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The Piping Centre 1996 Recital Series, Volume 1 |
Jack Lee and Alasdair Gilles (solo Highland pipes). 11
tracks; 63'00". Temple COMD2064.
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Audio clips & ordering info |
This
album is the first in a series of four from the inaugural
recitals at the Glasgow Piping Centre. Recorded live by the BBC, the
recitals featured eight of the foremost pipers in the world. This first
album covers the gamut of traditional solo piping, including slip jigs,
strathspeys, reels, marches and hornpipes. It is a pleasure to hear such
music and expression from the pipes, and Temple has set a standard for
future albums with the quality of sound and performance. One of Jack Lee's
numbers, a piobaireachd called The Big Spree is a fourteen-minute
religious experience. On the other end of the spectrum, a set of 7 slip jigs
played by Alasdair Gilles is exactly the type of music that makes one not
sit still in church.
Pipe music is something that I can't listen to
casually. I have to focus on it, in which case I can like it very much. If I
can't focus, it is nothing other than irritating. This album was a real
pleasure to focus on. If you love pure Highland piping, place it at the top
of your Christmas list.
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