost one of its finest exponents. Known particularly for his masterly touch on the three-row Shand Morino button accordion, Iain also played pipes, fiddles and melodeon and had an extensive knowledge of traditional music. For over 40 years he had travelled by car, road and ferry, to play the accordion at ceilidhs and dances throughout the Highlands and Islands.
In the words of his great friend, fellow button box player and ceilidh band leader, Fergie MacDonald of Acharacle, “I’ve lost a truly great friend but Iain was also the greatest three-row button box player in the Highlands and Islands and I doubt if we will ever see his likes again”.
Iain never traveled much outside the Highlands but he achieved worldwide fame as composer of the beautiful melody ‘The Dark Island’. Originally written in 1958 as a pipe lament for a local doctor under the title “Dr Mackay’s Farewell to Creagorry’, the tune achieved widespread popularity after it was used three years later by the BBC as the theme music for the TV series, ‘The Dark Island’, filmed on Uist in 1963. Words were added by writer and producer, David Silver, and since then the tune has been recorded by more than a hundred different artistes and bands worldwide. No-one played the tune better than Iain himself, first as a pipe lament and then in waltz time.
Iain was brought up with the Gaelic language, song and Highland music and started playing fiddle and melodeon at the age of six. He picked up all his music by ear and like many of the older generation of traditional musicians he never learned to read or write music. There lay his strength, for Iain’s music was always ‘from the heart’ and in his memory he had an enormous wealth of tradition. He had several different versions of many of the old tunes and, when introducing a tune, he would often introduce the music as ‘an old melodeon reel’ or ‘a pipe setting’ or ‘a Skye setting’ of such and such a reel. His father played melodeon for local dances and Iain learned melodeon from him and, while still a boy, Iain used to sit at the knee of local retired fiddle teacher and dancing master, Donald MacPhee (on Nunton, Benbecula). One of the few Hebridean fiddlers of that era, and from him he learned many old fiddle tunes and the old style of playing them.
I first remember hearing Iain in a broadcast recording made by Fred Macaulay for the Gaelic Department of the BBC. This was of the great pipe tune ‘The Marchioness of Tullibardine’ played by Iain on accordion in duet with piper Roddie Macaulay of the Creagorry Hotel, playing chanter. It was such a remarkable sound I resolved there and then to try to bring Iain McLachlan to the Kinross Festival at which at that time I was involved in organizing. Highland fiddler, Aonghas Grant, remembers Iain at Kinross, “I recall a wonderful music session with Iain at one of the famous Kinross Festivals (in 1976) where he played about a dozen pipe marches off the cuff with the unbroken link-up that comes from playing at a thousand dances”.
Iain’s death is a sad loss to his family and friends, his wife, Mary Anne, four sons and two daughters and a great loss to the world of traditional music. All who have met and heard Iain over the years will have their own memories to cherish of a wonderful musician, a friend and a gentleman. My most recent memories are of some marvelous music sessions when he was a guest last year at the Auchtermuchty Festival – playing most of the day in a small bar in the Forrest Hills Hotel and later at a glorious session through the night into the small hours when he was knocking out some great reels and pipe tunes on the single row melodeon. His great music will live on through his recordings and in the repertoire of the many younger musicians influenced by him.
The ‘Welcome home’ Party Which has Lasted Over 40 Years
In 1945 Ernie Douglas returned to Angus after leaving the Army and his friends held an impromptu ceilidh to celebrate.
When last heard of some years ago Ernie was working as a bus driver in Falkirk. He may be long gone but the ceilidh hasn’t, it is still going on and on……..
Every Tuesday since that night just after the war, musicians from Angus and further afield have gathered in the lounge of the Colliston Inn and played whatever tunes take their fancy.
In the 44 years that have elapsed all but one of the original ‘band’ have gone. Fittingly, Dave Smart of Arbroath, is the remaining link with the past.
It was Dave on learning of his friends imminent return who decided on the idea of Ernie’s homecoming party.
“We had a good night and it just continued the next week and it has carried on ever since.”
Since those early days, word has spread and musicians from most parts of the North-East have made an appearance at one time or another. This constant turnover of musicians has kept the music fresh, although some old favourites never fade.
Legend has it that an Italian world champion fiddler used to join in during visits to Scotland.
While not denying what could have been, Dave Smart admitted not being able to remember the gentleman turning up and, in all fairness, not many Italian fiddlers are found in Colliston on a Tuesday night!!
One of the better known people who have definitely taken part is the former eye specialist Sandy Tulloch, who still attends around once a month to play the accordion. Other regulars include a few who can date their attendance back to the 1950s or 1960s and a fair number of youngsters who look like carrying on the tradition into the next century.
Whoever has turned up, one thing has always been a certainty, the music has been enjoyable and of quality.
The present owners of the Colliston Inn report that the tradition is still going strong. It’s not just the musicians who turn up, the curious, very often tourists, can be found enjoying the entertainment.
Perhaps the success of Tuesday nights at the Colliston can be put down to the simple phrase uttered by Dave Smart – “Anybody’s Welcome.”
The Hawthorne Broadcasting Band
by Ron Ramsay
The Hawthorne Band was formed in 1945, by James and Andy Tosh from Blairgowrie. Their first dance was at Clunie by Blairgowrie, on VJ night.
Nobody knew when VJ night would come so there was no advertising, but when it was announced over the radio everyone was in great spirits. Jim Tosh remembers that everybody was in great spirits and after some bother over transport, as petrol was very scarce, he managed to hire a lorry to get there along with a load of dancers. The dancing continued until four in the morning and was the first of many dances at Clunie.
The band first broadcast in 1948 with three accordionists, two fiddles, piano and drums. Dances at the time were mostly set dances or ‘Heavies’ as they were better known. An occasional waltz was thrown in for a breather. The band at that time consisted of Jim Tosh (button key accordion), Andy Tosh (piano key accordion), Jimmy Howe (fiddle), Sheena Smart (Piano) and Tommy McDonald (drums). They played at dances in the Orkneys, Shetlands and on the West Coast of Scotland and occasionally the Midlands for the Scottish and Irish clubs there.
Jim Tosh was quoted as saying that there are really only two kinds of music he really likes, Scottish and Irish, and relates part of a speech given by the Provost of Cork at a Civic Reception for the band.
“The Scots and Irish have much in common. The Scots play the pipes. The Irish play the pipes. The Scots wear the kilt. The Irish wear the kilt. The Scots like their Scotch. The Irish like their Irish.”
The ‘Hawthorn’ celebrated their 25th Anniversary at the Muirton House Hotel, Blairgowrie, with around 250 friends at a dance to the music of Bill Wilkie’s Band from Perth.
Jim and Andy Tosh, Jim Howe on fiddle, Tommy McDonald on drums and Phyllis Harvey was the line-up of the ‘Hawthorn’.
Not long after the band was formed, they had an engagement in Ballater and on arriving at Ballater Station in two near vintage bangers, were amazed to find a large cheering crowd at the square. Jim and the members of the band acknowledged the waves and cheers nonchalantly and thought that they had made it to the top with this new found fame, but alas it was short-lived when the local police stepped in to move them on – to allow access for the Royal limousines carrying the King and Queen, who were returning south after a holiday on Deeside. “Oh well it was fine while it lasted.”
In the mid 1950s, an Alyth garage proprietor provided the band with a chauffeur driven Rolls royca for £15 a week. A far cry from their vintage bangers.
Another incident relating to the vintage bangers was when all the band gear had to be stacked and tied on to the roof, and as they were making their way to an engagement, one of Tommy’s drums fell off and was bouncing along the road at the end of a 30 foot rope. Jim remembers that his first fees were 10/- for playing from 8.30 p.m. until, about 4 a.m. and even in the late 50s the fee was only about £2.
The band applied for a BBC audition in 1947. Broadcast Scottish Country Dance Music was just coming into its own, pioneered by Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron and Willie Hannah bands. As a result of the audition, the Hawthorn joined the elite company, despite an administrative blunder which sent them to the Edinburgh studios instead of Glasgow.
The place was packed with musicians and eventually when their turn came they had no sooner begun to play when the technicians behind the control panel started waving and shouting. Jim thought “surely we’re not all that bad”, but it turned out they had been put in with modern bands. Fortunately the auditioning panel recognised their potential and eventually the Hawthorn was put on the list of broadcasting bands and over the next 20 years did hundreds of broadcasts. The band has also toured with singer Bridie Gallacher in Ireland.
During the 70s and 80s, changes occurred in the Scottish Dance Music scene and with the advent of ‘Rock and Roll’ and beat music, forced them to become the Hawthorn Showband, complete with guitars and electronic organ. They made numerous records (78s) and EPs which are now collectors items.
Only two of the original members are still playing. Tom McDonald on drums (with Ken Stewart on accordion in the ‘Ken Stewart Duo’) and Jimmy Fairweather who has his own band.
Your Letters
The Making of the First Scottish Fiddle Music Index
Most people involved or interested in traditional Scottish music would probably agree that the two most vexed questions are :
1) What is the name of that tune that is running around in my head and many go away at any second?
2) When I get the name at last, where do I find the music?
These questions are answered in the Scottish Fiddle Music Index. It is the first-ever systematic listing of the contents of the 18th and 19th century printed music collections.
For about 40 years I carried these questions around and spent quite a proportion of that time wondering why there was no efficient way of finding the answers. About 5 years ago, it struck me that, if someone were to make a card index of tune titles with a cross-reference to the printed source, it would answer the second question at least. Someone had – the National Library of Scotland had a listing of tunes from the old printed collections, but it was not complete.
At about this juncture, I was given an introduction to Morag Ann Elder, of Dundee, a music graduate of Aberdeen University, who had gone about 40% of the way to answering both questions. We agreed almost at once that there would be a purpose in continuing her work beyond its original limits and to ‘round out’ the listings of tunes where – it can be reasoned – there is a natural pause, namely, with the end of James Scott Skinner’s long composing and publishing career. His ‘Cairngorm’ series of 1922 is the last collection to be fully integrated in the Index. We also agreed that the indexing should be computerized, so there had to follow a massive transfer and development process, taking up several years in fact. In this, we were greatly supported by the Scottish Music Information Centre in Glasgow and by the computer skills of Lynn Morrison in particular.
The first results of five years or so of unrelenting work (aided and indeed made possible by the help of kind friends and a generous Glenfiddich ‘Living Scotland’ Award) is an Index of 15,000 tune titles. There has never been anything approaching that degree of completeness before. Because some were re-published in the 19th century and are deliberately duplicated (for various practical reasons) the net total of separate tunes is probably about 12,000. There are at present only two or three thousand tunes from the old tradition either in print or readily accessible; the rest have been perceived in what are now among the rarest and in some cases the oldest printed music books to be found anywhere. These are in the care of some half dozen great libraries and they were the source books for the Index. It can fairly be claimed that there are some pretty amazing musical discoveries yet to be made.
Morag Elder’s index employed the conventional ‘pigeonhole’ method of referencing the tune title, key, time and source, but the computerization of her theme code referencing system has introduced an entirely new dimension. This system was based on the work of an Irish traditional music expert, the late Breandan Breathnach, which he called ‘Numerical Representation’ and which he used to create a card index of the Irish fiddle repertoire. Using a computer database for this purpose (which was not possible in Breathnach’s time) has given the index much wider referencing capabilities. What it does in the simplest terms is to give each tune an individual code (based on the opening beats of the melody; just sufficient of it to form a recognizable ‘sample’). This can then be compared with any tune which is akin to it in ‘shape’. Related tune titles (for example, tunes which are the same but have a range of titles) can be picked up in the A-Z mode. In fact, when the database itself is put into use, any of the ‘pigeonholes’ (titles, keys, tempos, sources or themes) can be grouped and extracted for further research. Thus it is possible, for example, to select a complete alphabetical listing of any collection; or extract a list of tunes relating to one region, name or subject.
The Scottish Fiddle Music Index is now in print (Autumn 1994), in hardback, listed at £49. It is a complete reference work of over 500 pages, comprising the Tune-Titles Index, A – Z listed, the Bibliography (giving the Collection, together with a number of title page illustrations; volume and page and at least on library source to find it in); the complete Theme Code Index (15,000 entries, arranged for ‘tune-finding’); and appended lists of related or marginal collections. Copies of the Index may be obtained from The Amaising Publishing house, Musselburgh.
Following on from this it is planned to make the database available to researchers on CD, to be updates as work on the Index continues and expands. But that is somewhat in the future. The vocal collections (both of central Scotland and of the Highlands and Islands), the music of Shetland and Orkney, the music of the contemporary folk tradition all need similar treatment. 1994 could be designated the 200th Anniversary of when the first Index of Traditional Music might usefully have been published (a large proportion of the best of it had been composed by 1794). It’s never too early to start planning!
Charlie Gore
Book Review
11th Collection of Scottish Dance Music – Compiled by Iain Peterson
The Dalriada collection – Published by Deeay Music, Forfar
Popular Ceilidh Dances – by Deirdre Adamson
Take the Floor
8th Apr 1995 – George Stirrat SDB
15th Apr 1995 – Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw SDB
22nd Apr 1995 – Jim Lindsay SDB
29th Apr 1995 – OB from Gateshead with Robert Whitehead & the Danelaw Band
6th May 1995 – James Coutts SDB
13th May 1995 – Lindsay Weir SDB
20th May 1995 – Lothian SDB
27th May 1995 – Ian Thomson SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) – 25th Apr 95 – Forfar A&F Club
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 2nd Apr 95 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 6th Apr 95 – Gordon Shand SDB
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) – 2nd Apr 95 – Ryan McGlynn SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 24th Apr 95 – Garioch Blend
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Alastair Salter & Susan McIntosh
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) – 17th Apr 95 – Dochie McCallum SDB
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 9th Apr 95 – Scott Gordon Trio
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 11th Apr 95 – Banchory S&R Society
Brigmill (Guardbridge Sports & Social Club)
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Carlisle (Border Regiment Club, Carlisle Castle) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Ian Muir Trio
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 20th Apr 95 – Roberto Enzo
Crieff & District (Arduthie Hotel)
Dalriada (Argyll Arms Hotel, Lochgilphead)
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – West Telferton SDB
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 18th April 95 – Willie Simpson Trio
Dundee (Park Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Iain Cathcart SDB
Dunfermline (Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (Sweepers, Cambuslang) – 27th Apr 95 – Jim & Jean McConnachie & Friends
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Gordon Pattullo
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 25th Apr 95 – Willie Simpson Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 30th Apr 95 – Colin Dewar SDB
Forres (Brig Motel) – 12th Apr 95 – Neil Dawson Trio
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 5th Apr 95 – Mhairi Coutts SDB
Gretna (Halcrow Stadium) -
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 17th Apr 95 – Garioch Blend
Inveraray (Loch Fyne Hotel) - 4th Apr 95 – Gordon shand SDB
Islay (White Hart Hotel) -
Isle of Skye -
Islesteps (Waterhole, Lochfoot) – 4th Apr 95 - tbc
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Donal Ring Ceili Band
26th Apr 95 – Gordon Clark SDB
Kinlochshiel (Islander Function Room) -
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – Jennifer Forrest SDB
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 13th Apr 95 – Kathryn Nicoll SDB
Livingston (Deans Community Centre) 18th Apr 95 – Donal Ring Ceilie Band
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) - 25th Apr 95 – Seamus O’Sullivan
Mauchline (Sorn Village Hall) 18th Apr 95 – Raymond Carse
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – Steven Carcary Duo
Muirhead (Belmont Arms, Meigle) - 19th Apr 95 – Club Night
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Oban (Caledonian Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Dochie McCallum & Friends
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Peebles (Green Tree Hotel) – 27th Apr 95 – David Vernon
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Premier NI (Camlin Function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 11th Apr 95 – Colin Dewar Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head) - 6th Apr 95 – Wayne Robertson
Shetland (venue?) -
Stirling (Terraces Hotel) - 9th Apr 95 – Ian Powrie & Paul Clancy
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Tranent (East Lothian Labour Club)
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Lynne Elrick (Accordion)
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Paul Anderson
Yarrow (Gordon Arms) - 19th Apr 95 – Karen Higgins SDB
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Arbroath
2. Armadale
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Beith
7. Biggar
8. Blairgowrie
9. Carlisle
10. Castle Douglas
11. Coalburn
12. Dingwall
13. Dunblane
14. Dundee
15. East Kilbride
16. Fintry
17. Forfar
18. Forres
19. Glendale
20. Gretna
21. Highland
22. Islesteps
23. Kinlochshiel
24. Kintore
25. Kelso
26. Lesmahagow
27. Livingston
28. Lockerbie
29. Montrose
30. Muirhead
31. Newtongrange
32. North East
33. Oban
34. Peebles
35. Renfrew
36. Rothbury
37. Shetland
38. Turriff
39. Yarrow
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1994 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976 – present)
3. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
4. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed
5. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
14. Button Key A&F Club (
15. Campbeltown A&F Club (
16. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
17. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
18. Coalburn A&F Club (
19. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
20. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
21. Derwentside A&F Club
22. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
23. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
24. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? -
25. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
26. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
27. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
28. Ellon A&F Club (
29. Etterick & Yarrow (Jan 1989 -
30. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
31. Forfar A&F Club (
32. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
33. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Grena when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
41. Inveraray A&F Club (Oct 1991 - present)
42. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
48. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
49. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
50. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
51. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
52. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986? - present)
53. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
54. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
55. Mull A&F Club
56. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
57. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
58. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
59. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
60. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
61. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
62. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
63. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
64. Renfrew A&F Club (
65. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
66. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
67. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 - )
68. Sutherland A&F Club (
69. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
70. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
71. Tranent A&F Club
72. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
73. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
74. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
75. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
76. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
77. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
78. Buchan A&F Club
79. Callander A&F Club (
80. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
81. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
82. Club Accord
83. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
84. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
85. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
86. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
87. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
88. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
89. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
90. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
91. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
92. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
93. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
94. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
95. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
96. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
97. Newcastleton Accordion Club
98. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
99. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
100. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
101. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
102. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
103. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
104. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
105. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £94
Half Page - £47
Quarter Page - £24
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Margaret Smith, Smeaton Farm Cottage, Dalkeith, Midlothian, EH22 2NL
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Well, here we are at the last issue of the 19th year of the B&F and my first year as Editor.
I remember when I was approached by Doug and the other members of the Committee to take on the job as Editor and after some persuasion I finally succumbed, but in all fairness, Doug did point out that it was a fairly demanding job, and he was not kidding as I found out, but I must say that I have enjoyed the challenge, sometimes though, about the 15th of the month, I start to wonder, ‘will I have a paper’, ‘do I have enough material’, ‘will I get it out on time’ but up until now, you, the readers and advertisers have come to my rescue, and there’s nothing more uplifting when you come home from work and find a pile of correspondence. (Okay there are some other things far better but it sounds good!)
I take this opportunity of thanking my wife, June, for assistance, Margaret Smith for the smooth administration and Committee members for support, but most of all I thank the Club scribes who send in the reports, photos, etc., and all the advertisers for their support, and all who have contributed to the paper. It is very much appreciated.
Although the price of newsprint has increased I have decided that the price of the B&F should remain at 70p and the advert rates, status quo.
Remember to keep the reports, news and photos rolling in for the September issue.
Ron Ramsay
Musselburgh Festival 1995
by Neil Copland
Saturday, 4th March, 1995 and all roads led to Edinburgh – but not all for a certain bi-annual rugby match. Some people were heading for the 21st Annual Accordion and Fiddle Championships organised by the N.A.A.F.C. in the Brunton Halls, Musselburgh.
A number of hiccups threatened to derail this year’s event e.g. that rugby match causing accommodation problems for competitors and visitors, and the bad weather later in the day which looked at one point as if it could result in the evening concert and dance resembling something like the ‘Marie Celeste’! As far as the competitors and adjudicators were concerned however, the biggest problem was the lack of heating in the complex which was due to an overnight heating breakdown the previous evening. This undoubtedly had an effect on some competitors’ performances (certainly early in the day) but all were at the same disadvantage in this respect and there was nothing that the Festival Committee could do to resolve the problem any quicker than the Brunton Hall staff were doing.
Enough of the moans! – what were the highlights of the 1995 Festival?
Although entries were generally down this year (and this was most noticeable in the Trio and Band sections) some sections did record an increase over 1994 entries. The standard of playing, however, certainly could not be described as down, and all of the adjudicators commented on the tremendously high standard of playing from all competitors throughout the day.
As a result of rescheduling of halls and the timing of some sections it was possible to restore, for the first time in many years, an instrument park and practice room. This move was very well received by competitors. Another move this year was the use of the Brunton Hall Box Office for all concert and dance ticketing arrangements. This resulted in less congestion at the Festival Office, and hopefully a more efficient service was thus provided.
Ken Mutch and the BBC team were once again present to record the evening concert and interview some of the day’s ‘celebrities’ and their present was gratefully welcomed by the Committee. From a personal point of view, the highlights of the concert were the play-off for the Senior Accordion (Pipe Music) Championship, where the standard of playing was even better than it had been earlier in the day, even allowing for the increased pressure on the players, and the two youngsters from Ayr, Brian and Craig MacDonald, who in the words of compere Andrew Nairn were “9 and 10 years old and had won a barrowload of trophies during the day.” Andrew was very politely but firmly advised that they were “8 and 9 years old and had won 3 cups and 6 shields”. Mum has even been told to put all the best china into the ‘wheelie-bin’!!
Following the highly entertaining concert, Gordon Shand and his Band took centre stage for the ‘Grand Dance’ – and that is exactly what it was. A superb sound and with the floor full for every dance, it looked as though the Committee had yet again ‘got it right’ in their choice of band.
In concluding, I would like to thank all of the Festival Committee, the many helpers, adjudicators, teachers, parents, Festival supporters and most importantly, the competitors for their support in thus again proving the Musselburgh Festival is the ‘Friendly Festival’. Without them there would be no Festival. It was nice to arrive home shattered but satisfied that yet again, a successful and enjoyable day hah been had by all who attended.
1995 Prize List
Junior Accordion
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo – Pentland Cup
1) Brian MacDonald
2) Gemma Paterson
3) Craig MacDonald
12 and Under 16 Traditional Solo – Jim Johnstone Cup
1) Gordon Fraser
2) Robin Hamilton
3) Fraser Burke
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music – Bill Black Cup
1) Gordon Fraser
2) Alexander Lindsay
3=) Claire Morrison & Janette Morrison
Junior Traditional Duet – Angus Howie Cups
1) Laura McGhee & Stephanie Brough
2) William Paterson & Gordon Shaw
3) Brian & Craig MacDonald
Overall Junior Accordion Champion – Alex Little Memorial Trophy
Senior Accordion
Senior Traditional Accordion Solo – Clinkscale Cup
1) Pauline Bradley
2) Alasdair MacCuish
3) Iain Anderson
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo – Bill Powrie Memorial Cup
1) Iain Anderson
2) John Burns
3) Colin Brown & Scott Gordon
Senior Overall Accordion Champion - The Bobby MacLeod Trophy
Iain Anderson
Open Buttonkey Accordion Solo – Windygates Trophy
1) Alexander Lindsay
2) Ian Greig
3) Norman McKay
Trios – Jimmy Blue Trophy
1) Muriel Johnstone
2) Wendy Godfrey
Bands – Overall Winner - Iain MacPhail Cup
Mhairi Coutts
Band – Rhythm Section - Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy
Wendy Godfrey
Own Composition – Willie Wilson Cup
1) Alex Morrison
2) Donald MacLeod
3) Bob Edwards
Under 12 Classical Solo – Kelso Cup
1) Ritchie Craig
2) Craig MacDonald
3) Brian MacDonald
Under 14 Classical Solo – Aberdeen Cup
1) Jill Blackburn
2) Jill Craig
3) Fraser Burke
Under 16 Classical Solo – Dundee shield
1) William Paterson
2)
3)
Open Classical Solo – Clinkscale Shield
1) Ross Lowthian
2) Ian Shepherd
3)
Under 13 Classical Duet – Beith and District A&F Club Cups (Willie Wilson Memorial Trophies)
1) Craig & Brian MacDonald (Ayr)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Duet - Alex MacArthur Cups
1) Vicki & Jill Craig
2) Jill Blackburn & David Nisbet
3) Jane Waddell & Claire Rennie
Open Classical Duet – Dunfermline Cup
1) Kirsty MacDonald & Brian Aitchison
2) Janet Steele & Mark King
3) Sarah Armstrong & Kirsty MacLean
Classical Polka
Under 10 Classical Polka Solo – The Todhills Trophy
1) Brian MacDonald
2) Craig MacDonald
Under 14 Classical Polka Solo – Newtongrange Shield
1) Jill Blackburn
2) David Nisbet
3) Fraser Burke
Open Classical Polka Solo – Tign-Na-Gorm Cup
1) Elizabeth Flanagan
2) Sarah Armstrong
3) Ross Lowthian
Fiddle Sections
Under 12 Fiddle Solo – NAAFC Musselburgh Festival Trophy
1)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – MSR – Strathspey and Reel Association Cup
1) Laura McGhee
2) Jane McLeod
3) Natalie Wood
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Dougie Welsh Cup
1) Laura McGhee
2) Susan Gowans
3) Jane McLeod
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR – St. Boswell Cup
1) Susan McIntosh
2) Mhairi Skinner
3) Annabel Gillan
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Ron Gonella Cup
1) Mhairi Skinner
2) Susan McIntosh
3) Dick Rutter
Overall Fiddle Champion - The Angus Fitchet Trophy
= Susan McIntosh / Mhairi Skinner
Open Fiddle Groups – Lesmahagow Quaich
Tayside Youth Players
Youngest Girl Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Gemma Paterson
Youngest Boy Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Brian MacDonald
A Tribute to Iain McLachlan - Obituary
by Peter Shepheard
With the death of Iain McLachlan, at the age of 67, at his home in Creagorry, Benbecula, Scottish traditional music has lost one of its finest exponents. Known particularly for his masterly touch on the three-row Shand Morino button accordion, Iain also played pipes, fiddles and melodeon and had an extensive knowledge of traditional music. For over 40 years he had travelled by car, road and ferry, to play the accordion at ceilidhs and dances throughout the Highlands and Islands.
In the words of his great friend, fellow button box player and ceilidh band leader, Fergie MacDonald of Acharacle, “I’ve lost a truly great friend but Iain was also the greatest three-row button box player in the Highlands and Islands and I doubt if we will ever see his likes again”.
Iain never traveled much outside the Highlands but he achieved worldwide fame as composer of the beautiful melody ‘The Dark Island’. Originally written in 1958 as a pipe lament for a local doctor under the title “Dr Mackay’s Farewell to Creagorry’, the tune achieved widespread popularity after it was used three years later by the BBC as the theme music for the TV series, ‘The Dark Island’, filmed on Uist in 1963. Words were added by writer and producer, David Silver, and since then the tune has been recorded by more than a hundred different artistes and bands worldwide. No-one played the tune better than Iain himself, first as a pipe lament and then in waltz time.
Iain was brought up with the Gaelic language, song and Highland music and started playing fiddle and melodeon at the age of six. He picked up all his music by ear and like many of the older generation of traditional musicians he never learned to read or write music. There lay his strength, for Iain’s music was always ‘from the heart’ and in his memory he had an enormous wealth of tradition. He had several different versions of many of the old tunes and, when introducing a tune, he would often introduce the music as ‘an old melodeon reel’ or ‘a pipe setting’ or ‘a Skye setting’ of such and such a reel. His father played melodeon for local dances and Iain learned melodeon from him and, while still a boy, Iain used to sit at the knee of local retired fiddle teacher and dancing master, Donald MacPhee (on Nunton, Benbecula). One of the few Hebridean fiddlers of that era, and from him he learned many old fiddle tunes and the old style of playing them.
I first remember hearing Iain in a broadcast recording made by Fred Macaulay for the Gaelic Department of the BBC. This was of the great pipe tune ‘The Marchioness of Tullibardine’ played by Iain on accordion in duet with piper Roddie Macaulay of the Creagorry Hotel, playing chanter. It was such a remarkable sound I resolved there and then to try to bring Iain McLachlan to the Kinross Festival at which at that time I was involved in organizing. Highland fiddler, Aonghas Grant, remembers Iain at Kinross, “I recall a wonderful music session with Iain at one of the famous Kinross Festivals (in 1976) where he played about a dozen pipe marches off the cuff with the unbroken link-up that comes from playing at a thousand dances”.
Iain’s death is a sad loss to his family and friends, his wife, Mary Anne, four sons and two daughters and a great loss to the world of traditional music. All who have met and heard Iain over the years will have their own memories to cherish of a wonderful musician, a friend and a gentleman. My most recent memories are of some marvelous music sessions when he was a guest last year at the Auchtermuchty Festival – playing most of the day in a small bar in the Forrest Hills Hotel and later at a glorious session through the night into the small hours when he was knocking out some great reels and pipe tunes on the single row melodeon. His great music will live on through his recordings and in the repertoire of the many younger musicians influenced by him.
The ‘Welcome home’ Party Which has Lasted Over 40 Years
In 1945 Ernie Douglas returned to Angus after leaving the Army and his friends held an impromptu ceilidh to celebrate.
When last heard of some years ago Ernie was working as a bus driver in Falkirk. He may be long gone but the ceilidh hasn’t, it is still going on and on……..
Every Tuesday since that night just after the war, musicians from Angus and further afield have gathered in the lounge of the Colliston Inn and played whatever tunes take their fancy.
In the 44 years that have elapsed all but one of the original ‘band’ have gone. Fittingly, Dave Smart of Arbroath, is the remaining link with the past.
It was Dave on learning of his friends imminent return who decided on the idea of Ernie’s homecoming party.
“We had a good night and it just continued the next week and it has carried on ever since.”
Since those early days, word has spread and musicians from most parts of the North-East have made an appearance at one time or another. This constant turnover of musicians has kept the music fresh, although some old favourites never fade.
Legend has it that an Italian world champion fiddler used to join in during visits to Scotland.
While not denying what could have been, Dave Smart admitted not being able to remember the gentleman turning up and, in all fairness, not many Italian fiddlers are found in Colliston on a Tuesday night!!
One of the better known people who have definitely taken part is the former eye specialist Sandy Tulloch, who still attends around once a month to play the accordion. Other regulars include a few who can date their attendance back to the 1950s or 1960s and a fair number of youngsters who look like carrying on the tradition into the next century.
Whoever has turned up, one thing has always been a certainty, the music has been enjoyable and of quality.
The present owners of the Colliston Inn report that the tradition is still going strong. It’s not just the musicians who turn up, the curious, very often tourists, can be found enjoying the entertainment.
Perhaps the success of Tuesday nights at the Colliston can be put down to the simple phrase uttered by Dave Smart – “Anybody’s Welcome.”
The Hawthorne Broadcasting Band
by Ron Ramsay
The Hawthorne Band was formed in 1945, by James and Andy Tosh from Blairgowrie. Their first dance was at Clunie by Blairgowrie, on VJ night.
Nobody knew when VJ night would come so there was no advertising, but when it was announced over the radio everyone was in great spirits. Jim Tosh remembers that everybody was in great spirits and after some bother over transport, as petrol was very scarce, he managed to hire a lorry to get there along with a load of dancers. The dancing continued until four in the morning and was the first of many dances at Clunie.
The band first broadcast in 1948 with three accordionists, two fiddles, piano and drums. Dances at the time were mostly set dances or ‘Heavies’ as they were better known. An occasional waltz was thrown in for a breather. The band at that time consisted of Jim Tosh (button key accordion), Andy Tosh (piano key accordion), Jimmy Howe (fiddle), Sheena Smart (Piano) and Tommy McDonald (drums). They played at dances in the Orkneys, Shetlands and on the West Coast of Scotland and occasionally the Midlands for the Scottish and Irish clubs there.
Jim Tosh was quoted as saying that there are really only two kinds of music he really likes, Scottish and Irish, and relates part of a speech given by the Provost of Cork at a Civic Reception for the band.
“The Scots and Irish have much in common. The Scots play the pipes. The Irish play the pipes. The Scots wear the kilt. The Irish wear the kilt. The Scots like their Scotch. The Irish like their Irish.”
The ‘Hawthorn’ celebrated their 25th Anniversary at the Muirton House Hotel, Blairgowrie, with around 250 friends at a dance to the music of Bill Wilkie’s Band from Perth.
Jim and Andy Tosh, Jim Howe on fiddle, Tommy McDonald on drums and Phyllis Harvey was the line-up of the ‘Hawthorn’.
Not long after the band was formed, they had an engagement in Ballater and on arriving at Ballater Station in two near vintage bangers, were amazed to find a large cheering crowd at the square. Jim and the members of the band acknowledged the waves and cheers nonchalantly and thought that they had made it to the top with this new found fame, but alas it was short-lived when the local police stepped in to move them on – to allow access for the Royal limousines carrying the King and Queen, who were returning south after a holiday on Deeside. “Oh well it was fine while it lasted.”
In the mid 1950s, an Alyth garage proprietor provided the band with a chauffeur driven Rolls royca for £15 a week. A far cry from their vintage bangers.
Another incident relating to the vintage bangers was when all the band gear had to be stacked and tied on to the roof, and as they were making their way to an engagement, one of Tommy’s drums fell off and was bouncing along the road at the end of a 30 foot rope. Jim remembers that his first fees were 10/- for playing from 8.30 p.m. until, about 4 a.m. and even in the late 50s the fee was only about £2.
The band applied for a BBC audition in 1947. Broadcast Scottish Country Dance Music was just coming into its own, pioneered by Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron and Willie Hannah bands. As a result of the audition, the Hawthorn joined the elite company, despite an administrative blunder which sent them to the Edinburgh studios instead of Glasgow.
The place was packed with musicians and eventually when their turn came they had no sooner begun to play when the technicians behind the control panel started waving and shouting. Jim thought “surely we’re not all that bad”, but it turned out they had been put in with modern bands. Fortunately the auditioning panel recognised their potential and eventually the Hawthorn was put on the list of broadcasting bands and over the next 20 years did hundreds of broadcasts. The band has also toured with singer Bridie Gallacher in Ireland.
During the 70s and 80s, changes occurred in the Scottish Dance Music scene and with the advent of ‘Rock and Roll’ and beat music, forced them to become the Hawthorn Showband, complete with guitars and electronic organ. They made numerous records (78s) and EPs which are now collectors items.
Only two of the original members are still playing. Tom McDonald on drums (with Ken Stewart on accordion in the ‘Ken Stewart Duo’) and Jimmy Fairweather who has his own band.
Your Letters
The Making of the First Scottish Fiddle Music Index
Most people involved or interested in traditional Scottish music would probably agree that the two most vexed questions are :
1) What is the name of that tune that is running around in my head and many go away at any second?
2) When I get the name at last, where do I find the music?
These questions are answered in the Scottish Fiddle Music Index. It is the first-ever systematic listing of the contents of the 18th and 19th century printed music collections.
For about 40 years I carried these questions around and spent quite a proportion of that time wondering why there was no efficient way of finding the answers. About 5 years ago, it struck me that, if someone were to make a card index of tune titles with a cross-reference to the printed source, it would answer the second question at least. Someone had – the National Library of Scotland had a listing of tunes from the old printed collections, but it was not complete.
At about this juncture, I was given an introduction to Morag Ann Elder, of Dundee, a music graduate of Aberdeen University, who had gone about 40% of the way to answering both questions. We agreed almost at once that there would be a purpose in continuing her work beyond its original limits and to ‘round out’ the listings of tunes where – it can be reasoned – there is a natural pause, namely, with the end of James Scott Skinner’s long composing and publishing career. His ‘Cairngorm’ series of 1922 is the last collection to be fully integrated in the Index. We also agreed that the indexing should be computerized, so there had to follow a massive transfer and development process, taking up several years in fact. In this, we were greatly supported by the Scottish Music Information Centre in Glasgow and by the computer skills of Lynn Morrison in particular.
The first results of five years or so of unrelenting work (aided and indeed made possible by the help of kind friends and a generous Glenfiddich ‘Living Scotland’ Award) is an Index of 15,000 tune titles. There has never been anything approaching that degree of completeness before. Because some were re-published in the 19th century and are deliberately duplicated (for various practical reasons) the net total of separate tunes is probably about 12,000. There are at present only two or three thousand tunes from the old tradition either in print or readily accessible; the rest have been perceived in what are now among the rarest and in some cases the oldest printed music books to be found anywhere. These are in the care of some half dozen great libraries and they were the source books for the Index. It can fairly be claimed that there are some pretty amazing musical discoveries yet to be made.
Morag Elder’s index employed the conventional ‘pigeonhole’ method of referencing the tune title, key, time and source, but the computerization of her theme code referencing system has introduced an entirely new dimension. This system was based on the work of an Irish traditional music expert, the late Breandan Breathnach, which he called ‘Numerical Representation’ and which he used to create a card index of the Irish fiddle repertoire. Using a computer database for this purpose (which was not possible in Breathnach’s time) has given the index much wider referencing capabilities. What it does in the simplest terms is to give each tune an individual code (based on the opening beats of the melody; just sufficient of it to form a recognizable ‘sample’). This can then be compared with any tune which is akin to it in ‘shape’. Related tune titles (for example, tunes which are the same but have a range of titles) can be picked up in the A-Z mode. In fact, when the database itself is put into use, any of the ‘pigeonholes’ (titles, keys, tempos, sources or themes) can be grouped and extracted for further research. Thus it is possible, for example, to select a complete alphabetical listing of any collection; or extract a list of tunes relating to one region, name or subject.
The Scottish Fiddle Music Index is now in print (Autumn 1994), in hardback, listed at £49. It is a complete reference work of over 500 pages, comprising the Tune-Titles Index, A – Z listed, the Bibliography (giving the Collection, together with a number of title page illustrations; volume and page and at least on library source to find it in); the complete Theme Code Index (15,000 entries, arranged for ‘tune-finding’); and appended lists of related or marginal collections. Copies of the Index may be obtained from The Amaising Publishing house, Musselburgh.
Following on from this it is planned to make the database available to researchers on CD, to be updates as work on the Index continues and expands. But that is somewhat in the future. The vocal collections (both of central Scotland and of the Highlands and Islands), the music of Shetland and Orkney, the music of the contemporary folk tradition all need similar treatment. 1994 could be designated the 200th Anniversary of when the first Index of Traditional Music might usefully have been published (a large proportion of the best of it had been composed by 1794). It’s never too early to start planning!
Charlie Gore
Book Review
11th Collection of Scottish Dance Music – Compiled by Iain Peterson
The Dalriada collection – Published by Deeay Music, Forfar
Popular Ceilidh Dances – by Deirdre Adamson
Take the Floor
8th Apr 1995 – George Stirrat SDB
15th Apr 1995 – Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw SDB
22nd Apr 1995 – Jim Lindsay SDB
29th Apr 1995 – OB from Gateshead with Robert Whitehead & the Danelaw Band
6th May 1995 – James Coutts SDB
13th May 1995 – Lindsay Weir SDB
20th May 1995 – Lothian SDB
27th May 1995 – Ian Thomson SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) – 25th Apr 95 – Forfar A&F Club
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 2nd Apr 95 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 6th Apr 95 – Gordon Shand SDB
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) – 2nd Apr 95 – Ryan McGlynn SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 24th Apr 95 – Garioch Blend
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Alastair Salter & Susan McIntosh
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) – 17th Apr 95 – Dochie McCallum SDB
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 9th Apr 95 – Scott Gordon Trio
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 11th Apr 95 – Banchory S&R Society
Brigmill (Guardbridge Sports & Social Club)
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Carlisle (Border Regiment Club, Carlisle Castle) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Ian Muir Trio
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 20th Apr 95 – Roberto Enzo
Crieff & District (Arduthie Hotel)
Dalriada (Argyll Arms Hotel, Lochgilphead)
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – West Telferton SDB
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 18th April 95 – Willie Simpson Trio
Dundee (Park Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Iain Cathcart SDB
Dunfermline (Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (Sweepers, Cambuslang) – 27th Apr 95 – Jim & Jean McConnachie & Friends
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Gordon Pattullo
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 25th Apr 95 – Willie Simpson Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 30th Apr 95 – Colin Dewar SDB
Forres (Brig Motel) – 12th Apr 95 – Neil Dawson Trio
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 5th Apr 95 – Mhairi Coutts SDB
Gretna (Halcrow Stadium) -
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 17th Apr 95 – Garioch Blend
Inveraray (Loch Fyne Hotel) - 4th Apr 95 – Gordon shand SDB
Islay (White Hart Hotel) -
Isle of Skye -
Islesteps (Waterhole, Lochfoot) – 4th Apr 95 - tbc
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 19th Apr 95 – Donal Ring Ceili Band
26th Apr 95 – Gordon Clark SDB
Kinlochshiel (Islander Function Room) -
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – Jennifer Forrest SDB
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 13th Apr 95 – Kathryn Nicoll SDB
Livingston (Deans Community Centre) 18th Apr 95 – Donal Ring Ceilie Band
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) - 25th Apr 95 – Seamus O’Sullivan
Mauchline (Sorn Village Hall) 18th Apr 95 – Raymond Carse
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th Apr 95 – Steven Carcary Duo
Muirhead (Belmont Arms, Meigle) - 19th Apr 95 – Club Night
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Oban (Caledonian Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Dochie McCallum & Friends
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Peebles (Green Tree Hotel) – 27th Apr 95 – David Vernon
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Premier NI (Camlin Function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 11th Apr 95 – Colin Dewar Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head) - 6th Apr 95 – Wayne Robertson
Shetland (venue?) -
Stirling (Terraces Hotel) - 9th Apr 95 – Ian Powrie & Paul Clancy
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Tranent (East Lothian Labour Club)
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) – 6th Apr 95 – Lynne Elrick (Accordion)
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) – 18th Apr 95 – Paul Anderson
Yarrow (Gordon Arms) - 19th Apr 95 – Karen Higgins SDB
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Arbroath
2. Armadale
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Beith
7. Biggar
8. Blairgowrie
9. Carlisle
10. Castle Douglas
11. Coalburn
12. Dingwall
13. Dunblane
14. Dundee
15. East Kilbride
16. Fintry
17. Forfar
18. Forres
19. Glendale
20. Gretna
21. Highland
22. Islesteps
23. Kinlochshiel
24. Kintore
25. Kelso
26. Lesmahagow
27. Livingston
28. Lockerbie
29. Montrose
30. Muirhead
31. Newtongrange
32. North East
33. Oban
34. Peebles
35. Renfrew
36. Rothbury
37. Shetland
38. Turriff
39. Yarrow
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1994 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976 – present)
3. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
4. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed
5. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
14. Button Key A&F Club (
15. Campbeltown A&F Club (
16. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
17. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
18. Coalburn A&F Club (
19. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
20. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
21. Derwentside A&F Club
22. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
23. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
24. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? -
25. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
26. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
27. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
28. Ellon A&F Club (
29. Etterick & Yarrow (Jan 1989 -
30. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
31. Forfar A&F Club (
32. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
33. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Grena when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
41. Inveraray A&F Club (Oct 1991 - present)
42. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
48. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
49. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
50. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
51. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
52. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986? - present)
53. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
54. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
55. Mull A&F Club
56. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
57. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
58. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
59. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
60. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
61. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
62. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
63. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
64. Renfrew A&F Club (
65. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
66. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
67. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 - )
68. Sutherland A&F Club (
69. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
70. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
71. Tranent A&F Club
72. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
73. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
74. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
75. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
76. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
77. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
78. Buchan A&F Club
79. Callander A&F Club (
80. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
81. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
82. Club Accord
83. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
84. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
85. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
86. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
87. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
88. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
89. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
90. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
91. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
92. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
93. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
94. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
95. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
96. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
97. Newcastleton Accordion Club
98. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
99. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
100. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
101. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
102. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
103. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
104. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
105. Wellbank A&F Club
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