The Oban Times, Saturday, 12 March, 1910
Kintyre, 7 March, 1910
Sir,–I read Mr. J. MacLennan’s one-sided remarks on the above, as contributed in the correspondence column of your last issue. Personally, I do not attach importance to these criticisms.
As a lover of music, and of all efforts put forth for the cherishing of our piobaireachd, I have watched the Society’s work with much interest, and no little admiration.
Great praise is due the Society for their splendid inducement of free lessons to young pipers, taught by the best and most efficient tutors of the day, as chosen by the Society. Many a young piper would never have been able to compete with any success in piobaireachd were it not for the fact that he was taught at the Society’s expense. (I speak of the pupils honoured by being chosen by the Society).
One cannot help observing the keen sense of rivalry with which pipers have entered the respective competitions at various Highland gatherings. Before the Piobaireachd Society came into operation, pipers had the habit of playing the same piobaireachd year in and year out, with the result that young pipers had difficulty in competing successfully. Of course, there were a few exceptions. Now the scene is changed, and all compete on a better level, because the older hands learn new tunes annually, and well-educated young pipers can grasp the tunes equally as successfully as their elders, thanks to the Society’s good work and strict adherence to their settings. The great work of fostering piobaireachd being done by the Society from different centres in Scotland should be applauded, not found fault with.–I am, etc.,
Loch Sloy [ D. Macfarlane Glennasdell]