Album Notes

“This wonderful book and CD should be in every house where music matters.” The Voice

“Superlatives fail” The Piping Times

“a landmark, elegant product for musicians everywhere” Piper & Drummer Online

“the album is already a classic” Piping Today

“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 pibrochs are featured, composed between 1537 and 1747.” musicscotland.com

“some of the best tunes in the pibroch repertoire... There’s an understated elegance to MacPherson’s playing that is mesmerizing.” Piper & Drummer Magazine

Between 1948 and 1990, whenever Donald MacPherson stepped onto the platform a hush fell. His mastery set the benchmark of excellence in Highland bagpiping for 60 years, and this recording is without a doubt his finest.

Despite his infrequent attendance, Donald broke all records 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.