These songs first introduced me to Scots Gaelic. The actual scorescontain both Gaelic and English. Although I've since learned that thetranslations can be a bit shaky, they've stuck. At 9 o'clock sharp, wecommence. The ladies are accompanied on the piano, and all is well withno 1, Eilidh Davies, who went on to win. Jackie Cotter, from Edinburgh,was next up and had a breakdown of communication with the accompanist.Result: two stoppages and a ruffled singer. Ann Marie McLean andPauline McCamley went through their pieces without mishap. JillainFaith Thomson was absolutely consumed with nerves. A lump in the throatdoesn't help either, with the result that Tha mi sgith didn't go to well. What a shame. On that note, it was across to the Town Hall for the lady solo singers.
They all had to sing Ghraidh an tig thu. The usual muddle wastaking place, with people not appearing in the order they were billed.Several had withdrawn from competition. Fiona MacKenzie from Dingwallwon. A little after 11, the competition was declared closed, and theadjudicators came to a conclusion. Next item on the morning's agenda:precenting.
If you want to hear what that sounds like, follow this link: http://www.bealheights.org/auto_images/1123797915Psalmcast016.mp3which I took from www.podcast.com. It contains an introduction and is15 minutes long. It also comprises other recordings of precenting fromelsewhere within the Christian church.
There were 3 competitors. The first isn't too bad, but hasdifficulty going over the congregation. A lot of old folk have come inspecially to take part in this. The precentors have to line 2 verses ofa psalm of their choice. Number 2, Torquil MacLeod, an islander, doesvery well. Donald Angus Matheson unfortunately had a spot of bother.Torquil MacLeod wins hands down. Next on the agenda: a jaunt to thesports centre where they are singing in duets. Confusion reignssupreme, as there are several people who have not reported to theorganisers. I sit in on proceedings until I get bored waiting. Returnto Newton, but get picked up by mrs B's eldest son in Island Road. Yep,such a long way to go from there (not). He leaves for Glasgow today,through Tarbert and Skye at 2 pm. At 2.30 I head back into town to jumpon the Mod Shuttlebus which is supposed to take me to the PrimarySchool. Well, the lady in the bus station was very unhelpful and justtold me to accost any Mod official; it's a Mod bus, nothing to do withthe council. No sign of any bus, so I leg it all the way to JamiesonAvenue. Twenty minutes later, I slink into the Assembly Hall to listento a batch of young girls, all singing whilst playing the clarsach, theGaelic harp.
Little Josie Duncan from Laxdale carries off the main prize. A womanstands on the stage, like at all events, but she SHOUTS out theannouncements for the competitions. We're overrunning by about an hour.Standards are quite high. One competition gets shifted to another room,so we get on with a competition in which only one person has entered.Esme Boone has travelled all the way from Northern Ontario in Canada.Unfortunately, her voice outdid the harp, and her performance did notmerit awarding the trophy to her. Ouch. The final session was dedicatedto groups of 3 clarsachan or more. The first group, Na h-Uiruisgean[Waterspouts] made a valiant effort, but why the heck they included afiddle is beyond me. Not a strong performance, but they're yet young.Second was a very creditable performance by the City of Edinburgh MusicSchool, who had 4 harpists out. Finally a group of 14 (yes, fourteen)harpists basically rearranged the hall to be able to fit in. Quitegood, an an unusual combination. They won the competition. Return toNewton at 5.15. to help mrs B serve dinner to our 4 Canadians afterthey return from rehearsal at the Golf Club. This time round they donot stay behind after supper, and I can join mrs B for an evening mealnot long afterwards.
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