The Oban Times, 10 August, 1912
5 August, 1912
Sir,–I regret to see that the only effect of the recent correspondence on canntaireachd in your columns has been a promised translation of Gesto’s book by an amateur piper–one of undoubted enthusiasm, I understand–but one surely not qualified by training for such a task.
Writing as a competing piper (bored beyond expression by having to relearn and afterwards unlearned certain “wrong” versions, published in high places), I would like to urge, with your permission, from a performers point of view, the strong need of having Gesto’s book translated into ordinary notation by a practical piper–one who has (1) the love of the art as well as (2) the rare gift of perfect execution, and one who combines both with (3) an intimate knowledge of the subject, and (4) a large repertoire of piobaireachd.
It is well known that the third and fourth items of these attainments could only be got at first hand from the expert of the last generation, or in other words, an intimate knowledge of piobaireachd can only be transmitted and acquired by master and pupil.
So that as the expert teachers of last generation have given us their pupils who are in their turn the present-day experts, it is surely not too much to hope that somewhere in the broad realms of Scotland there yet may be found one of these who can fully and capably translate the Gesto book. In closing my card–I am, etc.,
Luceo [MacLeod Chemist – Tain]