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01
[RS] Good evening and welcome as freens, freens we are of
the late Hector MacAndrew. You folks sitting down there, the
folk at the back of me, the people that I'll be introducing,
and myself included--great friends of the late Hector MacAndrew.
Either friends, devotees, enthusiasts, call it what you like,
we are here for a common purpose to think about the great
man and also by our efforts to raise some money so that it
can be a tangible thing for the memory of Hector in years
to come at Fyvie. We are going to have a special concert at
Fyvie as you know, where Hector was gardener, born in 1903
he was, but a gardener in Fyvie for a long time. Such was
the response that we had to shift from Fyvie, or I should
say, not me, the Buchan Heritage Society had to shift from
Fyvie here to Haddo and we are delighted to be here and we
will have what we would call an informal evening together
just thinking about Hector and his music. One, behind me,
we have representatives of a few of our leading Strathspey
and Reel Societies. We've got representatives tonight, and
if I don't get it right they'll tell me lang afore the interval
arrives. We've got Aberdeen, Cults, we've Garioch, Macduff,
Oldmeldrum, Ythan. And to lead them a pupil, a lad that sought
Hector's advice many a many time before. And now one of our
leading violinists in the solo field, but a great conductor
to boot. Let's welcome from Elgin Bill Bryant. Applause.
02
The first set if I can get that off the deck from Bill, starts
off with 'William Marshall's Compliments,' is it Bill?
[BB] Yes.
[RS] So that, make sure we're on the right vein
here. 'William Marshall's Compliments to Neil Gow,' the march,
the Strathspey 'The Laird o MacIntosh,' and then we have 'Largo's
Fairy Dance' with variations. Our combined orchestras: [applause;
plays]
[Applause.]
04
[RS] [Shouts] Thanks fiddlers,
cheerio, ta ta, nice knowing you, you'll be back shortly.
Once again, our fiddlers! [applause] Coming in here tonight,
seeing different people, two for the first time, but delighted,
just the number of people out here just in tribute to Hector.
For example I met eh, just a few minutes ago Douglas Bell.
You folk probably don't know Douglas Bell, but Douglas Bell
is the last surviving relation of the Bonnie Lass o Bon Accord.
He is indeed, Mina Bell, gie him a hand please. Ye canna see
him in the dark but he is there. [applause] And for the very
first time a charming lady I've never had the pleasure of
speaking to her before, but I'm delighted to link up with
Elizabeth Adair here tonight, BBC Producer many years ago
with Hector's broadcasts [applause]. In fact the author o
this poem may well be in the audience tonight, I have no reason
to say yea or nay, but Bob Moncrieff--is Bob Moncrieff up
from Edinburgh tonight? Are ye there Bob? It's a lang wey
fae Edinburgh, I'll let ye aff! OK. This was sent in by Bob
as a tribute to Hector MacAndrew, it was sent in fact to Hector
after he had done a recital in Aberdeen.
I gaed ae nicht tae Aberdeen tae hear MacAndrew
play,
In faith it wis a worthy nicht for music sweet and gay.
Tae hear him play 'Aul Robin Grey' wid nearly mak ye greet,
And efter at Fife's Eastmaist Neuk wi variations neat.
Syne some o Marshall's classic airs, like 'Mary
Primrose' sweet,
and Madame Frederick's noble tone, their like ye'll never
meet;
There was 'Highland Whisky's' lilting tune and 'Gow's Farewell'
a gem,
And he fairly gart the bowhand yark wi 'Welcome Back Again.'
We've a glees played, 'McPherson's Blade,' and
syne 'The Bonnie Duchess Tree,'
'MacKenzie Hay,' 'The Spey in Spate,' he played them a' tae
me,
Pipe marches, jigs and hornpipes, laments he plays sae fine,
And it disnae seem tae fash him neen wi a' these tunes tae
min.
Yon feckless new fangled modren schools wi their
harmony sae queer,
Will nae inspire the Scottish heels tae dunt upon the fleer,
Oh thou who rules all from above pray bless his matchless
hand,
And may his heaven-sent gift be heard ower a great Scotia's
land.
05
[RS] And it certainly was heard a ower Scotia's land. I am
not here to sing praises of Hector, because I've got a lot
of people coming in just to have a friendly chat with me,
just to speak a little bit about the man. Here's twa retired
dominies for a start! That's the only way I'm going to describe
them to you. You know them individually in your music fields
as tremendous fiddlers and enthusiasts, but to me they are
twa retired dominies! John Junor and Harry Smith--where are
ye! [applause].
Both have known Hector for a gey lang time,
so gentlemen if ye jist--you're a lot bigger than me, but
I think we'll manage fine if ye jist stand beside me here.
Harry's the biggest I think we'll stick him on there. But
I think we'll start, John, with your great knowledge and enthusiasm
for the music. I think you had a large part to play in Hector,
this reserved sort of lad, eh being introduced to both radio
and on record.
[JJ] Well I did give him a little bit of a push.
And he needed a lot of pushing because he was very backward
at coming forward. And regarding the radio part, I happened
to be at the Saltire Society recital, and the gentleman who
was talking was Dr Herbert Wiseman who at that time was head
of BBC Scotland. So he gave a very interesting talk on Scottish
music. And it was illustrated by records, BBC records, it
was before tape recorders had come in. It was the lacquer,
direct discs, he had a record player and he put on this programme.
Now it was very interesting as far as it went, and after an
interval we were invited to ask any questions. So I had a
pal along with me ye see, and he knew my interest in the fiddle
music. So I said to Ernest,
well that was very good, but where's the reference to the
fiddle? Poor old fiddle, left out. Not a word. So eh, well
he said why don't you ask a question. So he nudged me after
the interval, and I rose to my feet very timidly--I was just
a young lad then. And somebody asked a question about something
else. And I said 'well Dr Wiseman, so far as it went your
talk was very interesting and I enjoyed it, but just one thing
you missed out'. 'And what was that'. And I said 'No reference
to our traditional violin music in Scotland which means such
a lot to us, particularly up here in the North East, the home
of Scott Skinner. And I said I'm really just a wee bit disappointed
that you did not have one illustration of it played on the
fiddle. Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to the fiddle or violin
music. Oh wonderful music, wonderful music. And
I don't mean any disrespect to Scott Skinner, far from it.
I heard Scott Skinner, oh wonderful artist, wonderful artist.
I've never forgotten Scott Skinner. But you see within the
compass of this my time was restricted, you appreciate that.
I said, yes, but it's not only now that we don't seem to get
much fiddling, we don't seem to be getting it on the radio.
I have been monitoring it on the radio over the last year
or two and hardly ever hear a fiddle. And when we hear the
fiddle music its played on accordions and I want to see it
played on the correct instrument. Oh but we can't get fiddlers,
you see the trouble is there just aren't any of them now.
So I said, well I think I can put you right there. Now I said,
I see a gentleman over there, dressed in a highland dress
and he was at a concert the other night at the Cowdray Hall
and there was a first class exponent of Scottish traditional
music played. Oh really he said, who was that. And this gentleman
chipped in, ye see. Oh yes, he said, that's quite right, I
was there. Actually it was Hugh Welsh from Aberdeen, and eh
I didn't know him of course, never met him. Oh yes, he said,
I quite agree, that was a very fine recital that gentleman
gave. Now what was his name again? Was it Andrew something
I think. I said it was MacAndrew, Hector MacAndrew, and he's
right on the doorstep of the BBC at Cults, just outside Aberdeen.
And why does he not come forward? Well, I said, he's rather
reticent but I'm sure he'd be delighted to broadcast. So out
with his pencil and took a note, Hector was on a short time
after that. And that was Hector.
[RS] Also on record John, very briefly on record.
But again it was the same idea, of how Hector was introduced
to record.
[JJ] Well I just pestered him, that's the only
word. I pestered him. Look Hector, it's high time you made
records now, you must make records. Oh well aye, it would
be fine to make records. So I said right, now I got the opportunity.
I went to the Scottish Symphony Orchestra's monthly programme
in the Music Hall, the concert. When I came out I got the
bus, I didn't have a car in those days. I sat beside a Miss
Menzies who was from of the big music shops and I said the
usual question--have you got any records of fiddle music played
on the fiddle. Well she said no. now you know she said, it's
a pity, because we do get people coming in particularly from
the country, asking for fiddle music. But there just are no
records in the catalogues. So I said, well surely there must
be some way of getting a violinist on who plays his native
music. Oh yes, she said you could try the local representative
of the Parlophone Company. I said, who would he be? She gave
me his name and address. So I said right, and I phoned up
this gentleman, Mr Tosh. So I said, I believe you are the
representative of the Parlophone Company and that part of
your function is to look out for new talent, recording talent.
Yes that is so, do you sing? I said, Oh no, no I sing, but
its not up to your standards. No, no I said, I'm just enquiring
for a friend. I happen to be very interested in Scottish traditional
violin music. Now you haven't one record of it in your catalogues
played on the instrument for which it was written. You've
got plenty records played by instruments it was not written
for, but you have not got one record. Oh he said, I believe
you are right there. Is there anybody that you know? Yes,
I've got one or two excellent friends, marvellous players
in Aberdeen. And I named two. Well he said, eh, we might consider
one, but we won't take two. One as a trial. Right.
06
[RS] Turned out two--both
Bill Hardie and Hector through that. Let's come to you now
Harry. You knew more of the fireside ceilidh atmosphere with
Hector, with many a session with him. Where did you meet him
and what was the greatness of the man?
[HS] Well I came across Hector first of all
in the Webster Auditorium in King Street. George Webster you
know how he was employed in the old Do' School
[RS] We have his daughter here--Poppy.
[HS] Indeed! I know, I noticed Poppy in the
audience. In fact I threw it out to the Buchan Heritage Society
it might be a jolly good idea to have a similar concert for
George Webster.
[RS] Let's get over with this one. Come on.
[HS] Well in any case I heard Hector play there
you see. Although I didn't meet him late fifties, I met him
early sixties and we very quickly established a very firm,
lasting friendship. Both he and his wife, and my own wife
and myself formed a very mobile quartet going to all places
of pilgrimage for violinists like Dunkeld, Fochabers and so
on. But we went forth on Aberdeen on many occasions socially
and Hector was always at his best on these occasions of course,
just with a smallish group of appreciative people. And he
really performed excellently.
07
[RS] What was Hector's best--what
was the greatness of the man?
[HS] Well, I think he was a romantic of course,
he was always looking back to the golden age of fiddle playing,
you know the mid eighteenth to the end of the nineteenth centuries.
I think having being born in the Fyvie castle precincts he
likened himself in a way to the Gows, to the Gows and to Marshall
who were patronised by the people of these eh, Blair Castle
and Fochabers Castle. I think Hector saw a parallel between
him and them in that respect you see. As you know
yourself both of you, his technical abilities were more than
adequate. They were excellent eh, even Menuhin when Hector
finally met him at Blair Castle wondered about the wonderful
bow arm he had you see. And another thing about Hector he
was very emotional. I don't think you can play a slow air
as Hector did without really feeling the tune. I think he
really did, I can quote for example the like of Nameless Lassie
and Chapel ?? and Auld Robin Grey.
[RS] Played differently every time he played
it possibly?
[HS] No Robbie, that's not right. But always
impeccably. When Hector played it was a definitive rendering,
you felt that that canna be bettered you know. And I'm sure
you felt the same.
[JJ] Absolutely, I agree entirely.
[RS] One sentence from each of you then. There
is the definitive version. But what made the definitive version,
but what made the finished version. Was it the bowing? What
did he have in there that was ready to come out?
[JJ] well he had a strong personality you know
Hector and I think this showed in his playing. When he was
really warmed up he could get this fire into his playing and
he, you could hear him playing for example, Largo's Fairy
Dance. And when he's got going you know the variations are
just brilliantly played, just absolutely brilliant.
[RS] Harry, one last sentence from you, and
you've mentioned the bowing. Just, just something else, I
mean he was in your eyes, he was up that wee step further
than anyone else.
[HS] Oh yes, there's no doubt about it. His
playing, the finished product from Hector was different from
any other fiddler I've heard, no matter how technically brilliant
that other player is, Hector had something special. I think
it was the feel for the music of course. That would have come
he would have told you from his father, his grandfather. And
were all high class players.
[JJ] His grandfather was taught by a pupil of
Neil Gow.
[RS] And he felt that coming through the line
John?
[JJ] Oh yes, oh definitely he had that affinity
for Gow music, Perth music.
[RS] Gentlemen thank you very much indeed, John
Junor and Harry Smith. Thank you very much. [applause]. Thank
you very much. What a nice way to put a platform up for Hector
and now we introduce through another line, but again, complimentary
line surely, we have the fine line of Hardie fiddlers throughout
the generation here in the North East as we had with Hector
carrying on that line, maybe more fragmented than the Hardie
line. But we are delighted to welcome tonight from that Hardie
line, all the way up from Edinburgh to play for us tonight,
Mary Milne will be on piano--Mary are you there? On piano,
Mary Milne of Banchory and Alasdair Hardie on fiddle [applause].
08 and 09
[RS] As Alasdair gets the
bow organised, the tuning organised. He's going to start with
Coilsfield House, followed by Whistle ower the Lave o't and
then from mentioned in the poem in fact the East Neuk o Fife.
[Alasdair Hardie plays two sets]
[RS] Well played Alasdair Hardie there, with
Mary Milne on piano. The Wind on the Heath some people recognised,
I think that comes into the second set that Alasdair played
and there's a new cassette out of Duncan Chisholm of Inverness
with the tune properly named as 'High the Cooper' but eh,
Wind on the Heath was adapted by Alec Sim I think you older
people will tell me, adapted by Alec as conductor of Aberdeen
Strathspey and Reel Society and became known as Wind on the
Heath. Well done Alasdair Hardie.
10-11
[RS] When Alasdair was playing that slow air, it reminded
me of a true story of Angus Fitchet, my great pal Angus wrote
a tune for Elizabeth in fact little Angus. We're still the
same size Elizabeth but a wee bittie older now, and he was
telling me that he was playing down in Dundee and I says to
him what do you enjoy playing best of all is it slow airs,
or is it marches, Strathspeys or reels. Robbie he says, I
love slow airs, in that Dundonian accent I canna do, so I'll
continue in my Aberdeen accent. He says, I love playing the
slow airs. He says I was playin an old age pensioners do the
other night, him--he's seventy-seven himsel! He says, I was
playin at is old age pensioners, I was in this lounge Robbie,
I was playin this slow air and when I play a slow air I always
close my eyes to get the effect. And I'm in this lounge o
this old folks home in Dundee and when I'm playing this slow
air and I could hear the shufflin o feet, and I thought oh
me Angus you've chosen the wrong tune to play. When I opened
my eyes there was only one lady, one lady left in the lounge.
So he says, I went up to her and I congratulated, thank you
very much for staying you obviously enjoy slow airs. No, she
said, somebody stole ma zimmer. [Laughs.]
12
[RS] We've no problems with
that tonight, because we are all here, devotees of fiddle
music, especially the word and the music of Hector MacAndrew
tonight. And I am delighted to welcome two members of the
family, one direct and one just slightly indirect. Great pleasure
to introduce the son of Hector, Pat MacAndrew first of all,
Pat MacAndrew. [Applause] And the lad who played for Hector
many a time both in radio and on record, his nephew Sandy
Edmonston. [Applause]. You're my size, Pat's a wee bit taller
we'll go a wee bit nearer the mike, some folks couldnae hear
at the back the last time we spoke. But Pat we'll start with
you as being a son of this lad that was obviously a great
fiddler. How did he come across as a family man, did he play
the fiddle every night? How was he as a family man.
[PM] Well, he was an extremely kind father,
affectionate father. He was a good friend to me and as far
as playing the fiddle was concerned he played every night
without fail. Where he worked there was an enormous garage.
Do you remember it? It had wood panelling like this and the
acoustics were absolutely tremendous, it was just like a recording
studio and he used to go out to this garage and play for hours
on end.
[RS] On his own?
[PM] On his own
[RS] Just perfecting something.
[PM] The people walking past, Westerton Road
in Cults used to stop and listen.
[RS] DO you think that dedication of his, did
that transmit itself onto the tunes in any way Pat?
[PM] Oh I'm sure it did. He was a man who experienced
the whole gamut of human experience, he experienced great
happiness, he loved a joke and a story, especially Aberdeenshire
stories. But one way and another he also experienced great
sadness in his life and unhappiness and I think this, his
music was really an extension of these emotions. he had the
lift and the vitality in his Strathspeys and reels and he
had this tremendous sensitivity in his slow airs, where I
feel he really pierced the heart of the music, he put soul
into the music.
13
[RS] Sandy, you and I have
been, well you have been with your uncle many a time, and
we have shared a ceilidh many a time too. Twenty, six thirty
other people there as well. I have this image of Hector when
he was right into a slow air, he used to kinda stare at ye
as if ye wisnae there. But dare ye move. How difficult or
easy was it to play for him.
Well I didn't find it difficult at all, you know I was kinda
brought up with his style and eh, you'd anticipate what he
was going to do. I don't agree with Harry that he played the
same way every time, but em, he was so tremendously musical
that I didn't find it any effort at all. It was a delight
to play for him actually.
[RS] So how did you, I mean, eh, I know you
now as a great accompaniest, but were you quite the talented
piano player before Hector said, come on nephew.
[PM] Yes he was. Not in the Scottish field,
because, well I'd play with Hector when I was quite young,
you know maybe eight or nine years old out at Keith Hall .
At'd be about the age. And of course I'd to adapt because
I was a classically trained player, as Hector was, at shouldn't
be forgotten. Once I'd found out the chords and what the melody
line was, it was just a matter of following mostly by ear
at that time.
[RS] So the fact you were both classically trained
maybe meant something?
[PM] I think so, indeed, technically it did.
[RS] But when eh we heard John Junor tonight
speaking about that first record, I am sure that first record
was it not, you playing piano for him with the banks was it
not? Greenbraes and the banks.
[PM] Yes
[RS] Where was that made?
[PM] That was made in Glasgow.
[RS] At the time you were what, a student?
PM He couldnae afford my fare doon, so ye'd
got paid instead!
[RS] Now, we'll hae no family squabbles here
tonight! But I have seen at a concert at Hector would suddenly
change his made, you had a programme made out and suddenly
Hector wasn't in the mood and he says 'we'll play this instead'.
You coped with that alright did you?
[PM] I did, I had to. He used tae say Lord,
Sandy kens every move I'm gan tae mak and it's a damn good
job.
[RS] You once told me, now I haven't spoken
about this, I hope you remember, but I think it was at Banchory
once, when he produced a bit o ?? dating a way back to 1700
or something wasn't it?
[PM] He says, ye'll min this tune Sandy it was
made in 1863 and ye ken I jist barely min, but I think I micht.
Sandy Edmonston and Pat MacAndrew,
thank you very much. [Applause.] Two very fine accompanists
in their own right. And we probably hope, or we hope before
our concert finishes tonight that we'll maybe get them to
join in a wee ceilidh that Hector would have enjoyed. But
right now we switch from the fiddle music to the folk song.
14
[RS] And Hector I'm sure, well Hector I know on the times
I spoke to him, and just as the birth of the things like the
Traditional Music and Song Association was starting, he was
a great lover of all things traditional If he was living today
he'd see a great effort being made in keeping our tradition
alive more so than it was in his days. He was ploughing if
not a lone furrow, he was certainly ploughing furrows that
wisnae very deep but we are very grateful to a number of people
for keeping tradition alive in all forms. At's why I am delighted
to welcome now the Chairperson, her official title, the Chairperson
of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland,
but I know her better and you know do too as one of our finest
folk singers in Scotland. I asked her what she was going to
sing, and she gave me a title that I couldnae possibly remember,
och I says, pick something that I ken, like the Hikin Song
or something like that. She said, no I'm going to start with
my Bonnie Laddie is eh, I canna even read my ane writing.
She'll tell ye a aboot it when she comes on. Aileen Carr!
[Applause].
[End of Side A.]
[Applause.]
15
[Aileen Carr] Now I hope
I'm free to adjust this am I, or will I just leave it where
it is. That's if I'm able. Right. I first heard this song
sung a number of years ago by a fine singer from Dumfries-shire
called Heather Heywood. I'll just tighten this up. Em, Heather
passed the song on to a fine singer from Aberdeenshire called
Janice Clark, and Janice has passed it on to me. It's a song
of unrequited love. It's called 'My bonnie laddie, never yet
come by me'.
Oh it happened on a day, in the merry month
o May,
I gaed oot tae meet my bonnie lad, he promised he'd come my
way,
I gaed oot tae meet my bonnie laddie, he promised he'd come
my way,
But my bonnie laddie never yet come by me.
Oh fit hae I said love, and fit hae I deen,
And fit objections tae me hae ye seen,
Or hae ye been a courtin another pretty maid,
Is that the reason laddie ye gang by me.
Oh naethin hae ye said love, and naithin hae
ye deen,
And nae objections tae ye hae I seen,
But I hae been a courtin, another bonnie lass,
And that's the reason lassie I gang by ye.
Oh ye micht ha courted six, or ye micht ha courted
siven,
Ye micht ha courted eight, nine, ten or eleven,
Ye micht a courted dizzens a' ower and ower again,
But been kinder tae yer auld love a ??.
Oh the trees they do grow high, and the leaves
they arena rotten,
Although I am forsaken, I'm no hairtbroken,
I'll court anither laddie and you'll seen be forgotten,
And sae neatly bonnie laddie, I'll pass by ye. [Applause]
16
[AC] I'm never quite sure
what to do with my hands when I'm singing. I think pockets
or something to put them into, or a pair of galluses or something
to hook ma thumbs round (laughs). Here's another love song.
I don't know if you'd call it a song of unrequited love, in
a way perhaps it is. It's not unusual to hear of young women
marrying older men for their money, but these days they usually
do it from choice. In this song the young girl has been married
against her will to an older man, but being a bright kind
of a girl she comes up with what I think is a fairly novel
way of solving her unhappy situation and eventually she ties
him to a bit of loose straw and he blows away in the wind.
And if there's any moral to this song it's you can't make
a silk purse out of a sow's ear. It's got a chorus, if I sing
the chorus first you'll pick it up and you can join in.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
And I'm going to sing it lower than that, it's
kinda warm in here tonight, and I'll drop it a bit.
Ma faither was a gentleman, and a gentleman
was he,
But he's wad me to an old man, o three score years and three.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
And auld man he come pechin in, as though he
wanted life,
But a young man he comes bouncing in saying kiss me my dear
wife.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
Noo I hae got an auld man, with thirty ploos
o land,
But I'd raither hae a young man wi only hat in hand.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
Noo when we gang tae oor bed he turns untae
the wa,
Aye and ne'er a word tae me he speak till mornin light is
daw.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
Some neighbours hae advised me to droon him
in a well,
Aye and ithers hae advised me to grind him in a mill.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
But I hae taen my ane advise and I bore him
tae a plain,
There I tied him till a winlestrae, noo he'll never come back
again.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow.
Ma faither was a gentleman and a gentleman was
he,
But he's wad me to an auld man o three score years and three.
Sing hie, Jeannie, hie, and sing low Jeannie
low,
Oh ye canna make a singin bird oot o a hoodie crow. [Applause]
17
[RS] Thank you very much,
Aileen Carr. Now the next item I have on the programme here,
and I'll introduce them if eh, senior gentleman stays ootside,
I didnae tell them to do that, but can we have the fiddlers
that's comin in aboot, please come round me now, feel free
to stand roon aboot me, I dinna mind. I'm being hemmed in
here. I'm reminded of ….
[blank bit of tape]
[RS] … far hiv ye been Harry. He says I've
been awa for a practice. He says, god almichty if ye canna
play the thing after 92 years, it's a waste of time startin
noo! (Laughs). At's absolutely true. It never is a waste of
time when you get fiddlers together, enthusiasts together,
it's never a waste of time. It's a tune together and as you've
heard guests saying tonight, eh and I mentioned it too, and
the lone furrow some of them ploughed in the lean years when
there didn't seem to be the same interest in it, certainly
the interest is there now. And a lot o that interest created
with the expertise of the next artist on stage. But I would
like the friens tae come in afore the mannie himsel. Can we
have the friends of Angus Shaw in first please! Come in here
and make yourselves at home. Naebody'll bite ye. Oh Angus
is in first, there he is. Angus Shaw. {Applause). Mary is
at the piano. I really would like the rest of the fiddlers
would come, because I know Angus is playing a slow air to
start with but eh, if you take your seats. There's Barbara
Mathieson for a start. There's Bill Hardie from Edinburgh,
the other one that made the record at the same time. {Applause}
Have your seats, we're having a solo from Angus here. There's
Bill Bryan our conductor, John Junor who's been on before,
Jim Crichton at the back there. Eh, John Gerrard is coming
forward now, and we've got Harry Smith--is that ye a! Have
I got ye a noo, hope I div.
[??] We're all geriatric players.
[??] Spik for yersel! Spik for yersel. Ye dinna
ask me tae play.
[??] Oh we've a few young ones to give us a
boost.
[??] Not at all. Are you happy enough there
Angus?
[??] Yes.
[??] Because Angus Shaw, I mean it's like a who's who of the
best of fiddlers when you mention Angus' name now, because
Judy Davidson was one pupil he seen right through to take
the Scottish title, Angela Smith another, Becky Hunter, I
mean you can reel them off the great eh, work he's been doing
in Banchory. But he's going to play himself tonight, the solo
Fyvie Castle, and it's most appropriate this being special
concert for Hector, this mood of Fyvie Castle. Then after
that Angus Shaw and friends will play 'Makworth,' 'The Shakins
o the Pokie'--a tune composed between Peter Milne and Scott
Singer and then Mrs Forslie. But first of all Angus Shaw and
'Fyvie Castle.'
18
He's awa tae tune his fiddle. As he's going to tune his fiddle
you know the story don't you about Skinner and Peter Milne
had hardly any money left when they were at a festival somewhere,
and they went into the bar and one of them, I don't know which
one, took out this pokie, at that time it was a hole in yer
pooch and the money would go right through, they'd this pokie.
And out of the pokie they had all of the change on the bar
counter and between the two of them they were able to buy
a drink for the two of them. And that afternoon, so the story
goes, they wrote the tune, 'The Shakin's o the Pokie.' That's
coming up shortly, but right now this marvellous slow air
by Angus--'Fyvie Castle.' [Plays]
[RS] Thank you very much Angus Shaw and friends! Angus, it's
time to lead the old codgers. Not true at all. Once again,
Angus Shaw and friends. [Applause.] Mary on piano there, it's
Mary's youngsters coming forward now and once again, once
we get the seats set up. But I, I can't highlight enough,
you've heard me saying often on air I'm sure but I really
mean it, the amount of work that's been done in this recession
period, where there was John Junor so enthusiastic for a bit
fiddle music and looking for a platform for the greats of
the time. The platform was not readily coming until you pushed
yourself forward, but the platform is there now, through the
Strathspey and Reel societies, through the accordion fiddle
clubs, through the different concerts, dances, the platform
is there and it's all through the hard dedication of people
like Angus Shaw teaching and Mary Milne teaching as well,
Mary on piano. Mary Milne [applause]. So once again, when
the youngsters are ready Sandy, bring them in and I'll patter
about here until they're ready. When eh, remind me when I
saw Mary up there just now, there they are now. This is Mary
Milne's junior fiddles. This is youngsters being taught now
by Mary, so come on a hand to them as they come in, let them
settle down [applause]. I was asking at the back, who was
the youngest. I'm not going to highlight the youngest, but
I know there's at least three o them only eleven years old,
and the oldest een is twelve. [Applause.] That's right, eleven
years old. And just to get settled in now.
I'm reminded of Mary and her dad,
the late Sandy Milne, when that famous oft repeated programme
on the telly with the eh, down at Blair Atholl, it wasn't
a story against Sandy, but it was when Yehudi Menuhin was
going to play a slow air. And at the rehearsal in the afternoon,
it was…the Kirriemuir Strathspey and Reel Society and
the Angus Strathspey and Reel Society, and there was two,
as Angus described them, 'aul fogies', there was two veteran
fiddlers sittin there and they had to make room tae let Yehudi
sit down and he would play this slow air. So he wis between
this two lads in their late seventies presumably, and Yehudi
turned round a wee bit of embarrassment, because he hadn't
played a slow air like that, he'd never played a tune like
that in his life before. And he turned round to one of the
lads and he says, I'm very sorry he says, but you know, you
know I'm not very sure what I'm doing. And this aul lad put
his haund on his shouder and says, dinna worry min, ye're
atween twa guid men!. [Laughs, applause.]
19-20 and 21
Well, I'm between a lot of good youngsters here just now.
The leader is Evelyn Milne and on piano we've got Joan Macintosh.
Joan and Evelyn, starting off with a march, strathspey and
reel. Well two Strathspeys isn't it? 'Cameron Highlanders,'
then 'Glen Grant and Earl Grey,' and 'The Marquis of Huntly.'
And then they'll finish off this half, after that we take
an interval, with a slow air, 'Glencoe' and then 'The Banks
Hornpipe.' But the march 'Cameron Highlanders,' the young
fiddlers of Mary Milne's Junior Fiddlers from Banchory. [Applause.]
[Plays]
[Applause.]
22-23
[RS] Welcome back again to the second half and welcome to
these youngsters [applause]. They did so well for us in the
first half, they start off the second half for us. And before
we get the youngsters on to play for ye, I think we should
acknowledge the efforts again. When I spoke earlier on about
the tutors down the line, well you know there's the stages
between tutors and tutors, surely. And the slightly older
ones, only slightly older than these affa young lookin craiters
roon aboot me just now, we have on piano tonight, Joan Macintosh,
Joan on piano [applause]. And Evelyn Milne. [applause]. I'll
give you full freedom in a moment, but just to announce the
start of Mary Milne and the Young Fiddlers. This is a set
including two slow airs. The first one starts with the Bonnie
Anne, that's followed by the Peterhead Polka, a tune that
I have heard and I've eh, I understand that Jim Duncan was
with us tonight but Jim has had to go home, and disappointing
that I hadna got a chance to speak with him, because Jim was
instrumental in starting not only, well starting the Buchan
Heritage Society, but the amount of work he done instrumental
in suggesting Hector so, I would like to think that we would
say to Jim, thank you very much indeed for all the work he's
done on that. Please, Jim Duncan [applause]. That was the
first time I heard the Peterhead Polka, played by his father
in law, James Dickie. Then we have this anagram of Scott Skinner's
tune, Goodbye ?? Goodbye Ingram or whatever, and at's finished
by what they call now in America (bad American accent) Big
John's Reel, called John T. McNeill. But we start in simpler
mood by 'Bonnie Anne,' led by Evelyn. [Applause.]
[Plays]
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