Search - Allan MacDonald, Iain MacDonald, James Ross :: Suite for Alan

Three traditional tunes:- Small pipes Whistle & Cello. A Welcome Shore:- Cello & String Orchestra - 5 movements: Eriskay Song, A Thousand Curses, Reluctant Sailor, Lament, & Frisky Jig. Bothan Mairi:- Cello & Piano. Smoo Cave:- Cello & Piano. Suite for Alan:- Small pipes, Whistle, Flute & String Orchestra. The Suite for Alan begins with my own interpretation of my fathers Piobaireachd "Lament for Alan my Son". it starts with the small pipes, accompanied by a single drone in the lower strings with an irregular pizzicato heartbeat in the double bass. It interacts with sound bites from the hornpipe, "Duncan Johnstone" and "Farewell to Nigg", before moving onto the 1st movement. The 1st movement is a moderate tempo movement made up of Marches and Hornpipes. The tunes are: Whinnrigg, The Isle of Barra March, My Tribute to John Kinnie, An Exercise, The Streaker, Duncan Johnstone (composed by P.M. Donald MacLeod) and Farewell to Nigg. The 2nd movement is a slow movement and consists of 3 of my fathers' Slow Airs. The tunes are: Ruaraidh Mor's Lullaby, Allan Gillies of Kildonan's Final Farewell and Dr. Howard McEwan of Calgary. The 3rd movement is a fast movement, and is dedicated to Jigs. The tunes are: Barbara's Jig (3rd & 4th parts by my Father), Caberfeidh (my Fathers' 6/8 setting) Finlay Murchies Birthday, James McLellans' Favourite and the final jig is a traditional jig simply called An Irish Jig. As the Suite develops through each of the movements, you will hear the haunting opening notes of the Piobaireachd recurring as they harmonise with various tunes in the Suite building to a climax on the final Jig where the soloists and orchestra meet in a triumphant 4th part of Farewell to Nigg before succumbing to a final rendition of the Piobaireachd played once again on solo small pipes and accompanied by the drone in the lower strings before giving way to the final pizzicato heartbeats from the double bass.