The Annual LBPS competition had to be cancelled this year due to the pandemic. However, several entries were submitted for the New Composition Class and are printed here.

Not a Breath of Wind

G. Greig

 George explains: It was written a couple of months ago when the country was suffering terrible gales; yet, here in Aberdeen we must have been in the eye of the storm because we had a clear blue sky and it was totally still

The Unslokit Licht

Pete Stewart

‘The Unslokit Licht’ was written to celebrate MEP Alyn Smith’s request to the EU to ‘keep a light on for Scotland’; the title harks back to Tom Anderson’s tune ‘Da Slokit Light’.

Puddle Burn Hornpype

Pete Stewart

Pete explains that Puddle Burn is a wee tributary of the Tyne Water in our part of East Lothian; I have been walking its length during my lockdown exercise

Matt Seattle sent us the following new compositions
Pete has been asking for more contributions to the Summer 2020 issue so, if you’ll forgive me, here are a few recent compositions dedicated to some of the stalwarts at my local session, all composers themselves. One was composed at the back of 2019, the rest during the current lockdown.

The Marronis of Kelso are Martin (flute) and Liz (mandolin, banjo, guitar, piano). The tune has something of an Irish flavour because Martin and Liz also go to a lot of Irish music sessions.

go to a lot of Irish music sessions.
Knoxy Music is for Donald (guitar, mandolin) and Sandra (fiddle) Knox. Outwith the session Donald and I play as a duo, in a trio, and in a band. NB: all the cs, and some of the fs, are natural, and a “D5” chord is shorthand for “D (no 3rd)” and so on.

The Waltz of the Heavy Metal Kids is for Darren (Highland pipes, Scottish smallpipes) and Helen (fiddle, flute, whistle) Scurfield, with a nod to their eclectic musical tastes.

Jimmy Nagle is the grandson of Tommy (Tam) Hughes and is widely regarded as the prime bearer of the Border fiddle tradition. The high bs are an integral part of the tune, and the guitar accompaniment as written requires the 6th string tuned down to D.