OT: 6 October 1923 – E. “Record Chanter Playing”

Oban Times, 6 October 1923

Record Chanter Playing

29 September 1923

Sir,–In your interesting article on “Donald Cameron, Piper to Seaforth,” it is stated that he (Cameron) “could keep up a continuous sound when playing the practice-chanter.. . . . . ; The meaning, I suppose, is, that when he drew breath the “continuous sound” of the music did not stop. As the practice chanter has not the accompaniment of the bag, such a performance would appear to be a physical impossibility. And yet,–and that is why I write–a pipe player in Oban some years ago, was credited with the ability to perform the same aerobatic feat of lung and windpipe!! His name, I recollect, was Roderick MacDiarmid. A brother of his, John, was a noted shinty player in Oban, where he went by the name of “Benstarra” He was subsequently a piper in the Gordons, and–along with Findlatter, V.C.–was one of the pipers who led the Gordons at the storming of Dargal. Another brother, Angus, was with the Black Watch et Tel-el-Kebir. –I am, etc.,

E .