A year back I posted a couple of John McLellan pipe tunes and now here is my latest McLellan offering, a retreat march called My Home Town - his home town, Dunoon, also being mine for many years and I still live on the outskirts of it even now. John McLellan is one of the most famous Scottish pipers and composers and served in the Boer War and the First World War, gaining his DCM at Magersfontein during the Boer War while serving in the Highland Light Infantry, his piping under fire inspiring his fellow soldiers. My version is played on my octave mandolin with minimal guitar backing to suggest the pipe drones.
Very nice John. Very Scottish. Lovely playing of the octave. Jinx again?
And when do they give you your DCM, John, picking under the fire of flowers from your loving audience here on the Cafe? 'cos you sure deserve it.
I would vote for John myself. He deserves any possible decoration for gallantry in the field of music! His recordings of PM John McLellan’s compositions are evidence enough.
Steady on there, people! Ginny, yes serendipity again. Two simultaneous postings with very similar titles. Bertram and Frithjof, what can I say other than thanks for your vote of confidence.
Back from holiday, back from quarantine, back to mandolin playing, and back to the Mandolin Cafe - and I wanted to start my catch-up with this video because I knew it would be perfect. As others have said, you are serving music and culture with these kind offerings.
Welcome back, Dennis. Thanks for updating 15 posts. I thought everyone had gone into music-posting overload for a minute. Glad you are well.
Thanks, Dennis, and a big welcome back to you.
Here is Ginny's version of the tune with her own pictures. She has posted it as a new thread but I am copying it to this thread as well so that you can listen to both versions easily.
Yay Ginny and John. Beautiful, and really agile, canny accompaniment too!
Thanks John. I'll email you on how to do that.
A sweet declaration of love for your home town. Well performed, Ginny. With a tasteful accompaniment by John. More comments on the other thread.
Just realised, John, that I missed out on your version above. Really nice, getting the octave to really sing, wonderful, thanks.
Thanks again, all.
John picking the octave mandolin on his couch and Ginny showing pictures of her hometown in Canada. Both versions are played and arranged really well!