OT: 15 January 1927 – Angus Macpherson “Toarluath and Crunluath”

The Oban Times, 15 January, 1927

Toarluath and Crunluath

Inveran Hotel, Invershin, Sutherlandshire, 30 December, 1926

Sir,–I once again crave your courtesy to enter into the above discussion. The correct method of playing these particular notes is to my mind a matter which should be put beyond a shadow of a doubt, and this in fairness to the rising and coming generations of pipers and not left as a matter for argument. To me it is most pleasing to read how convincingly your correspondent Mr. MacInnes, puts the case, and it must be so to many others. Five minutes with the practising chanter should be sufficient to convince the most stubborn opponent.

It is now more than thirty years since the mistaken notion of playing Toarluath and Crunluath, as written, was pointed out to me, and as I have previously stated by one who got Toarluath and Crunluath from Angus Mackay’s fingers and practicing chanter. Many others, some of them the foremost players of the past and present generation, got it from the same source, and have in like manner handed it on to the young men who are to-day leading in the art. There are therefore men still alive who can prove that Angus Mackay did not play Toarluath and Crunluath as written in his book nor many other things also that, by printer’s errors, are noted in his book of Piobaireachd.

Mr. MacInnes is correct in what he says regarding the spelling of Toarluath and Crunluath and the entirely mistaken idea which such spelling conveys, “That the movement signifies fast,” an idea which has the effect nowadays of making some pipers play Taorluaidh and Crunluaidh as though it were a jig, and not what it is meant to be.–I am, etc.,

Angus Macpherson