tune - 'Lament for Captain Bell'

NOTES FROM PIPEY'S CORNER

Volume V Number 5; May 2000

STAND FAST!

Yes, ladies and germs, once more the Fit has hit the Shan. The WUSPBA in its infinite wisdom has shot itself in the foot - again! Seems that the Powers Which Are in the Executive and the Advisory Committees are pressuring the organisers of the Angus MacDonald Memorial Open to reduce the requirements from six down to four tunes submitted, '...bringing the contest into line with other WUSPBA Professional competitions and conforming to WUSPBA solo competition rules....'

Bullshit. Utter bullshit. This not only insults the memory of the great man for whom the contest is named, but it also automatically removes the MacDonald from the VERY short list of competitions selected by the US Piping Foundation as qualifiers for that very prestigious invitational competition and a step on the way to the Glenfiddich. The MacDonald is an OPEN competition, not a 'Professional' contest. It's open to anyone who has six tunes in his or her pocket. First the lame brains in the WUSPBA High Kommand refused to sanction last year's competition after advertising it in their own newsletter. Now they want to reduce the submissions from six to four! What utter tripe! It's this sort of Grade IV mentality which has prevented Left Coast competitions from gaining any international recognition. It's this type of attitude which will cost the Band Association dearly when trying to compare its standards to those of other PBAs here and overseas. The EUSPBA and the USPF require six tunes in ALL Open piobaireachd competitions - let's get with the program, guys!

The WUSPBA Exec may argue that the Piobaireachd Society has reduced the number of tunes on the Senior List from six to four for the 2000 competition year - BUT that's because alternate settings are on the list this year (for the first time!) and the players will have to work these tunes up for the senior competitions in Scotland. That rule change (probably for this year only) has nothing to do with a Glenfiddich qualifier whatsoever. My advice to the MacDonald organisers: take up the Grant slogan and STAND FAST! and keep the competition standards high! The MacDonald is much too prestigious a contest to buckle to the whims of Left Coast fashion.

Now, on May 3, we've learned from WUSPBA President Chris Hossack that there has been NO pressure on the MacDonald organisers to reduce the tune list. This contradicts what was learned in discussion with Bydand representatives Ian Kelley and Rob MacKnight. We have yet to hear from the rest of the Executive and Advisory Committees. Who's got the ball here???

- Iain Sherwood

THE DRM Y2K

The Dan Reid memorial has come and gone, another great competition with incredible playing. This year's 'challenge recital' was certainly the most grueling contest I've witnessed. The Master's competition of MSR, Jig/Hornpipe, and Piobaireachd was conducted on a time-limit format, allowing each competitor 45 minutes for all three selections. As always the playing was of the highest standard. Overall winner for the third time was Willie McCallum, who looks to tear up the boards for the rest of the year as well. Jack Lee finished second overall in a very closely run match, with Bill Livingstone third.

The Cameron-Gillies competition was also an exciting venue, with Mike Rogers winning for the second time and newcomer Jenny Hazzard placing a very close second. A very fine competition; it's unfortunate that time limits the number of competitors in this qualifier. Black Part's comments on the competitions appear below.

Many thanks to those who attended with us, including Don and Mary Ellen Stewart, Colleen Dean, Sabrina Brown, Nick Keihner, Lance and Kris, and BLACK PART himself! Congratulations to all the competitors AND to Ozzie Reid, Aaron Buchanan, and the entire DRM committee for putting on another GREAT event. We'll see you at the St. Francis next year!

Capt. Art Bell training with the 1st Marine Division, New Zealand, June, 1942

ARTHUR W. BELL Jnr. 1918-2000 This is one of those I'd hoped I'd never have or need to write, and it has nothing to do with piping, My uncle Art, known to everyone in the family as "Uncle Sonny," died April 30 in Florida after a five-year battle with melanoma. Sonny was one of those people you didn't want to be around too often, because if you did, you'd get addicted to having fun. He was always joking, getting a laugh from somebody, poking fun at pomposity and stuffiness. When you did anything with Sonny along, it invariably turned into a good time.

A man who grew up in a wealthy environment during the Depression and fought bravely in WWII, he was a surprisingly liberal person, championing the rights of minorities, the poor, and the uneducated all his life. He went the usual New England route of boarding school and east coast university (Tufts), but when the war broke out he enlisted in the Marines and served as a company commander in the Pacific, enduring six months of hell in Guadalcanal. While still in the Marines he married his first wife, Jane (a lady Marine), and his son Art Bell III (the radio talk show host) was born in 1945. He had two more children, Tina and Janie, and two more wives, Peggy and Ricki, and went through all the usual family stuff. But first and foremost he was my mother's only brother, and her closest friend in the world.

In his career he did a lot of different things. He went to Law School at NYU after the war, worked for several different companies, and finished his career as a corporate headhunter, recruiting executives for large businesses. When retired he devoted most of his time to his one true passion sailing. A vigorous man who loved life and living hard, he sailed a 36-foot sloop in single-hand races well into his seventies, and only stopped racing after he had a major heart attack several years ago. He never stopped sailing, however, The last time I saw him he'd just got a brand-new little sloop, and he was looking forward to getting it ready. I don't know if he ever did. I sure hope so.

I didn't see much of him for a lot of years - maybe once a year or two when I was in college, then once every five or six years - he was on the east coast and I was out west. In the last two years I saw him several times - he was out here for treatment of his cancer last year, and I spent some time with him. He was moving a little slower, and he got tired a lot easier than he used to, but there was still a twinkle in his eye and a laugh in his heart. He was a true fighter, and he fought bravely to the end. God knows we'll all miss him terribly.

"...Home is the sailor, home from the sea...."

Black Part Speaks:

I had the pleasure to attend the ninth Dan Reid memorial on the 13th of May, held at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. I must say that the tone set by this competition should be adopted by every solo event that can afford this kind of venue. It really is a pleasure to be able to hear this kind of playing in the great surroundings of the St. Francis.

The Cameron-Gillies began with Hector MacDonald playing The King's Taxes on a pipe with big sound (Henderson/Gibson), well-phrased throughout, a very nice tune.

Jenny Hazzard gave us The Earl of Seaforth's salute on a slightly sharp-pitched chanter (Glen/??). Her blowing was a little unsteady at the outset, but settled in and gave a performance that was marred only by weak grips. Her Taorluath was beautifully played, however, and the weak low G's could have been due to reed problems.

Mike Rogers finished the Piobaireachd section with The MacKay's Banner on a well-tuned and nicely balanced pipe (Lawrie/Naill), although I felt the chanter was a little light in volume. His tune began very strongly, but his echo beats in the ground were a little rushed, and there was an occasional weak low G in the Taorluath. He accellerated slightly in the Crunluath doubling, but played a nice a-mach variation and finished well.

The MSR began with Hector playing Donald Cameron, The Cameronian Rant, and Pretty Marion; perhaps not his strongest tunes, and certainly a grueling set - eight part tunes all through. The march was rushed after a slight pause at the beginning and his playing was not pointed well. Execution problems in the strathspey were evident during the repeat, most probably due to rushing the tempo. The reel was also rushed, and the tune accellerated in the repeat, losing phrase and execution in the process.

Jenny gave us The Highland Wedding, Neil Sutherland of Lairg, and Ca' the Ewes; her performance was beautifully executed, marred only by a slight choke in the strathspey. Good breaks throughout, timing and tempo were spot on. Her playing was strongly reminiscent of her late father-in-law, Captain John MacLellan. Her chanter was again bright and a little thin, but her drones were steady throughout.

Mike finished the Cameron-Gillies with Abercairney Highlanders, Atholl Cummers, and Donald MacKenzie. His tempo in the march was a shade fast, and he missed birls in the march and strathspey, probably due to rushing. His reel was well played with no execution problems, as the tempo was just right. His pipe was full on, well-tuned, and steady throughout.

I felt that Mike Rogers had the best Piobaireachd and differed with the judging panel on the MSR, which I felt was won by Jenny Hazzard. The final results were Mike Rogers 1st overall, Jenny Hazzard 2nd, Hector MacDonald 3rd. I must comment on the overall sound in the room - good acoustics and a nice setup for players and listeners alike. Stewarding was impeccable and there were no interruptions or disturbances all day- not an easy feat in a busy venue.

The Masters Competition will be my next offering in June.

John E. Partanen, Ph.D

until next month....