I want to thank Caveal for his reply to my blog, "A Problem With Three-Fours." Well, Caveal, you are "a man after my own heart," and we are both in total agreement, that, sad as it is to say, pretty well all pipe bands in the world tend to play 3/4 - time pieces, generally known as Retreats, out of step. Universally, Retreats, are played this way. That is, with no regard to the pulsation that's part of the music when it is properly played. Even our much reverenced hymn, "Amazing Grace," was played out of step by a small group of pipers in the movie, "The Titanic." And this was by pipers from a well known world-famous pipe band.
For some peculiar reason, it seems that it is traditional to play out of step while playing 3/4's. The fault has been passed along from teacher to student and has been repeated without anyone bringing this gross error to the point of being corrected. Incidentally, I played in a very large band for the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena California several times, and during the practice for one of those occasions, for which we led the parade, one of the instructors stopped the band in the middle of "Scotland the Brave," and said, "This whole band is out of step." One young piper spoke up and said, "It's because it followed "The Green Hills," " and so the instructor responded that we'll play "Scotland the Brave" first and then,"The Green Hills." That occasion, and during the parade in Pasadena, were the only times I've ever heard that retreat played according to the beat or pulsation. It's truly sad that excellent pipe bands have, and still are,"being led down the garden path," to play many otherwise beautiful pieces of music without any expression, but just simply in a mechanical sense, without regard for something that could be wonderful but it isn't, because of the lack of expression.
I should mention another great Scottish song that is played and sung without regard to the composer's feeling for the song, but I shall have to reserve this to comment on it when some interest has been shown in this subject.
It is an amazing thing that you, Caveal, responded at this particular time, because I was just referring to a manuscript on the theme, that was prepared some time ago, to be published for "The Church Piper," by Amazon. It is a compendium of a number of Retreats and Hymns written with the 3/4 time signature. I have been intending to publish a good number of hymns and retreats, with their bar lines in the correct positions. I happened now, to be borrowing from it, just a few hymns with the theme, "Prayers for Pipers." My intention is to meet the objective of 75 hymns on the theme, "Prayers for Pipers,"for each of two proposed volumes. They are almost complete and ready for publication too. Recently, George Delanghe and I published "Soul-Stirring Hymns," by Amazon. It is music composed by the noted hymn-writer, Albert Brumley. It was quite a challenge, because he wrote his piano music in a shape-note style. Most of today's musicians wouldn't know what we are talking about. Of course, I didn't understand this notation either, but after deciphering it, the effort proved worthwhile. Soon, we will publish the two volumes of, "Prayers for Pipers.," and soon after, I now hope, we'll follow those two volumes with the book I started a few years ago.
Because of your comments, I propose to bring that manuscript called "Strictly 3/4 Time Music"
up to standard for publication too. I will definitely expound on the subject of playing three-four tunes according to the beat, or pulse, whether they are military retreats or hymns. I will include the words, wherever they are available, so pipers will be able to sing as well as play the music. After all, one has to be able to sing the words into his or her music in order to give to the music the right expression. I know you were saying that very thing.
Once again, Caveal, thanks for your wise comments on how, through neglect and lack of good observation it has allowed pipers and pipe bands to have continued to play many of their tunes without proper thought to their natural pulsations. We'll both work on the subject, with due respect for everyone who has been so badly affected by tradition rather than by being properly taught. Keep in touch, Caveal. We both have work to do, to bring up the standard for piping across the world. Do you think it was by accident that you contacted me when you did?" I don't. I have implicit faith that our Dear Lord in Heaven has chosen you and me, to do this work. After all, if we intend to play pipes in heaven, we have to play them right! I've read that there will be nothing in heaven by which it could be defiled, and no doubt this is one of them. Let's practice towards perfection, and not practice the same errors over and over.
But last of all, I want to congratulate you for having composed a 3/4 tune that you are convinced should surely have won the prize, but didn't, because it wasn't written to be played out of step. I can't blame you for being disappointed. Who wouldn't be? - Only one who didn't know any better. Thanks again. I appreciate your forthrightness.
Kindest regards,
Keith MacDonald, OD
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