Donald MacPherson - A Living Legend

(October 2004) 7 tracks (76 mins): MacCrimmon's Sweetheart * The Big Spree * Ronald MacDonald of Morar’s Lament * Lord Lovat’s Lament * The Blue Ribbon * Mary’s Praise * Donald Gruamach's March.

Truly a collector's item! The CD of this living legend of piping comes encased in a 168-page illustrated hardback book of CD size, with tremendous notes on the tunes, the piping style and the piper himself, in English, German, French and Spanish.

Seven pibroch are featured, composed between 1537 and 1747.

Between 1948 and 1990, whenever Donald MacPherson stepped onto the platform a hush fell. His mastery has set the benchmark of excellence in Highland bagpiping for generations.

Despite his infrequent attendance, Donald made history at the premier piping competitions by winning first prize on most of his visits.

A precision engineer by profession, he was never a keen performer nor self-promoter and recordings of him are rare.

On this disc he champions pibroch, one of Europe’s great instrumental traditions. Sophisticated and soulful, these compositions have been transmitted aurally since the seventeenth century and are considered the test of a piper’s genius.

No-one plays them more magnificently than Donald MacPherson.