Sandy Tulloch
By Tom Clark
It must be approaching 40 years now since I first came into contact with Sandy Tulloch. From the start I couldn’t but be impressed by the dedication of this man and his attention to detail in everything he does. Sandy is a man of many talents. As well as being an Eye Consultant, he found time over the years to reach a high degree of proficiency in many other fields as hobbies, but his first love in his spare time activities has always been for music. Sandy’s musical interests have been widespread, but centred mainly on the accordion and he has always been highly regarded for his prowess on the British Chromatic “Shand Morino”.
In the past few years Sandy has become keenly interested in the Accordion and Fiddle Club at Dundee, and through his regular performances there, I can hear a return to his former playing standard. Sandy’s playing, along with fiddler friend Jim Doig (another relative newcomer to the A&F Club scene) delights regular attenders at the Club. It was with characteristic modesty that Sandy eventually agreed to be featured in the B&F.
“My association with Accordion and Fiddle Clubs only dates from my retirement five years ago, so it was with some diffidence that I agreed to my old friend Tom Clark’s request for a short personal history. He paid me a backhanded compliment by reminding me that ‘I had been around a long time’, in the Scottish music scene. This is certainly true.
As a small boy I had no doubt that the accordion was to be my instrument. I listened to records by Peter and Daniel Wyper and manager to get my own 10 key melodeon at the age of eight.
About 1929 I had a two row 19 key box, still with spoon bass, but in 1934 graduated to the new Hohner Black Dot Double Ray. This was when I met Jimmy Shand in Forbes Music Shop and heard the unmistakable Shand sound for the first time.
I became a medical student in 1936 and played at various student ‘hops’ and hospital concerts. Competitions have never appealed to me, but I did enter a ‘diddling’ competition or two and vividly remember being disqualified in Tealing Hall in 1939 for having a 3 row 34/80 Scandalli.
I also remember being in the Odeon Cinema and hearing a record of accordion music that made me sit up and take notice. I found out from the manager that the numbers were “Happy Hours” and “L’Entrainante” played by Jimmy Shand. This gave me courage to go to Jimmy and ask for lessons. I don’t remember any formal teaching, but we became firm friends, something that has now lasted 50 years.
During my residence in Maryfield Hospital, I was lucky enough to be allowed to sit in with the Shand Band on Monday evenings in the Maitland Street Hall. This gave me a firm grounding in playing for dancing, not only in strict tempo, but in arranging sets of suitable tunes and playing the correct number of bars for the dance. These early days are treasured memories – so many characters to remember. I’m happy to say that many of us still keep in touch.
War now intervened and the R.A.M.C. did not offer much opportunity for playing, but my interest in music continued and I started my (now) fairly extensive collection. I still have a file of “Continentals” I manager to buy in Belgium in 1944.
Demobilisation in 1946 saw me taking up my career again in Glasgow. There are many outstanding memories of that time – playing with the group that went on to be the Strathclyde S.C.D.B. Strict playing for Society Dances sometimes under the stricter eye of the redoubtable Miss Milligan. I was also lucky enough to be appointed Visiting Eye Specialist Argyll and the Inner Isles and had several happy years playing in a much more relaxed atmosphere with the “Taynault Occasionals.”
Jimmy was doing a lot of broadcasting at the time from Glasgow and we managed to keep in regular touch. It was then we discussed the possibility of a new accordion, and after some delay due to post-war difficulties the first four “Hohner Shand Morino Specials” were delivered, and I became the very proud owner of one. The same year, in 1951, I went to the Accordion Festival in London with the Shand Band and well remember helping to block off an over enthusiastic air valve and loosen up a new bass before Jimmy went on stage. Accordions are very individual instruments – no two are exactly alike, and although I prefer my present black Morino I would gladly buy back the original red one, but the present owner (quite rightly) has no intention of parting with it.
A highlight of the London visit was back in the hotel listening to an off duty session by virtuoso Maurice Sittenet of Paris. Continental music continued to fascinate me and I bought a Norwegian 5 row, but I found I was unable to play both instruments and despite its limitations returned to my first love, the diatonic 3 row accordion.
In 1953 I was appointed Eye Consultant Eastern Hospital Region and returned to work in Dundee and Angus. Work did not allow much playing, but with your Editor and other good friends, I had many a happy session playing for some of the Saturday night dances in Rockwell School, and here I must mention the late James McKelvie, a great friend who was a complete ‘natural’ and with his instinct and Charlie Dora’s guidance I was helped along the road to more advanced bass playing.
At the time it was not easy to find printed music, and I started to write tunes on manuscript to add to the collection. Nowadays it is much easier and a great deal of contemporary music has been published and is freely available, but hardly a week passes by without a phone call “Sandy, do you have? Who composed? Who published?” – the home made index is not infallible, but for good friend I can usually oblige.
One disadvantage of a collection dating from 1700 onwards (and playing the tunes for sight reading practice) is the feeling that you have heard quite a lot of it before. Indexing my tapes, I have kept a note of most of the tunes broadcast over a number of years now and it is a sobering thought that the vast majority of ‘new’ tunes have been played only one or twice. Aspiring composers please note – not only has someone thought of it before but only a few – a very few – will go down to posterity.
It is certainly a sign of the age that I find some present day trends fall unkindly on the ear, but I admit change must happen and there is room for all of us. Like the tunes, time will tell. Life would indeed be dull without change and discussion. Long may we continue to have both along with the comradeship the Clubs have to offer.”
As you can see, Sandy seems to have poured himself into this accordion playing with renewed enthusiasm since he retired. I can personally vouch for his indexing system since I am sure I am one of three who phone up quite regularly – and he never fails! I have come across his music on many occasions while playing with others. A piece of manuscript is produced and I can immediately recognise the writing. I still play some of the sets I played with Sandy in Rockwell at Saturday night dances all those years ago.
“Well done Sandy” and keep up the good work.
Box and Fiddle
December 1988
In the past few years Sandy has become keenly interested in the Accordion and Fiddle Club at Dundee, and through his regular performances there, I can hear a return to his former playing standard. Sandy’s playing, along with fiddler friend Jim Doig (another relative newcomer to the A&F Club scene) delights regular attenders at the Club. It was with characteristic modesty that Sandy eventually agreed to be featured in the B&F.
“My association with Accordion and Fiddle Clubs only dates from my retirement five years ago, so it was with some diffidence that I agreed to my old friend Tom Clark’s request for a short personal history. He paid me a backhanded compliment by reminding me that ‘I had been around a long time’, in the Scottish music scene. This is certainly true.
As a small boy I had no doubt that the accordion was to be my instrument. I listened to records by Peter and Daniel Wyper and manager to get my own 10 key melodeon at the age of eight.
About 1929 I had a two row 19 key box, still with spoon bass, but in 1934 graduated to the new Hohner Black Dot Double Ray. This was when I met Jimmy Shand in Forbes Music Shop and heard the unmistakable Shand sound for the first time.
I became a medical student in 1936 and played at various student ‘hops’ and hospital concerts. Competitions have never appealed to me, but I did enter a ‘diddling’ competition or two and vividly remember being disqualified in Tealing Hall in 1939 for having a 3 row 34/80 Scandalli.
I also remember being in the Odeon Cinema and hearing a record of accordion music that made me sit up and take notice. I found out from the manager that the numbers were “Happy Hours” and “L’Entrainante” played by Jimmy Shand. This gave me courage to go to Jimmy and ask for lessons. I don’t remember any formal teaching, but we became firm friends, something that has now lasted 50 years.
During my residence in Maryfield Hospital, I was lucky enough to be allowed to sit in with the Shand Band on Monday evenings in the Maitland Street Hall. This gave me a firm grounding in playing for dancing, not only in strict tempo, but in arranging sets of suitable tunes and playing the correct number of bars for the dance. These early days are treasured memories – so many characters to remember. I’m happy to say that many of us still keep in touch.
War now intervened and the R.A.M.C. did not offer much opportunity for playing, but my interest in music continued and I started my (now) fairly extensive collection. I still have a file of “Continentals” I manager to buy in Belgium in 1944.
Demobilisation in 1946 saw me taking up my career again in Glasgow. There are many outstanding memories of that time – playing with the group that went on to be the Strathclyde S.C.D.B. Strict playing for Society Dances sometimes under the stricter eye of the redoubtable Miss Milligan. I was also lucky enough to be appointed Visiting Eye Specialist Argyll and the Inner Isles and had several happy years playing in a much more relaxed atmosphere with the “Taynault Occasionals.”
Jimmy was doing a lot of broadcasting at the time from Glasgow and we managed to keep in regular touch. It was then we discussed the possibility of a new accordion, and after some delay due to post-war difficulties the first four “Hohner Shand Morino Specials” were delivered, and I became the very proud owner of one. The same year, in 1951, I went to the Accordion Festival in London with the Shand Band and well remember helping to block off an over enthusiastic air valve and loosen up a new bass before Jimmy went on stage. Accordions are very individual instruments – no two are exactly alike, and although I prefer my present black Morino I would gladly buy back the original red one, but the present owner (quite rightly) has no intention of parting with it.
A highlight of the London visit was back in the hotel listening to an off duty session by virtuoso Maurice Sittenet of Paris. Continental music continued to fascinate me and I bought a Norwegian 5 row, but I found I was unable to play both instruments and despite its limitations returned to my first love, the diatonic 3 row accordion.
In 1953 I was appointed Eye Consultant Eastern Hospital Region and returned to work in Dundee and Angus. Work did not allow much playing, but with your Editor and other good friends, I had many a happy session playing for some of the Saturday night dances in Rockwell School, and here I must mention the late James McKelvie, a great friend who was a complete ‘natural’ and with his instinct and Charlie Dora’s guidance I was helped along the road to more advanced bass playing.
At the time it was not easy to find printed music, and I started to write tunes on manuscript to add to the collection. Nowadays it is much easier and a great deal of contemporary music has been published and is freely available, but hardly a week passes by without a phone call “Sandy, do you have? Who composed? Who published?” – the home made index is not infallible, but for good friend I can usually oblige.
One disadvantage of a collection dating from 1700 onwards (and playing the tunes for sight reading practice) is the feeling that you have heard quite a lot of it before. Indexing my tapes, I have kept a note of most of the tunes broadcast over a number of years now and it is a sobering thought that the vast majority of ‘new’ tunes have been played only one or twice. Aspiring composers please note – not only has someone thought of it before but only a few – a very few – will go down to posterity.
It is certainly a sign of the age that I find some present day trends fall unkindly on the ear, but I admit change must happen and there is room for all of us. Like the tunes, time will tell. Life would indeed be dull without change and discussion. Long may we continue to have both along with the comradeship the Clubs have to offer.”
As you can see, Sandy seems to have poured himself into this accordion playing with renewed enthusiasm since he retired. I can personally vouch for his indexing system since I am sure I am one of three who phone up quite regularly – and he never fails! I have come across his music on many occasions while playing with others. A piece of manuscript is produced and I can immediately recognise the writing. I still play some of the sets I played with Sandy in Rockwell at Saturday night dances all those years ago.
“Well done Sandy” and keep up the good work.
Box and Fiddle
December 1988