Buttergask was a hamlet in Perthshire which existed for several hundred years, located near the modern village of Blackford. The local industry was handloom weaving, and when the Industrial Revolution came along Buttergask went into a gradual decline with people moving away to find work. It ceased to exist by the mid 20th century, and […]
Dr Karen McAulay of the Books composed by Karen Marshalsay
This air was written for a good friend, author of Our Ancient National Airs, and as the music librarian at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, very much a person ‘of the books’. Composer website: https://www.karenmarshalsay.com/ Link to audio of music: https://karenmarshalsay.bandcamp.com/track/dr-karen-mcaulay-of-the-books Karen Marshalsay's music draws on a wealth of differing experiences, developed through the traditional […]
Inchaffray Abbey composed by George Smith
Inchaffray Abbey in Perthshire was once one of the most important churches in Scotland. One abbot, Maurice of Inchaffray, was King Robert the Bruce's personal chaplain, and was present at the Battle of Bannockburn. All that's left now is a piece of gable in a clump of trees. Composer website: Link to audio of music: […]
The Breck composed by Karen Steven
The Breck – is a stretch of ground designated as common grazing, on the hill near John O’Groats, Caithness. It’s an area of unspoiled beauty, comprising mosses, lichens, heather and peat. Looking east across The Breck, you can see the peak of one of the sea Stacks of Duncansby. Composer website: https://www.karensteven.co.uk Link to audio […]
Glendrian composed by Kenneth I MacKenzie
The album’s title track takes its name from a depopulated settlement in Ardnamurchan – a peninsula in Lochaber and area with family connections for Kenny. The lament’s poignant pipes reflect the hardship and poverty people experienced in Glendrian living off the land and the sea. Composer website: https://www.caberfeidhmusic.co.uk Link to audio of music: https://caberfeidhmusic.bandcamp.com/track/glendrian Multi-instrumentalist […]